Quote Originally Posted by airshot View Post
One of the major contributors to the western end is the maumee river where the city of toledo dumps their sewage into the river. The city pays regular penalties to the EPA for runoff, but the penalties are far cheaper than proper repair. Those who have the power constantly look the other way as penalty money continues to flow into their bank accounts. The Toledo sewer system
was outdated many years ago, were told not to expand and make necessary repairs but nothing has ever been done, "can't afford it" is the attitude, however they keep expanding the system and collecting more sewage from outlying areas and nothing is done about it. More than half of lake eries problems come from the maumee river and another major contributor is the ottawa river next door. These two make up roughly 75% of the mess in the lake, but nothing is being done except more studies.......

Airshot
It is agreed and true that Toledo is one of many serious sources, but not accurate that nothing is being done and not true that EPA is looking the other way. In 2002, after being sued by US and then Ohio EPA (under basis of 1972 Federal Clean Water Act), Toledo signed a consent decree agreeing to a $500 million plan - yes that is spend $500 million on a long term control plan. The first step was doubling of their Bayview sewage plant capacity, (including a 25 million gallon holding basin for storm events) and since 2006 all flows reaching that plant have been treated. They have 25 separate projects on line in the plan. 8 are today under construction, 7 are in design phase, the rest are scheduled in the consent decree signed by the city, EPA, and the courts. The schedule for the rest requires completion within the next 9 years. True, not overnight, but then 60% of remaining projects are started or in design, and $500 million ain't chicken feed. So it is inaccurate that they and EPA aren't doing anything on that part of the problem.

All the details and facts are available for the looking at:

http://www.toledowaterwaysinitiative.com/about/