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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
Ensuring Clean
Drinking Water for Ohio Communities
Earlier this month, I visited Put-in-Bay to tour The Ohio State
University’s Stone Laboratory. I met with Stone Lab scientists and
accompanied them as they collected water samples of Lake Erie to better
understand the rise in toxic algal blooms.
A high level of phosphorous in the lake is a contributing factor to the
algal blooms, and I’ve recently announced funds to help farmers
implement conservation practices that reduce phosphorous runoff into
the lake. But we must address all contributing sources to algal blooms,
including our wastewater systems.
Sen. Brown assisting with taking samples at Lake Erie’s Stone
Laboratory.
In communities with combined sewer systems – which carry both storm
water and raw sewage - every time there are heavy rains, there is a
combined sewage overflow (CSO) and untreated waste and storm water is
dumped straight into our rivers, creeks, and lakes. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 850 billion gallons of untreated
waste and stormwater from CSOs are released into rivers, lakes, and
streams across the U.S. each year.
There are 73 Ohio communities with out-of-date sewer systems causing
CSOs but many towns – and their ratepayers – struggle to fix these
systems on their own.
That’s why I’ve introduced the Clean Water Affordability Act, which
would help communities with CSOs to develop an infrastructure plan to
update their sewer systems while keeping costs down for already
stressed ratepayers and municipal budgets. It would also authorize a
CSO-specific grant program, providing $1.8 billion over the next five
years and prioritizing funding to communities like Toledo that are
dealing with water quality issues.
Ohio families can’t afford the risk of tainted drinking water in their
communities and they deserve immediate action. This legislation would
lead to clean water, promote economic development, and protect local
ratepayers.
I have also introduced the Safe and Secure Drinking Water Act with
Senator Rob Portman and Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. Currently, there is
no federal limit for the level of microcystins – the toxic byproduct of
blooming algae – allowed in drinking water. The Act would direct the
EPA to determine safe levels of microcystins and issue a health
advisory to inform local and state agencies and utilities of proper
testing procedures and standards that protect drinking water from
microcystins.
Sound wastewater infrastructure with fair rates is not only critical to
ensuring our state’s health – it attracts businesses and creates jobs.
The assurance of a dependable and affordable source of water attracts
and retains companies.
We need swift passage of these commonsense, bipartisan bills to promote
21st-century sewer systems that attract 21st century jobs, while
preserving America’s promise of clean water.
Sincerely,
Sherrod Brown
U.S. Senator
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