State Representative Oelslager Introduces Bi-Partisan Backed Legislation To Protect Public Health
As the new home of Ohio PIRG's environmental work, Environment Ohio can be contacted regarding this report.
Columbus – A new report “Public Health at Risk: The Dangers Posed By Sewage Pollution In Ohio’s Lake Erie Basin”
released today by the Ohio Public Interest Research Group (Ohio PIRG)
shows that health-threatening bacteria, parasites and viruses found in
sewage are widely detected in Lake Erie’s waters. New legislation
introduced today would better protect the public from the dangers of
coming into contact with sewage pollution.
“Ohioans
expect sewage treatment facilities to be treating sewage – not dumping
it into our waterways,” stated Amy Gomberg, Environmental associate
with Ohio PIRG.
“I
applaud Representative Oelslager, and the bi-partisan coalition of
legislators for their efforts to protect the health of Ohioans from
sewage pollution.”
Each year, billions of gallons of untreated sewage laden with viruses, bacteria and parasites are dumped into Lake Erie waters.
Ohio PIRG’s new report reveals the following water quality test results:
•
Water testing in the Cuyahoga River in 2000 and 2002 found infectious
viruses in 73 percent of all water samples taken, with 20 percent of
samples testing positive for Hepatitis A, 50 percent testing positive
for Salmonella bacteria, and 44 percent testing positive for Giardia.
•
From 2000-2005, water quality testing at Ohio’s Lake Erie beaches found
unsafe levels of bacteria in about one out of every six tests.
•
Some beaches exceeded the limit very often including the Century Beach
in Lorain, which exceeded the limit in 82 percent of the tests,
followed by Camp Perry in Port Clinton, which exceeded water quality
limits in 70 percent of the tests, and Edgewater State Park in
Cleveland which exceeded water quality limits in 50 percent of the
tests.
•
Sewage may also contain toxic substances such as cyanide compounds,
formaldehyde, and lead that are discharged from industrial facilities.
Industries in the eight northern Ohio counties along Lake Erie dumped
an estimated 2.6 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the region’s
sewer systems in 2003. These toxic substances pollute Lake Erie’s
waters during sewer overflows.
In
Ohio, bacterial, viral and parasitic illnesses affect thousands of Ohio
residents every year. Data from the Ohio Department of Health shows
that in 2003, Ohio residents suffered over 4,000 cases of infectious
illnesses that can be contracted from pollutants found in sewage. A
recent study conducted at one Cleveland-area beach found that swimmers
who fully immersed themselves in the water were 40 percent more likely
to contract diarrhea, vomiting, nausea or severe stomachache than those
who had no contact with the water.
“It
is no secret that increased levels of bacteria in our waterways
contribute to health problems for those who come into contact with it,”
stated Dr. J. Mac Crawford of The Ohio State Universities School of
Public Health. “Sewage overflows contribute to higher levels of
bacteria, pathogens and viruses, and the public should be aware of
these health threats.”
One
of the most recent instances of sickness linked directly to sewage
pollution occurred in 2004 at Ohio’s South Bass Island where over 1,400
people were sickened from drinking water that was contaminated with
sewage pollution. In 2002, an outbreak of pathogens found in sewage at
Lake Michigan state park beach caused 44 people who swam their to
contracted gastrointestinal ailments. The largest recently recorded
outbreak of sickness related to sewage pollution occurred in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin in 1993, when approximately 400,000 people became sick, and
69 people died from ingesting municipal drinking water that was
contaminated with Cryptosporidium, a parasite that is found in sewage.
The
Clean Water Act calls for states to develop systems to notify the
public when there are sewage overflows. Currently, Ohioans are not
informed when sewage overflows occur, nor does the Ohio Environmental
Protection Agency consistently track or record the amount of sewage
pollution that occurs throughout the state.
Today,
Representative Oelslager, (R-Canton) and a bi-partisan coalition of
co-sponsors from around the state introduced legislation that protects
the health of Ohioans from sewage pollution.
“Other
states like Indiana and Michigan are far ahead of Ohio in that they
notify the public every time sewage overflows into their waterways,”
stated Representative Oelslager (R – 51 – Canton). “This legislation is
a simple, easy step towards protecting public health from sewage
pollution in Ohio.”
House
Bill 569 requires sewage treatment utilities to report to the Ohio
Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Health, the media
and the public when sewage overflows from their system.
“This
is vital legislation that will ensure the health of our environment and
our citizens. This is a win-win situation for everyone” stated State
Representative Combs (R-54-Butler).
“While
untreated sewage is not a common everyday source of conversation,
protecting the health of Ohioans from that untreated sewage in our
waters is vitally important,” stated State Representative Setzer
(R-36-Dayton) another co-signer on the legislation.
“Being
a lifelong resident of largely populated area along the coast of Lake
Erie I have seen first hand the effects of negligent sewage discharge.
Not only are there environmental issues but dangerous health concerns
for those persons exposed to the untreated sewage. This bill is long
overdue. We must monitor the amounts of raw sewage and issue the
appropriate warnings to the public so that they may take the proper
precautions,” stated State Representative Cassell (D-63-Lake).
An
earlier Ohio PIRG study documented sewage pollution from 11 communities
in Ohio, in 2004, which discharged over 8.9 billion gallons of sewage
into Lake Erie’s waterways.
“Billions
of gallons of disease-ridden sewage pollute Ohio’s waterways, yet
Ohioans are kept in the dark,” stated Amy Gomberg, “As communities work
to repair aging sewage systems and eliminate discharges we must keep
the public informed.”
A Complete List of Co-Sponsors Include:
Oelslager (R-Summit, Primary Sponsor), Wolpert (R-Franklin), Hughes
(R-Franklin), J. McGregor (R-Franklin), Trakas (R-Cuyahoga), DeGeeter
(D-Cuyahoga), DeBose (D-Cuyahoga), Yuko (D-Cuyahoga), C. Martin
(R-Lorain), Calvert (R-Medina), Williams (D-Summit), Chandler
(D-Portage), Cassell (D-Lake), Harwood (D-Trumbull), Fessler (R-Miami),
Combs (R-Butler), Brown (D-Lucas), Setzer (R-Montogmery), Blasdel (R-
Columbiana), Ujvagi (D-Lucas), Evans (R-Jackson), Boccieri (D-Carroll),
Perry (D-Lucas), D. Evans (R-Licking).
For more information please contact:
Dr. J. Mac Crawford, R.N., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
OSU School of Public Health
Phone: (614) 292-5907
mcrawford@sph.osu.edu
State Representative Oelslager
District 51
614-752-2438
District51@ohr.state.oh.us
