The report focuses on findings from ten Great Lakes cities - including Cleveland and Toledo.
It places primary blame for damaging the Lakes on municipal storm and sewage systems. Director Jeff Skelding, Director of the Coalition, says antiquated combined sewage overflow systems just can't handle the runoff and the waste water cities generate - particularly during heavy rainfall.
JEFF SKELDING:"Communities around the Great Lakes continue to dump billions of gallons of untreated sewage into these great natural resources that define the culture and lives and jobs of our region. This practice simply has to end if we're going to get on top of the business of restoring the Great Lakes."
The report also shows how health concerns increase exponentially with exposure to germ-laden water. PhD Joan Rose is a water research professor at Michigan State University.
JOAN ROSE, PhD: "We've seen that with treatment to these waste water streams, we can actually reduce the risk 100 to 1000 times from these parasites like Cryptosporidium and Giardia and these viruses."
The Great Lakes Coalition and other sponsors hope to influence Congress, where members are currently debating `two' bills that could send billions of dollars toward Great Lakes freshwater conservation and protection projects.... projects that would also increase regional jobs in the construction and maintainence of high-tech water control systems.
