In its fight against algae in Ohio’s lakes and streams, the Ohio EPA is moving to expand enforcement of one of its regulations. It’s a move that might cause a bump in some water bills.
The increase would be about $1 a month per household, according to state and private-sector reports. The money is for upgrading wastewater plants so they release no more than 1-milligram of phosphorous per liter of output. Ohio EPA a bill passed next year to make that limit, now only enforced in the Lake Erie basin, apply everywhere.
Jamie Gellner, president of The Ohio Environment Water Association,says his private non-profit treatment-industry group sees both a minus and a plus in the idea.
“A one-size-fits all limit in many cases will cost money where there wouldn’t be a benefit; also acknowledging that in some of those watersheds there would be a benefit to having a point-sources limit on some of those discharges.”
“Point source” refers to municipal and industrial treatment plants. It's one of the five major ways phosphorus gets into surface waters.
