A river to a major city is now so polluted that almost half a million people residents have been told not to drink their tap water. Sounds like China, right? Think Toledo, Ohio. While we have been following the rolling environmental disasters in China, we often forget about our own failure to protect the basic health of our citizens. Toledo is such an example. While newspapers have detailed how algae blooms are releasing toxins, they largely fail to state the likely reason or downplay it: phosphorous and nitrogen from farm fertilizer runoff.
Way back in the late 1970s, I worked at the Smithsonian Center for Environmental Research in Maryland where scientists were doing some of the early work on how such runoff was killing the Chesapeake Bay. It was and remains a touchy subject in Washington because of the agribusiness lobby.
In Toledo, over 400,000 people have been told to avoid swallowing the water. They were also told not to try to boil the water because that would increase the concentration of the microcystin toxin. The City of Toledo issued a warning that water “should not be consumed until an all clear is issued.”
Restaurants were asked not to use city water to even wash dishes.
The source of the water is Lake Erie, where phosphorous and nitrogen runoff has continued to pollute the waters.
Source: Inquirer
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/08/04/toledo-ohio-water-toxin-explainer/13563805/
Microcystins are not regulated bye EPA. They should be, no?
Speaking of toxic subjects…. Am I not seeking Mike Appleton, Mark or Elaine posting anymore? I have been gone three weeks and it seems like dynamics have changed dramatically.
Darren, the comment must be in the system somewhere because it said it was a duplicate when I just tried to repost it. Before that, there was no indication it even reached the system to comment.
Thanks,
Jill
I posted a link to Paul about the severe cuts to the EPA.
SWM – did your post disappear? I tried to post something 8 times this weekend. Finally had to give up. Darren finally found one of them. Thanks again, Darren.
Annie, They are up against “very powerful monied forces”, we all are, (except if we belong to that group or are minions for them). It’s called regulatory capture.
Alexandra Dunn, general counsel and executive director for the Association of Clean Water Administrators, told BNA July 22 that the organization of state and interstate water pollution regulators is “stunned” by the proposed $1.2 billion cut to the clean water SRF.
“These are unprecedented low levels,” Dunn said. “I can’t even imagine a national funding level of this amount.”
SWM – that is a ‘proposed cut’ not an actual cut. Could we see the numbers for the actual cut?
Darren, I just tried to post it again, no luck.
(Toledo News Now) –
During a US EPA conference call this afternoon Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur complained that the Ohio EPA is withholding water test results taken from Toledo’s water system.
And she urged the US EPA pressure the Ohio EPA to provide those results.
During the conference call it was also revealed the next test batch won’t be finished until late Sunday night.
The Ohio EPA did not take part in the call.
“The public has a right to know,” Kaptur said to Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman.
USEPA stated that although it is performing the tests on samples from the Toledo plant and distribution facilities, the Ohio EPA in fact has “the lead” in the investigation. Administrator Hedman said the agency would make an effort to get clearance from the state EPA.
“Whether it’s the state EPA or the federal EPA makes no difference. The public deserves transparency,” Kaptur said.
The US EPA also says it has validated Toledo’s Friday night test result at almost three parts per billion..The World Health Organization standard is 1 part per billion.
The conference call also revealed that Toledo’s water plant has changed Chlorine levels in the plant. It’s all a part of gaining consistency in the city’s testing of water samples.
Congresswoman Kaptur also noted that although the USEPA has the most sophisticated analytical capability and ability to interpret information, the agency has not been present at any meeting or any media opportunity during the entire crisis.
Jill, I retrieved your comment at 3:08.
Darren, I tried twice to send the info SMM requested. Would you please see if you can get it? Thanks!
In the meantime if you google Marcy Kaptur and Toledo Water Crisis it will come up at toledonewsnow.
(Toledo News Now) –
During a US EPA conference call this afternoon Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur complained that the Ohio EPA is withholding water test results taken from Toledo’s water system.
And she urged the US EPA pressure the Ohio EPA to provide those results.
During the conference call it was also revealed the next test batch won’t be finished until late Sunday night.
The Ohio EPA did not take part in the call.
“The public has a right to know,” Kaptur said to Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman.
USEPA stated that although it is performing the tests on samples from the Toledo plant and distribution facilities, the Ohio EPA in fact has “the lead” in the investigation. Administrator Hedman said the agency would make an effort to get clearance from the state EPA.
“Whether it’s the state EPA or the federal EPA makes no difference. The public deserves transparency,” Kaptur said.
The US EPA also says it has validated Toledo’s Friday night test result at almost three parts per billion..The World Health Organization standard is 1 part per billion.
The conference call also revealed that Toledo’s water plant has changed Chlorine levels in the plant. It’s all a part of gaining consistency in the city’s testing of water samples.
Congresswoman Kaptur also noted that although the USEPA has the most sophisticated analytical capability and ability to interpret information, the agency has not been present at any meeting or any media opportunity during the entire crisis.’
http://www.bna.com/house-republicans-propose-n17179875362/ “Alexandra Dunn, general counsel and executive director for the Association of Clean Water Administrators, told BNA July 22 that the organization of state and interstate water pollution regulators is “stunned” by the proposed $1.2 billion cut to the clean water SRF.
“These are unprecedented low levels,” Dunn said. “I can’t even imagine a national funding level of this amount.” “
Swarthmoremom, I retrieved at comment at 3:05.
SWM – again the word ‘proposed.’ Actual figures talk.
(Toledo News Now) –
“During a US EPA conference call this afternoon Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur complained that the Ohio EPA is withholding water test results taken from Toledo’s water system.
And she urged the US EPA pressure the Ohio EPA to provide those results.
During the conference call it was also revealed the next test batch won’t be finished until late Sunday night.
The Ohio EPA did not take part in the call.
“The public has a right to know,” Kaptur said to Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman.
USEPA stated that although it is performing the tests on samples from the Toledo plant and distribution facilities, the Ohio EPA in fact has “the lead” in the investigation. Administrator Hedman said the agency would make an effort to get clearance from the state EPA.
“Whether it’s the state EPA or the federal EPA makes no difference. The public deserves transparency,” Kaptur said.
The US EPA also says it has validated Toledo’s Friday night test result at almost three parts per billion..The World Health Organization standard is 1 part per billion.
The conference call also revealed that Toledo’s water plant has changed Chlorine levels in the plant. It’s all a part of gaining consistency in the city’s testing of water samples.
Congresswoman Kaptur also noted that although the USEPA has the most sophisticated analytical capability and ability to interpret information, the agency has not been present at any meeting or any media opportunity during the entire crisis.”
Jill,Could you provide a link about the EPA official? I think it is worth following up on.
Jill, IF the EPA officials who weren’t doing their jobs were fired, then yes indeed the EPA officials who ARE doing their jobs should have more clout. Remember they are up against very powerful monied forces who want to pollute with impunity.
I thought blog favorite John Boehner represented the Toledo area also. He and the tea party whacked the EPA budget.
SWM – would like to cite a source for the cutting of the EPA budget?
SWM, Good to see you back, leej needs a strong, intelligent, woman ally. All the others have apparently bugged out to echo chambers. Too many liberals don’t like to be challenged. We sure as hell have seen that here.
Annie, Thank you for answering the question about which companies you feel should be fined out of existence in Toledo by linking to the website above.
Now, how do you feel about the second part of the question? Here is it again:
I agree that EPA officials who w/held information should be fired but do you think giving the EPA more clout would accomplish this since they are the ones w/holding the information in the first place?
http://greenpeaceblogs.org/2013/10/30/ohio-koch-alec-and-dirty-energy-cos-attack-clean-energy-jobs/
Koch, ALEC, State Policy Network, Big Oil and Coal gang up on Ohio.
The Wi. DNR are like Gestapo. Yet, many lakes are algae cesspools every summer. Do we need to give them the death penalty authority to clean up lakes? They have everything but that.
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2014/world/clean-water-act-overlooked-agricultural-pollution/
Why the Clean Water Act overlooked agricultural pollution.