Since the 2014 algae bloom interrupted Toledo’s drinkable water supply, keeping our water safe has become an immensely important local issue. While algae concerns have become more prevalent, in 2015 Toledo did not have its water supply interrupted. Today, the efforts of many, both individuals and organizations, are committed to maintaining clean water.
Here are two stories of those efforts and the important work being done to make what could be a murky future a little clearer.
Recent mayoral candidate, Mike Ferner, belives an EPA classification would lead to improvement
The great debate: Ferner’s push for “impaired watershed” classification
Throughout the recent Toledo mayoral campaign, the topic of classifying the western basin of Lake Erie and the Maumee River as an “impaired watershed” arose— with proponents saying that such a categorization might be the answer to maintaining the water at a safe level.
one of the main supporters for securing the impaired watershed classification was candidate Mike Ferner. “When I decided to run for mayor this summer, I knew the lake [issue] would be at the top of my list,” he said. “Of all the challenges facing Toledo, getting the lake healthy and having safe, clean water we can count on has got to be the most important.”
An impaired watershed is an area of water that the US Environmental Protection Agency (or EPA) has designated as hazardous and unable to fulfill its characteristic duties as, for instance, a swimming area or drinkable water source. Giving a water source the “impaired watershed” classification brings the EPA in to monitor the water, making sure that any pollutant levels are low enough that it’s still safe for use.
Classifying Lake Erie as ‘impaired’ would require that the EPA more closely observe the water for signs of pollution or contamination, such as industrial or farmland run-off. From there, the EPA focuses on tracing the source of any contamination which feeds the flourishing algae. Then limits are set in place to reduce the TMDL (total daily maximum load) of nutrients the algae is to receive, essentially instituting a pollution diet for the water. If there is an excess of nutriments for the algae to consume, the EPA then tracks the nutrients to their source. Locally, phosphorous is the likely offender, as it is a main food source for the algae and has become plentiful in recent years due in part to large factory farms in the area.
Research into the water-damaging possibilities of the algae bloom has pointed to various agricultural operations as the culprit. Everyday operations at area farms can cause waste products to potentially seep into the watershed. As water moves through the environment, the contaminated farm run-off delivers phosphorous to the lake, feeding the algae. But this is just one such idea of where the contamination comes from; until the classification is made, “we won’t know who is responsible and no one will be held accountable— there’ll just be a lot of finger-pointing,” Ferner said.
A favorable outcome
Ferner points to the Chesapeake Bay as a success story for the classification. The Chesapeake Bay separates Delaware from Maryland. Over time the quality of the water deteriorated from an increase in sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorous.
The pollution in the bay became so detrimental to the water quality the EPA had to step in. “Chesapeake Bay is coming back from near-death and is on its way to becoming a national success story,” Fernwe discussed. “The first step was getting the impaired watershed designation so a pollution inventory could be taken.”
On the EPA’s website detailing The Chesapeake Bay TMDL, they say that this case “is unique because of the extensive measures EPA and the jurisdictions adopted to ensure accountability for reducing pollution and meeting target progress dates.” The areas bordering the bay, including New York, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, sided with the EPA and have helped in the monitoring and clean-up process. Such unprecedented cooperation has already helped the water quality in the Bay, reducing the level of pollutants by about 25%, according to the EPA’s website. A similar coalition of local government leaders could help the waters of Lake Erie.
Cooperation from city and state leaders is required to obtain the certification. Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson has voiced ongoing concerns about keeping our water clean and safe. In an October debate, Hicks-Hudson brought attention to the work she did to maintain water potability this summer— despite increased algae levels in the lake — stating that she would remain vigilant to keep our water safe, by working with others in in the area to determine a solution. If the impaired watershed certification were enacted, it would bolster that vigilance.
Pipeline Dilemma: Deb Swingholm 
In a bid to ease the energy needs of local and Canadian residents, Spectra Energy has proposed the construction of a new NEXUS gas transmission pipeline through Northwest Ohio. When finished, this pipeline would be able to transfer 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas every day. Proponents say the pipeline would bring jobs and a more dependable energy supply to the area. In fact, on the Spectra Energy site, the company says such a pipeline is needed “to support growing demand for clean-burning natural gas and to help offset the decline in traditional western Canadian supplies available to serve these markets.”
Despite the positive claims, local groups argue that the pipeline’s negatives would potentially outweigh the good the pipe could provide. Deb Swingholm is a member of the recently-formed Green Pipeline Initiative, which is made up of landowners affected by the proposed pipeline. “Our focus is protecting our communities, our land and water, from the damaging effects of pipelines. This includes the Maumee River, the Lake Erie watershed and the globally rare Oak Openings region,” Swingholm explained.
Watershed Down
The placement of the pipeline is contentious, mainly due to the process called de-watering. De-watering involves removing groundwater from an area to allow the pipe to be more easily laid and buried. The process entails draining the water from the Black Swamp area, which would likely dry up aquifers and also household wells.
But, that water also needs somewhere to go, and that somewhere could end up being the Maumee River. “De-watering would put millions of gallons of groundwater into the network of ditches and streams,” Swingholm explained. “Ultimately the water will flow into the Maumee River and Lake Erie. It would carry agricultural chemicals, lawn chemicals, manure and sediment— feeding any [existing] algae blooms.”
Looking at the most recent maps for the pipeline, Swingholm says “they are still firmly in the wettest part of the county. They would still be in a water table that is at or near the surface, so digging a massive trench would be a wet, sloppy business.” That means that de-watering will be a necessity for this route of the pipeline.
Walk the line
Spectra’s proposed 250-mile-long pipeline is planned to make its way through Northwest Ohio. The proposed route travels through Oak Openings Preserve Metropark, one of the most diverse ecosystems in the country.
Swingholm knows the energy needs that this pipeline could satisfy, saying “we’d love to see the switch to more renewable energy sources, but we also understand that there is oil and gas in our state that companies need to get to market. So, pipelines are something we may continue to face [in] the foreseeable future.” To remodel this, Swingholm and her associates at the Green Pipe Initiative have proposed a reroute of the pipe that would avoid Oak Openings— adding a small, 11 mile detour to the proposed pipeline route.
The main focus of the Green Pipeline Initiative is to propose an alternate route for the pipeline, one that doesn’t greatly have an impact on the Oak Openings metropark. This has not been easy. In a recently published resource report, Spectra said that they had received at least three different proposals from local groups regarding a shift in the pipeline to avoid damaging precious local environments.
That resource report looked into the three proposals and turned down each of the alternate routes. Spectra cites their own studies in the report, saying that the alternate routes would increase costs and work time. The resource report also said that even if an alternate routes was used, it “is unlikely to result in substantial benefits to the affected natural and human environments.”
Swingholm is curious about Spectra’s findings, as “they have not demonstrated their results or shown us their studies. What exact route and parcels of land did they study? We can’t see that in their documents.”
The life in Oak Openings
Warning of a potential big hit to the local environment should the NEXUS gas pipeline be built in the park, Swingholm lists a few of the rare and endangered plant and animal species in Oak Openings that could be affected: Wild Blue Lupine, Dotted Horsemint, Little Bluestem, Blazing Star, Milkweed and Blue-Eyed Grass; Eastern bluebirds, Red-shouldered hawks, red-tail hawks, bald eagles, red-headed woodpeckers, wild turkey, and whitetail deer.
How you can help
For more information on impaired watersheds, visit water.epa.gov. Mike Ferner can be found on Facebook, where he posts info about the impaired watershed and the impact of factory farms on local water.
To voice your opinions regarding the pipeline or the impaired watershed classification, contact local and federal lawmakers.
Deb Swingholm has some advice: “Ask them to support landowners. Ask them to slow the process and make sure the long-term effects are fully studied before permits are issued.” Also, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will take comments about the NEXUS Gas Transmission Project online. To contact the FERC, visit ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp. For more info on the Green Pipeline Initiative, visit Facebook.com/greenpipeinitiative
