PROCEEDINGS
VOLUME 4
KMSUVMIft
Cleveland-August 3-6,1965
Conference
In the matter of Pollution of
Lake Erie and its Tributaries
U. S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
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CONTENTS
PAGE:
OPENING STATEMENT
By Mr. Stein
STATEMENT OF;
GOVERNOR JAMES A. RHODES 17
REPRESENTATIVE CHARLES A. VANIK 22
REPRESENTATIVE JOHN D. DINGELL 54
H. W. POSTON 56
DR. CLARENCE M. TARZWELL 62
GROVER COOK 97
STEPHEN MEGREGIAN 177
GROVER COOK AND STEPHEN MEGREGIAN 272
GEORGE L. HARLOW 324
GROVER COOK AND STEPHEN MEGREGIAN 327
COLONEL R. WILSON NEPP 357
K. L. KOLLAR 366
FRED WAMPLER 371
CHARLES R. COLLIER 374
FRED WAMPLER 384
ERNEST D. PREMETZ 404
FRED WAMPLER 429
LORING F. OEMING 447
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CONTENTS
STATEMENT OP:
RALPH W. PURDY
PRANK P. HOOPER
LEONARD J. GOODSELL
GERALD GOSHORN
BLUCHER A. POOLE
PERRY E. MILLER
DR. EMMETT W. ARNOLD
GEORGE H. EAGLE
FRED E. MORR
DONALD J. YARK
ROBERT E. PAHEY
A. V. AGNEW
VINCENT M. DeMELTO
RALPH S. LOCHER
VINCENT M. DeMELTO
CHARLES W. LOUNSBURY
PAUL R. PINE
H. L. ALLEN
R. M. WHITT
R. N. SIMONSEN
HAROLD P. ELKIN
OLGA M. MADAR
PAGE:
449
506
514
529
550
553
606
620
743
749
765
779
790
825
855
880
885
895
908
913
929
9^6
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CONTENTS
STATEMENT OP;
HERBERT J. DUNSMORE
ANTHONY J. RUSSO
HARRY L. ALLEN
HENRY SINKIEWICZ
JOHN PILCH
ARVO E. SUNDBERG
STEPHEN A. KAUFMAN
JOHN W. TALBERT, JR.
GEORGE H. WATKINS
VERNE L. HARRIS
MRS. HOWARD MOORE
DAVID BLAUSHILD
REV. ANDREW W. SMITH
HARRIET ROTH PARSONS
JOHN J. GARNER
PAGE;
964
990
995
1001
1004
1024
1032
1038
1043
1051
1056
1065
1075
1079
1084
CLOSING STATEMENT
By Mr. Stein
1089
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789
THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1965
9:30 A. M.
(Mr. Robert D. Hennigan, Conferee and
Director, New York State Bureau of Water Resource Services,
was not present*)
MR. STEIN: May we reconvene?
I will call on Dr. Arnold for a continuation
of the Ohio presentation.
Dr. Arnold.
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Stein, we should like to
proceed this morning with Cleveland's presentation, the
first part of which will be given by Mr. Vincent DeMelto,
Director of the Department of Public Utilities.
Mr. DeMelto.
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Vincent M. De Melto
STATEMENT OP
VINCENT M. DeMELTO
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC UTILITIES
CITY OF CLEVELAND
MR* DeMELTO' It is appropriate at this time to review
Cleveland's efforts toward water pollution abatement
and place them on record so that a proper perspective
can be achieved as to how much has been done, how
much is being done, and the future program.
In the early days of Cleveland's develop-
ment, little thought was given to sewage treatment,
and the disposal problem was solved merely by providing
short lateral sewers which discharged either directly
or indirectly into the river or lake. Similarly, the
furnishing of water was then simplified by the use of
wells or springs and, later, by the construction of re-
latively short intakes into the lake. As the City grew,
the purity of its water supply became a matter of vital
concern and in 1896, a Commission of Engineers
recommended and I quote, and this is the beginning of
combined sewers as far as the City of Cleveland is
concerned:
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Vincent M. De Melto
"That a combined system of sewers be pro-
vided for the main portion of the City, and a separate
system of sewers for the low level section along the
Cuyahoga River; that the permanent points at which the
Cleveland water supply is taken and the sewage is dis-
charged, should not be less than ten miles apart,
measured along the shore; that a system of intercepting
sewers be constructed to collect the sewage of the en-
tire City and discharge it into Lake Erie through a
submerged outfall not less than one-half mile from shore,
and some ten miles easterly of the proposed water intake;
and that the sewage should be screened on the shore at the
effluent gate house,carried out into the lake by sub-
merged pipes, and discharged at different points as near
the lake bottom as practicable."
In conformity with this recommended plan, a
large intercepting sewer (with outlet 13'-6" in diameter)
was constructed from near the mouth of the Cuyahoga
River to East l4oth Street on the Lakefront. This sewer,
which has been in operation since 1905, intercepts the
flow from combined trunk sewers extending inland. Coarse
bar gratings were installed in the terminal basin, and
e 6.3-inch steel outfall pipe was extended approxi-
mately one-half into the lake. The topography of the area
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Vincent M. De Melto
and the hydraulic gradient of the interceptor resulted in
this point of discharge being located some two miles
west of that recommended by the Commission; and the
siphons originally proposed for crossing the Cuyahoga River
Valley were never constructed. It is important to note
that the Commission recommended combined sewers for the
main portion of the City, and that interceptors have been
designed to receive not only the dry weather sewage flows,
but also the first flush from street washings and continued
contributions of storm water (up to rates approximately
1-1/2 times the average sewage flow) - all excess amounts
being discharged automatically into nearby watercourses,
by means of regulators or overflow weirs. It is noted,
too, that the first public water supply was taken from
Lake Erie in 1856 (through an intake only 300" in
length); that early improvements in the quality of the
water were obtained, simply by extending new intakes
farther and farther into the lake; and that treatment
of the raw water was first provided, by chlorination in
1911 and by filtration in 1918.
In 190^> a- new water intake tunnel 9'-0"
in diameter and five miles in length was placed in
operation; but even then, it was apparent that untreated
discharge of domestic sewage, industrial wastes and
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Vincent M. De Melto
surface runoff from the rapidly growing area were causing
objectionable conditions in the river and inshore
waters of the lake. Accordingly, in 1911, R. Winthrop
Pratt was commissioned by the City to study sanitation
requirements as regards water supply and sewage treatment.
It was he who recommended "that the entire metropolitan
area be divided into four major sewerage districts, and
that each district (except the Low Level) should be pro-
vided with a main intercepting sewer to deliver the
sewage to appropriate treatment sites; that the sewage of
the Westerly and Easterly Districts should be treated
at two lakefront sites, located respectively at W. 58th
St. and E. l4oth St., while the sewage from the remainder
of the City should be treated at a site located on the
Cuyahoga River; and that partial treatment of the sewage
should be provided at the lakefront sites, while complete
treatment should be used at the Southerly site."
PLATE I which is in this report, shows the
Cleveland Metropolitan Area of Sewerage Service as it
now exists, with the four major sewerage districts iden-
tified as Westerly, Easterly, Southerly and Low Level.
These recommendations resulted in the
early adoption of a sanitation policy which depends upon
filtration and disinfection for the protection of the
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Vincent M. De Melto
water supply, but which supplements such measures (and
also provides for the elimination of nuisances and the
protection of bathing beach waters) by treatment of the
sewage.
Such a policy is still being followed as a
minimum; but, as the result of more recent studies of the
water supply and sewerage problem (by J.W. Ellms in 1929*
and by Geo. B. Gascoigne in 1924 and 1931) so-called
"complete" treatment of the sewage has been provided at
the Easterly site.
Mr. Pratt's recommendations in 1912 led to
extensive experimental and research work, all directed
toward establishing the accomplishments of the then
known methods of sewage treatment, and their application
to Cleveland conditions.
A demonstration plant was constructed at
the W. 58th St. sewer outlet, and Fine Screen Tests of
a full size unit (of the Reinsch-Wurl type) were con-
ducted for a year. These tests demonstrated that fine
screens were capable of removing only from 5 to 10 per
cent of the suspended solids, and the question was
raised as to the need for additional treatment. After
extensive additional studies and consideration of the
degree of treatment that should be provided, it was
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Vincent M. De Melto
decided that conditions at the two lakefront sites called
for effective sedimentation of the sewage (at least 35
per cent removal of suspended solids) - supplemented by
disinfection during the bathing season.
Experimental work was also carried out
during 1916-17 demonstrating the applicability of the
newly discovered Activated Sludge Process for testing
Cleveland sewage, and much original and valuable in-
formation was obtained that helped to furnish the basis
for the subsequent design of the Easterly and Southerly
Plants.
To accord with the earlier determinations of
policy, two lakefront plants were originally placed in
operation in 1922, and the Southerly Works in 1928.
Partial treatment was provided at the Westerly site by
means of hand-raked, double bar gratings, hopper bottomed
grit chambers, 100 minute sedimentation tanks of the
Imhoff type, and disinfection (during the bathing season) -
with dispersion of the settled effluent (along with the
digested sludge) one-half mile offshore, through a tapered
section of concrete outfall pipe. This plant was de-
signed to serve 288,000 persons, and to treat an average
sewage flow of 36 m.g.d. Additions, consisting of
mechanically-raked bar screens, detritor, pre- and post-
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Vincent M. De Melto
chlorination equipment, separate sludge digestion tanks,
conditioning equipment, filters and incineratora, were
made in 1932 and 1938. In 1956 a modernization and re--
placement program was carried out that included addi-
tional mechanically-raked screens and shredder,
detritors, preaeration and flocculation tanks and
facilities for grit conveyance to the sludge cake in-
cinerators. The original Imhoff tanks are still in
operation only as fresh solids sedimentation tanks.
PLATE II shows the present general layout
of this Westerly plant as it now exists.
The first plant at the Easterly site was
designed to treat an average sewage flow of 92 m.g.d.,
and to serve a connected population of 575,000 persons.
It comprised hand-raked, double bar gratings, hopper
bottomed grit chambers, and disinfection equipment -
with dispersion of the effluent into the lake (through an
84-inch concrete outfall pipe). These "preparatory" de-
vices were intended to be used as a part of a more com-
plete plant, the design of which would depend upon re-
sults accomplished in the operation of the smaller plant
at the Westerly site. The Easterly Works were expended
in 1938, to provide complete treatment of the sewage,
with the discharge of the final effluent at the break-
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Vincent M. De Melto
water line. This activated sludge plant was then de-
signed to serve 770,000 persons, and to treat an average
sewage flow of 123 m.g.d. In addition to the original
facilities, it comprised comminutors, detritors, pre-
and post-chlorination equipment, settling tanks,
aeration tanks and sludge settling tanks - together with
pumping equipment for delivery of the mixed primary and
excess activated sludge, through a 12-inch force main
thirteen miles long, to the Southerly site for final
treatment and disposal. There have been only minor
alterations and additions to this plant since 1938.
These have included providing additional flow channels
for the Collinwood sewage, grit washing equipment, and
aeration tanks frothing control facilities.
PLATE III shows the present general lay-
out of the Easterly plant.
At the Southerly site (about 10 miles above
the mouth of the Cuyahoga River), a complete treatment
plant was first placed in operation in 1928. This in-
cluded bar gratings, grit chambers, 120 minute Imhoff
tanks, dosing tanks, trickling filters and covered
sludge-drying beds - designed to serve 280,000 persons,
and to treat an average flow of 35 m.g.a. Plant capacity
was increased (to 45.1 m.g.d.) in 1938; by the addition
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Vincent M. De Melto
of abbreviated aeration tanks; by enlarging the trickling
filter distribution system; and by remodeling the humus
tanks into magnetite filter units. At this time, also,
sludge digestion tanks, conditioning equipment, filters
and incinerators were provided, for the combined disposal
of solids from the Easterly and Southerly sewage.
Rapid growth of the Southerly District
coupled with progressive clogging, and the high con-
struction cost of trickling filters, necessitated the
construction from 1950 to 1955 of a modern activated
sludge plant on this site. In the conversion, the
dosing tanks, trickling filters and magnetite filters
were abandoned; and the existing Imhoff tanks were used to
clarify supernatant liquor from the separate heated
digestion tanks.
As of I960, the Southerly Works included bar
gratings and grit chambers (to be used for storm flows),
comminutors, detritors, pre-settling tanks, aeration tanks,
sludge settling tanks, digestion tanks, elutriation tanks,
conditioning equipment, filters and incinerators. This
plant was designed to serve a connected population of
455*000 persons (as of the year 1970), and to treat an
average flow of 68 M.G.D. As previously mentioned,it
includes facilities for the disposal of sludge from the
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Vincent M. De Melto
Easterly plant.
PLATE IV shows the present general layout
of the Southerly plant and also shows the units that are
being replaced, enlarged and improved.
To briefly summarize, as of 1960 the three
(3) Cleveland waste-water treatment plants represented an
investment of approximately $32 million and have been
designed to serve a total combined population of
1,513,000, and to treat an average total flow of 227
M.G.D. Approximately Qk% of the total design capacity
provides for complete treatment using the activated
sludge process.
Cleveland's waste water treatment plants
have long provided Metropolitan service, and twenty-
seven (27) suburbs of Cleveland with approximately
459,000 persons are thus presently served.
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Vincent M. De Melto
WESTERLY WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS
AND PERFORMANCE
The Westerly Plant provides primary treat-
ment of the sewage. The last major improvements at
this plant which were installed ten years ago, at a cost
of about a million dollars, were designed on the basis
that the plant operational efficiency would be increased
somewhat by the new pre-flocculation tank that was in-
stalled, but that basically, the treatment provided would
still remain primary in character.
The plant is intended to relieve the load of
pollution on the shore waters of Lake Erie, and at the same
time prevent the discharge into the lake of floating solids
which are offensive to the sight, and of settleable
solids which may form sludge banks, and which due to
putrefaction become offensive to both sight and smell.
The nearness of Edgewater Park bathing
beach demands as great a degree of protection as
possible against health hazards incident to sewage pollu-
tion, and to this end, the elimination of sludge deposits
in the lake is a major goal. In summer, additional pro-
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Vincent M. De Melto
tection to the public health is provided by chlorin-
atlon of the effluent.
Although the percentage of suspended solids
removal is comparatively low compared to that which can be
accomplished at a treatment plant designed to give
''secondary treatment", it is a fact that most of the
settleable solids are removed, and the fine almost colloidal
suspended solids which are left are readily dispersed.
The B.O.D. of the effluent is considered to have little de-
oxygenation effect on the diluting waters of the lake
which are almost infinite in volume and tremendously
large in dissolved oxygen content.
The present method of sludge disposal is
positive and the residue is a reddish ash. The effect of
the ash appears to be negligible when disposed of with
the effluent to the lake through the outfall.
The purification results achieved are pre-
sented in condensed form for the period of 1960-1964 in-
clusively, in Table No. 1.
Of major interest is the fact that this plant
operates appreciably below the design capacity, with some
flow reductions anticipated in the near future. Although
the suspended solids removal has been consistently in the
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Vincent M. De Melto
range, there has been a trend toward better effluent
quality due to a less concentrated raw wastewater. This
is the result of reduction of stockyard and meat processing
activities in the Westerly drainage area.
Chlorination of the wastewater is practiced
about 100 days during the summer starting usually about
June 1st. Post-Chlorination procedure provides for the
attainment of 1 to 2 ppm. of residual chlorine remaining
after 10 minutes of contact time. Operation data and
testing results in Table No.2 indicate that the range
for post-chlorination chlorine dosage varies from 5 ppm.
to 8 ppm. and that there is a substantial amount of re-
sidual chlorine in the effluent a large part of the time.
Coliform kills,are high. Coliform concentrations in the
chlorinated effluent are only presented for the year 1964
since there have been several changes in technique and
statistical presentation in the past five years.
The degree of purification that may be
necessary in the future at the Westerly Plant has been
generally related with other nearby sources of pollution
which should be abated, if the additional treatment pro-
vided at this plant is to be of any real value.
In particular, the effect of storm over-
flows from combined sewers, in Edgewater Park Beach are
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Vincent M. De Melto
believed to be the controlling factor as to the excessive
microbial contamination of this beach. The nearby Cuyahoga
River, at the present time, is a source of pollution of
sufficient magnitude to effectively mask the results of
higher degree of treatment, if provided at the Westerly
Plant.
Commercial shipping and pleasure craft
activities inside the breakwater are the cause of con-
siderable continuing pollution which is difficult to con-
trol.
Notwithstanding the fact that under present
conditions it is unlikely any demonstrable or recognizable
improvement in sanitary conditions of the lake waters will
be obtained by stepping up the degree of treatment at the
Westerly Plant, there has been carried out in compliance
with the conditions of the Permit issued by the State
Water Pollution Control Board, a program of investigation
of water quality in the outfall sewer area. In addition,
pilot plant studies on the use of polyelectrolytes to
increase sedimentation efficiencies have been made.
This summer, on an experimental basis, a
polymer material is being added to all of the raw waste-
water received at the Westerly Plant to determine the
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Vincent M. De Melto
increase in effectiveness of this plant in removing
suspended matter.
The information and data obtained will be
helpful in making an evaluation as to the cost of ob-
taining additional treatment by this method as against
alternate methods that are available.
The City of Cleveland will increase the
purification level of the Westerly Plant whenever it
is clearly indicated that the character of the plant
effluent is the controlling factor in obtaining water
quality suitable for legitimate and significant uses,
in the areas that are affected by this effluent dis-
charge.
For the record, I want to say that we
offer full disclosure of all our operations in these
plants.
(Table Nos. 1 and 2 are as follows.)
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TABLE,NO. 1
WESTERLY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - YEARS 1960-1964
PURIFICATION RESULTS
YEAR
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
5 Yr
Daily
Flow
Average
M.G.
31.1
31.5
33.6
31.5
32.3
.Avg.32.0
Raw Sewage
Analysis
Suop.
Solids
ppm.
180
184
156
159
156
167
5 Day
B.O.D.
ppm.
173
165
160
167
146
162
Effluent
Analysis
Susp.
Solids
ppm.
118
122
101
104
102
109
5 Day
B.O.D.
ppm.
121
118
114
116
100
114
Reduction
of Raw Sewage
Susp.
Solids
7,
34.2
34.0
35.6
34.8
34.7
34.7
5 Day
B.O.D.
7.
30.1
28.4
28.9
30.5
31.4
29.9
TABLE NO. 2
WESTERLY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - YEARS 1960-1964
CHLORINATION RESULTS
Days
YEAR °f
Chlorinatxon
Number
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
90
90
91
100
102
Pre-
Chlorination
Dosage
ppm.
2.88
3.00
2.29
3.01
3.29
Post-
Chlorination
Dosage
ppm.
6.84
5.59
8.06
6.38
5.27
Average
Residual
Chlorine
ppm.
1.92
1.75
1.95
1.39
1.96
Total
Coliform
per 100 ml.
Geometric Mean
—
--
—
—
23,700*
* Based on 21 samples, using Membrane Filter Method
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Vincent M. De Melto
THE EASTERLY WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS
AND PERFORMANCE
The Easterly Plant site located at East
l4oth Street and Lakeshore Blvd. has long been utilized
for studying wastewater treatment processes, raw sewage
disposal and treatment of the sewage tributary to the
Easterly district.
The sewage received at this site received
practically no treatment until 1922 when the preparatory
devices consisting of bar gratings and grit chambers were
placed in service. There was also provided means by which
the sewage during the bathing season could be disinfected,
by means of chlorine.
The facilities and treatment provided at that
time were based on the plan to establish from the operating
records the efficiencies of certain treatment devices pro-
vided, particularly those for disinfection; and, in con-
junction with the performance and operation records of the
newly completed Westerly Plant, provide a background of
information and data that would tend to show what addi-
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Vincent M. De Melto
tional treatment, if any, would be required.
Further study of the matter by a number of
qualified engineers in 192? and 1930, indicated that a
high degree of treatment was warranted in order to pro-
ceed forward in a program of cleaning up the polluted
frontage waters of the City and of affording protection
to bathing and water supply sources. The protection of
the planned future location of a raw water intake, four to
five miles north of the Easterly site, to serve the pro-
posed Nottingham Filtration Plant, was a major objective.
Public support of the project was obtained, and a com-
plete treatment plant of 123 M.G.D. capacity was placed
in operation in 1938.
The purification results achieved by this
plant for the period 1960-196^ are summarized in Table
No. 3. Of particular interest and significance are the
data relating to flows that show a steady reduction in
volume from the 1960 value until this trend was reversed
in 1964. It is believed that this flow reduction was
caused by urban renewal activities and freeway con-
struction. Average overall reductions of suspended
solids and 5 day B.O.D. for the five year period were
over 85$.
Chlorination of the effluent wastewater is
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Vincent M. De Melto
carried out from June 1st to about Labor Day. In
recent years chlorination dosages have been increased
substantially in order to obtain greater Coliform kills.
Table No. 4 presents operation data and testing results.
Of interest are the results for the years 19&3 an<^ 19&4
as to the effect of higher residual chlorine in the
effluent of the plant.
The location of the Easterly Plant, being
adjacent to the White City bathing beach, poses a
particularly difficult problem in trying to keep the
waters of this beach safe for bathing and swimming.
There are provided, in order to safeguard the plant
from excessively high flows, overflow structures that
automatically discharge excess mixed stormwater and
sewage flows to the area immediately adjacent to the
bathing beach.
A preliminary plan for enlargements, im-
provements and replacements for the Easterly Plant are
under consideration. A detailed engineering study of
the present and future requirements of this plant has been
underway by the City's consulting engineers, and it is ex-
pected that this report will be submitted to the City in
the very near future.
(Table Nos. 3 and 4 are as follows:)
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Vincent M. De Melto
TABLE NO. 3
EASTERLY WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - YEARS 1960-1964
PURIFICATION RESULTS
809
YEAR
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
5 Yr.
Avg.
Daily Flow
Flow Given
Avg. Comp.
Treat.
M.G. 7.
121.6 98.2
115.1 98.1
114.3 97.8
107.3 98.5
112.8 98.4
114.2 98.2
EASTERLY
Raw Sewage
Analysis
Suep. 5 Day
Solids B.O.D.
ppm. ppm.
199 188
205 197
177 178
183 167
150 176
183 181
TABLE
Effluent
Analysis
Susp. 5 Day
Solids B.O.D.
ppm. ppm.
25 17
26 21
26 19
24 19
21 17
24 19
NO. 4
Reduction
of Raw Sewage
Susp. 5 Day
Solids B.O.D.
7. 7.
86.5 89.5
86.1 88.5
84.6 88.3
85.8 87.6
85.2 89.1
85.6 88.6
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT - YEARS 1960-1964
CHLORINATION RESULTS
YEAR
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
Days Dosage Chlorine
of POST- Average
Chlorination Chlorination Residual
Number ppm* ppm.
88
85
80
89
91
3.1
3.4
3.4
4.1
5.8
1.0
0.9
0.5
0.4
1.1
Total
Coliform
per 100 ml.
Geometric Mean
—
—
—
6,000
360
Total Coliforms determined by the Membrane Filter Method
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Vincent M. De Melto
THE SOUTHERLY WASTEWATER
TREATMENT PLANT
TREATMENT REQUIREMENTS
AND PERFORMANCE
The Southerly Plant was designed to pro-
vide treatment for sewage from the south central portion
of the City together with that from a number of municipa-
lities and large unincorporated areas.
The design concept of treatment requirements
at this location have always included "high degree treat-
ment" facilities. The need of protecting the Cuyahoga
River against unsightliness, odor nuisance and oxygen
depletion has been recognized as minimum requirements.
The increase of sewage flows in the Southerly
District and disposal of the treatment plant effluent,
represents additional loading on the oxygen content of
the river, regardless of a high degree of treatment. These be-
come especially critical when low stream flows occur.
The downstream uses and condition of the
Cuyahoga River, especially in the navigation channel
section, are abnormal, particularly in regard to tem-
perature, oxygen depletion, natural reaeration, and
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Vincent M. De Melto
rate of flow. It is also in this section of the river
that the minimum oxygen level would occur from the effect
of the Southerly Plant effluent discharge. It can be
concluded that the present treatment needs at the
Southerly Plant require even a higher degree of treat-
ment than has been provided in the past. In order to
properly treat the higher flows over the years, the
sewage design capacity of this plant has been successively
increased from 35 to 45 and, is now 68 M.G,D. Design now
going on will provide sewage treatment facilities for 84
M.G.D. for a population of 600,000 estimated to be served
by the year 1980.
Starting in 1938» "the processing of all raw
sludge produced at the Easterly Plant, in addition to the
sludge normally produced from Southerly sewage flows, has
placed additional loads on the Southerly Plant and the
Cuyahoga River. These loads have generally been in the
form of digested sludge solids which could not be entirely
disposed of by vacuum filtration and incineration using
the units that were available. There has been under con-
struction for the past two years, enlarged replacement
sludge processing facilities which were designed and
sized, so that these operations will have the least
possible effect on the Cuyahoga River in the future.
-------
812
Vincent M. De Melto
OPERATION RESULTS 1960-1964
The operational results of tte Southerly Plant
for the period of 1960-1964 are given in condensed form
in TABLE No. 5.
The overall reduction of suspended solids
and B.O.D. that were achieved by this plant were con-
sistently over 85$. The data presented, does not re-
flect the loss to the Cuyahoga River of digested sludge
solids that were not handled by the plant's sludge pro-
cessing facilities.
In summary, the City of Cleveland has always
had as its objective the complete treatment of sewage
received at the Southerly Plant site. It has consis-
tently followed a policy of enlarging and modernizing
this plant as the sewage flows have increased. It is
now engaged in a construction program which will again
update this plant at least to its estimated needs of
1980.
(Table No. 5 is as follows.)
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-------
814
Vincent M. De Melto
OVERALL PURIFICATION RESULTS
The combined overall purification results
for the past five (5) years achieved by the Cleveland
Plants can be summarized as follows:
Average daityflows 202.5 to 214.0 M.G.
% of flows that received
complete treatment 8o.9# to 82.8$
Suspended Solids re-
duction 77.9$ to 79-5%
5 Day B.O.D. re-
duction 79.1$ to 80.5$
TREATMENT PLANT ENLARGEMENTS
AND IMPROVEMENTS PROGRAM
In 1961, in connection with a sewerage ser-
vice rate study involving Cleveland and all of the
suburbs tributary to the Cleveland sewerage system,
preliminary enlargement and improvement plans for the
Easterly and Southerly Plants were agreed to, so that
financial support of this construction program could
be included in the rate structure.
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815
Vincent M, De Melto
At that time the estimated costs for im-
provements to these two (2) plants were as follows:
Easterly Plant $ 4,657,000
Southerly Plant 14,387,000
Total $19,044,000
The City of Cleveland has since then gone
ahead with a construction program based on more detailed
studies of the needs.
The following contracts, equipment, and
services have either been completed or are in the process
of construction:
1961 & 1962
Cont. No. 127 - Easterly Plant -
Foam Control
Cont. No. 128 - Easterly Plant -
Grit Handling Facilities
Sludge Line Blowoff Im-
provements
Grayton Road Sewage
Pumping Station
Engineering Study on
Sewers
Various new equipment,
meters & services
TOTAL | 756,021
-------
816
Vincent M. De Melto
Cont. No. 132 - Southerly Plant -
Sludge Burning Installation)
Cont. No. 133 - Southerly Plant - $6,035,711
Sludge Filter Installation)
1964
Cont. No. 129 - Southerly Plant
Flood Protection Facilities $ 481,243
1965 - up to July 1 st.
Cont. No. 131 - Southerly Plant -
Elutriation Tanks $1,567,709
TOTAL $8,840,684
The following contracts are scheduled for
the latter half of 1965:
Cont. No. 130 - Southerly Plant -
Imhoff Tanks Conversion &
Sludge Heating Facilities,
Replacement $3,450,000
Cont. No. 134 (Under Design) -
Southerly Plant New
Primary Tanks 1,437,500
TOTAL $4,887,500
-------
817
Vincent M. De Melto
1966 Planned Construction
Southerly Plant - Additional
Aeration Facilities $2,530,000
Easterly Plant - Primary
Settling Tanks Enlarge-
ment and other improvements. 3,680,000
TOTAL $6,210,000
SEWER OPERATIONS
AND MAINTENANCE
The Division of Water Pollution Control
operates the wastewater treatment plants, and since
1963, has operated and maintained the Cleveland sewer
system.
There is every effort made to operate the
sewer system in a manner compatible with the design, and
to provide sufficient surveillance and inspection of the
storm outlets so that outages are discovered and corrected
quickly. This matter in particular has been given addi-
tional attention for some time. It is believed that the
unification of operation and maintenance of sewers and
treatment plants in one division has brought about a
better understanding and appreciation of the function
-------
818
Vincent M. De Melto
of each. Cooperation between these two functional groups
has increased substantially and has led to greater effici-
ency in the use of available facilities and equipment.
There is no doubt but that pollution abatement efforts
have been aided by this organization change. This change
was ordered by Mayor Locker.
Recently through the efforts of Mayor Locker
the Division of Sewage Disposal was changed to the Division
of Water Pollution Control. The additional responsibility
for elimination, control and regulation of water pollu-:
tion in or upon or within the City of Cleveland, further
centralizes within one division the activities relating
to water pollution abatement and control. There has been
to date only a modest beginning of the activities that
are believed essential in order to discharge these duties
properly. However, there is every intention to plan,
staff and carry out an adequate program that will com-
plement the older water pollution abatement and con-
trol activities of the City of Cleveland and provide a well
rounded and organized effort in this important matter.
It is my opinion that the City of Cleveland
has been carrying out a program of water pollution abate-
ment and control that has been continuous and effective,
particularly in the area of wastewater treatment. Even
-------
819
Vincent M. De Melto
greater efforts to solve this problem will be made by
the City of Cleveland as more data and information is
developed relating, and identifying specific pollution
loads to water quality now available. It is essential
that future water quality objectives required for
recreational uses, be related to the necessary con-
struction programs and their cost.
The Cleveland Metropolitan water pollution
problem is part of the Lake Erie problem. Both should
be solved together on the basis that each community
affecting Lake Erie carry out a program of abatement and
control that is coordinated with an overall plan for
attainment of the desired water quality objectives.
Thank you.
(Maps attached to above report are as follows:)
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-------
824
Vincent M. DeMelto
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Perhaps we should ask for com-
ments and questions now, before the Mayor gets up, or
would you rather speak first?
MAYOR LOGHER: I would rather speak because
I have another meeting, if it is agreeable with the
panel.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
Dr. Arnold, the Mayor would like to speak
first before we ask questions.
OR. ARNOLD: We will next hear from the
Honorable Ralph S. Locher, Mayor of the City of Cleve-
land.
-------
825
Ralph S. Locher
STATEMENT OF
HON. RALPH S. LOCHER
MAYOR, CITY OF CLEVELAND
MAYOR LOCHER: Mr. Stein, distinguished
members of the panel, and Ladies and Gentlemen:
Everyone in this room knows how water pollu-
tion can be stopped, but, likewise, everyone in this
room recognizes, I believe, that it will cost a great
deal more to restore our waters to their original quality
than any local government can afford. Indeed, unless
all units of local government in combination with States,
and Federal Government, and even Canada work together,
this international problem will never be resolved. And
it would be unrealistic to believe that one community
or county or state will tax its people to accomplish a
satisfactory result knowing that its efforts might be
nullified by less sacrificial neighbors.
When Cleveland was surveyed by Moses Cleve-
land in 1795, the Cuyahoga River and the other streams
tributary to Lake Erie were clean and bright and clear*
Fifteen per cent of the soil was open land, and 85 per
cent was covered with trees. Even silt was not being
-------
826
Ralph S. Locher
washed into Lake Erie in any appreciable quantity. Now
the reverse is true. Eightyfive per cent of the area
in the entire State of Ohio is open land, and in the
Cleveland area the percentage is even higher. And where
before there had been forest and meadow, there now is a
heavy population, a great complex of industry, and ef-
fluents of every imaginable character being washed into
the Lake through streams that theretofore had been clean
and pure.
The cooperation that I referred to above
will be meaningless unless millions upon millions of
dollars, perhaps billions of dollars are invested in this
mammoth job of correcting the breach of trust which man
has been guilty of throughout the nation, and more spe-
cifically in the Lake Erie Basin.
We have been bad stewards of what God has
provided for us. What is more, we have abused what was
given to us.
Indeed, we are in the age of the supersonic
jet and in an era when at the cost of millions of dollars
we are sending rockets to the moon and Mars which send
back pictures millions of miles, and yet, we cannot seem
to find the method of neutralizing industrial and human
wastes. This age could well be known as the one in which
-------
827
Ralph S. Locher
America is shooting rockets to the moon, while we stand
ankle deep in sewage.
A relatively few years ago when it was
determined necessary to expedite the construction of
freeways, the old matching formulas were discarded; they
were obsolete. Similarly, with regard to mass transit,
the national Administration and the Congress determined
that millions of dollars of Federal monies were needed
to match these of the local community.
The urban renewal and redevelopment programs,
land grants to colleges going back hundreds of years now,
and aids to education; all these issues have been de-
termined to be worthy of heavy Federal participation,
and rightfully so.
All these aims and objectives that I have
just related cut across municipal, county, and state
lines. The war against water pollution and air pollution
transcends those same boundaries* The very nature of
this conference with the United States Government and
panel composed of students of the problem from several
states, proves the nature of this problem.
The city of the future must be made livable,
bright, and appealing. Such negative factors as air
pollution and water pollution are a blight upon our very
-------
828
Ralph S, Locher
lives.
Cities have traditionally been the home and
the meeting place and the source of ideas in our society,
and if the Great Society is to be achieved, the twin
scourges of air and water pollution must be stamped out.
Cities must be a place for human living for human beings.
We cannot be concerned only with the quantity of material
things, but rather we must consider the quality of our
lives. Hence, the aesthetic values loom ever larger
and larger, day by day.
A homely simple illustration: The City of
Cleveland is about to build two new marinas. Plans are
being drafted. At my insistence, and I should say the
administration and the Council, fishing piers are to be
provided, because more and more of the elderly, in their
leisure hours, and the young people, desire fishing as
one of their diversions.
So I wrote to Chicago and I asked about
the fishing situation. It is common knowledge that the
fishing is not good. 1 hear it from my neighbors and
from my friends. And this is what they wrote back:
"A marked decline has occurred in the commer-
cial catch of blue pike."
It happens that pike and pickerel are my
favorites.
-------
829
Ralph S. Locher
"The production has been around 15 million
pounds for many years. In 1958, the catch amounted to
1.4 million pounds, and then it declined to 70,000 pounds
in 1959, and it was only 12,000 pounds in 1960. Only
a few blue pike were caught in 1963. Most of the fish
are more than ten years old."
As I stated earlier, the water pollution
problem is national in scope, and practically all sections
of the country are concerned with it. In the Great Lakes
area, a study of the problem was started over three and
a half years ago on Lake Michigan and the Illinois River
Waterway. A Lake Erie Study by the United States Public
Health Service is still underway after over two years
of sampling and obtaining data* It is hoped that the
information and data that will be available from the
Lake Erie study will help Cleveland solve its local prob-
lems, so that Cleveland's efforts will be meaningful
and compatible to the overall Lake Erie clean-up program.
This is the third Federal conference to be
held on the Great Lakes this year. The Detroit River
conference which was held just recently, was of great
interest to us, since it was concerned with the great
quantity of pollution matter discharged into the western
end of Lake Erie. The water pollution problem of Lake
-------
830
Ralph S. Locher
Erie is of interstate and international concern and
will be solved only when it is approached on that basis.
Cleveland considers the tremendous supply
of water in Lake Erie as the most important resource and
asset of northern Ohio, and it is a certainty that this
resource will become more and more valuable with the
passage of time. The present shortage of water on the
east coast brings out dramatically the practically in-
exhaustable supply of water at Cleveland's doorstep.
It behooves Cleveland to do everything pos-
sible to preserve and protect the quality of this magni-
ficent water supply. Our Water Department is the largest
potable water supplier in Ohio and also on Lake Erie.
It serves almost 20 per cent of the population of Ohio.
Cleveland's efforts to provide a water supply
of high quality have been eminently successful. A recent
two year study by U. S. Geological Survey of the water
quality of the nation's 100 largest cities, indicates
that Cleveland's raw water supply and treated water de-
livered to its customers, are rated as among the best —
and may I add that our water rates are the lowest of
any large city in the United States.
The real proof, however, of the quality of
a water supply lies in the health of the community it
-------
831
Ralph S. Locher
serves. Our Cleveland Health Department reports that
the water supplied to the Cleveland Metropolitan area
is of the highest quality, and that their sampling and
testing records as well as the health statistical records,
indicate that this condition is continuously maintained.
Cleveland, by virtue of its location on Lake
Erie, at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, benefits also
by the use of these waterways for transportation, delivery
and transfer of bulk commodities so essential to local
industries. The Lake, besides being a source of water
supply for domestic use, also provides large quantities
of water for industrial use, and is valuable for recrea-
tional purposes.
Moreover, the same lake and river are the
only possible points for disposal of sewage plant efflu-
ents and industrial wastes, and for rainfall runoff and
stonawater discharges.
These seemingly incompatible uses of the
Lake water for water supply, recreation, and wastes
disposal are great economic assets; but to retain them
it is more important than ever before that careful
consideration be given to the location of water supply
intakes, to the purification of the raw water, to the
treatment of sewage and industrial wastes, to the location
-------
832
Ralph S. Locher
for dispersion of the sewage plant effluents, and to the
disposal of stormwater and surface runoff during periods
of rainfall. These arrangements are all made more dif-
ficult when there is a lake involved, such as Lake Erie,
which, although it has a basic slow rate of flow west
to east, is greatly affected by winds and seiches be-
cause of its geographical shape and location that tends
to keep pollution shorebound to a great extent.
These matters and relationships have become
increasingly complex as our population has exploded and
industrial wastes have swiftly increased in volume and
complexity. Hard surfacing of much urban areas has
brought about greater pollution as well as flooding prob-
lems in basements of homes and buildings. The discharge
of effluents from plants that provide complete treatment
of wastewater, contain soluble nutrients which may be
the basis of a major problem in Lake Erie concerning
algal growths and oxygen depletion of bottom waters.
And that has already been pointed out by the biologists.
Greater interest in, and more use by the
public of the lakefront waters by fishing, swimming
and boating enthusiasts, has created pressures for
higher standards of water quality. As our standard of
living has risen, so have water-based recreational needs
-------
833
Ralph S. Locher
increased in volume and quality.
EFFORTS TOWARD CLEVELAND'S WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT
The record indicates that the City of Cleve-
land has been a leader in water pollution control for
over 60 years. Its efforts in this direction have been
continuous and ever-increasingly toward providing ade-
quate treatment at its three wastewater treatment plants.
Its first full size treatment plant went into service in
1222.
It has at times provided treatment beyond
that required by the State of Ohio. Cleveland's Easterly
Plant, which provides complete treatment for 123 MGD,
exceeded the minimum requirements of the State as to the
degree of treatment, when this plant was placed in opera-
tion in 1938.
The conditions of the last Ohio Water Pol-
lution Control Board permit required no changes or
improvements to this plant. However, the City of Cleveland
has been studying this plant in the light of its present
and future needs, and intends to go ahead with whatever
improvement and enlargement program that the City believes
is necessary, regardless of whether or not this may be
a Water Pollution Control Board permit condition.
-------
834
Ralph S. Locher
At Che present time, Cleveland provides for
227 MGD dry weather flow treatment design capacity at
its three plants. Eighty-four per cent of this capacity
provides complete treatment using the activated sludge
process.
Let me repeat: Eighty-four per cent of
this capacity provides complete treatment using the acti-
vated sludge process.
Cleveland, however, is not resting on its
record. It has carried out, and is continuing a program
of improvements, replacements and enlargements to its
sewerage facilities in order to attain present water
quality objectives.
In order to attain these objectives, Cleve-
land is cooperating to the fullest extent possible with
State and Federal agencies and public groups in providing
facilities, data and information, participating in sur-
veys, and having its officials serve on various technical
committees.
Cleveland, through its "no sewer no water
rule," denies water to areas within its distribution
system which do not provide adequate treatment for their
wastewaters.
May I add that that policy takes considerable
-------
835
Ralph S. Locher
courage when we are in the business of providing and
selling water, and when every gallon of water we sell
outside of the City of Cleveland militates to the benefit
of the residents of the City of Cleveland, by reason of
enhancing and increasing the volume of our water sales.
Cleveland's basic position regarding water
pollution control objectives can be summarized as fol-
lows:
The primary objective, to protect the public
health, must be attained regardless of cost.
Having reached this goal, the other various
water quality goals such as protecting this
natural resource and providing water of
the quality required by the various types
of users, must be carried out on a benefit
and cost basis and in relation to funds that
the public authorizes to be used for this
purpose.
The water pollution problem in the Cleveland
area chiefly concerns the quality of water in the Cuyahoga
River, Cleveland Harbor, and the lake front, particularly
the beaches. The waters immediately along the shore are
of the worst quality being greatly affected by overflows
from the combined sewer system, and polluted streams,
-------
836
Ralph S. Locher
including the Cujahoga River which discharges to Lake
Erie.
Cleveland knows that a portion of this pol-
lution problem can be properly attributed to areas outside
of the City of Cleveland, and to waste discharges not
under Cleveland's jurisdiction.
The Cuyahoga River enters the Metropolitan
area outside of Cleveland in a poor water quality condi-
tion due to upstream discharges of waste. A number of
industries use the water from the river for cooling pur-
poses and thereby increase its temperature and reduce
its oxygen absorption capacity. A number of industrial
waste discharges to the river are authorized by permits
from the State of Ohio.
A number of small streams which originate
outside of Cleveland are polluted when they enter the
City's boundaries.
Another municipality adjacent to Cleveland
has been discharging poor quality effluent from its
wastewater treatment plant. This situation, however,
is now being remedied by new construction.
The dumping of dredgings removed from the
navigation channel of the Cuyahoga River and the Cleveland
Harbor to nearby disposal sites has been of concern to
-------
837
Ralph S. Locher
us, and this practice has been brought to the attention
of the Ohio Department of Health.
Of particular concern to Cleveland, and in-
deed in many metropolitan areas, is the usage of a combined
sewer system. The use of this system is a matter of con-
troversy in practically all large cities in the United
States. A Master Plan Study which has been authorized
will consider this matter in depth and will give us
guidance as to possible modifications.
Cleveland's combined sewer system is large
and complicated, and has come to its present state over
many years of design and construction. Lack of funds
has at times only permitted minimum needs to be built.
A system of sewers which 50 years ago was thought suf-
ficient to control water pollution to the extent needed,
now requires further study as to Cleveland's needs for
the future. Extensive modernization and modification
to the degree necessary will be an expensive business*
Replacement with separate sanitary and stormwater sewers
would entail huge expenditures in the range of $700
million.
The oil and debris problem in the Cuyahoga
River and Cleveland Harbor, particularly, is receiving
considerable attention since it is visible, ugly, causes
-------
838
Ralph S. Locher
damage, is a source of expense, constitutes a safety
hazard, and offends the esthetic senses of many people
who relate its presence to other forms of water pollu-
tion.
I am happy to be able to inform you that
the City of Cleveland is arranging for the routine and
systematic removal of debris this summer from Cleveland
area waters on a contractual basis. In fact, the bids
are being opened this morning for that very project.
CLEVELAND'S PROGRAM FOR WATER POLLUTION ABATEMENT AND
CONTROL
Cleveland is now in the process of carrying
out a $19 million enlargement, replacement and improve-
ment program for its Southerly and Easterly Plants.
A substantial portion of the program is already committed
in the form of engineering and construction. It is
planned to have all of it under contract by the end of
1966.
Our third and smallest facility, the Westerly
Plant, now provides only primary treatment. This plant
is being studied carefully as to whether additional
treatment is necessary and to what degree.
As of yesterday, a new sewage pump station
-------
839
Ralph S. Locher
and intercepting sewer was put into operation in the low
level district at West 3rd Street and Jefferson Avenue,
to the Cuyahoga River. This $400 million project serves
less than 10 acres*
The completion of this low level sewerage
project, along with the Southerly Plant work and with
expected improvement in the industrial wastes discharged
to the River, should substantially improve this stream
in the downtown Cleveland area. There has to be recog-
nition of the major and basic uses of the Cuyahoga River
from Akron to Lake Erie in order that the goals for this
waterway be realistic.
Cleveland has recently authorized a compre-
hensive Water Pollution and Sewer Study to be made that
will result in a Master Plan for water pollution abate-
ment and control, and I observed with interest that one
of the recommendations requires us to do exactly what
we have recently undertaken.
There will be a determination of the water
quality levels at the various critical locations and a
relationship established to the pollution sources. The
sewer system will be studied intensively as to require-
ments for abatement of pollution and elimination of
flooded basements. The overall requirements and costs
-------
840
Ralph So Locher
for facilities are to be related to desired water quality
objectives.
The apportionments of costs over the various
groups of users is to be determined so that this problem
can be handled in a fair manner.
There is also to be reported in the early
stages of this study, those projects which can be safely
authorized to be started before the entire study is com*
pieted.
In that way, we will not be required to wait
until the entire study is done before we embark upon a
constructive construction program.
It is believed that the resulting Master
Plan for Pollution Abatement and Control will put the
City of Cleveland in a position so that it can go ahead
without undue delay with a program that is well thought
out and developed in all of its aspects, including
financial arrangements. Such a plan will insure that
the money available will be spent for those projects
which will most help to abate pollution, and coordinated
with public support and understanding will result in
protecting this natural resource.
Another important feature of Cleveland's
program for Water Pollution Control is the centralization
-------
841
Ralph S. Locher
within one Division of the City Government of the various
activities and responsibilities which Director DeMelto
referred to in his presentation.
FINANCING OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FACILITIES
Cleveland is now in the process of financing
a $19 million improvement, betterment and enlargement
program for its three sewage treatment plants from sewer
rental funds. It has financed other sewerage projects
by means of tax funds.
Cleveland to date has not received the bene-
fit of any construction grants under the present Federal
Grant System. For that matter, few Federal grants have
been given to the larger cities in Ohio because of the
large number of applicants in reference to the grant
money available. The system used to determine priority
for grants favors the smaller communities who may not
have done much in the past to abate pollution, and can
show a high per capita cost when they do belatedly start
such a project. The present grant system actually tends
to delay construction work until the yearly grant priori-
ties are established after July 1st of each year.
It is believed that when the comprehensive
pollution and sewer study is completed, and the needs
-------
842
Ralph S. Locher
and cost of modifying the sewer system are known, that
Cleveland will require substantial financial aid from
outside of its own resources.
It is recommended that the State of Ohio give
earnest consideration to providing State aid to local
communities to help finance programs toward water pollu-
tion abatement such as is being carried forward in New
York State.
The New York proposal would provide a $1.0
billion state bond issue. The plan proposes that the
State and Federal governments would each pay 30 per cent
of the costs, with local governments paying the remaining
40 per cent.
However, it is my personal opinion that the
water pollution problem requires a crash program approach,
and will be solved more speedily and with more certainty
if the formula for construction that was used on the
interstate highway system, namely 90 per cent Federal,
5 per cent State, and 5 per cent local, were used to
finance the necessary sewerage facilities.
Governor Rockefeller's announcement on this
matter noted - "It has become clear that despite strict
laws, our communities with all their other burdens are
not going to meet the pollution problem by themselves."
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Ralph S. Locher
This statement of Governor Rockefeller is
especially appreciated in Cleveland where the City of
Cleveland tax income has been substantially reduced
recently, because of a decision of the State Board of
Tax Appeals regarding commercial and industrial valua-
tions, and the defeat early this year to provide for
a City of Cleveland income tax.
It can be stated that regardless of the
merits of water pollution abatement programs, that if
the local burden is considered excessive by the public,
the program either will not proceed or will be cut down
materially before it becomes acceptable, and becomes
acceptable to the public pocketbook.
In conclusion, members of the panel and
Chairman Stein, we recognize that Cleveland has an impor-
tant stake in maintaining the water quality resource of
Lake Erie at the highest possible level. We do not
intend to trifle with this important asset.
The water pollution abatement and control
program that is being carried out reflects our thinking
as to what we believe should be done presently and in
the future.
We sincerely hope that the proceedings of
this conference will be of real value and of real help
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Ralph S. Locher
in defining more quantitatively the pollution problems of
Lake Erie and how they can be solved.
You can be assured that Cleveland will do
its fair share in any program that recognizes the legiti-
mate uses of the waters for the various sections of Lake
Erie and its tributaries, and has as its goal the attain-
ment of water quality levels for each use; if the program
is also related to benefits and cost, and in relation to
funds available.
Thank you for this opportunity to appear
on behalf of the City of Cleveland in this historic con-
ference. Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mayor Locher.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mayor Locher, for a
superb and comprehensive statement of Cleveland's posi-
tion, and I also want to thank Mr. Vincent DeMelto for
his statement.
I think, in large measure, the philosophy
and attitude you have expressed is among the most pro-
gressive I have heard, and certainly in all but minor
details, I suspect, coincides with the Federal position.
I also do believe that with an attitude
such as we have in Cleveland, as expressed by you, we
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Ralph S, Locher
will be well on our way towards the solution of the pollu-
tion problem.
Where we have had an attitude such as expressed
by Mayor Locher in the past, notably in the City of Washing-
ton, D. C., and in Chicago, we have made great strides.
1 think we have to recognize that this is a
combined program, local, State, and Federal, and if we
get all parts of our government working together, we can
come up with rapid solutions.
1 would like to throw this open for comments
or questions, but, before I do, 1 think we have an announce-
ment to make for the record*
The record will have to show that Mr. Hennigan
from New York is not present at this session, and there
should be a note to this effect at the beginning of today's
session.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Morr?
MR. MORR: Mayor Locher, I think that the
membership of the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board
present here today would appreciate the work that you
have obviously done since your last appearance before
the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board some six months
ago.
You apparently are following the recommenda-
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846
Ralph S. Locher
tions of this body, and this State agency recognizes your
effort and will commend you for your participating in
the discussions here today and revealing to us at this
time your compliance with the recommendations of the Ohio
Water Pollution Control Board.
I would like to ask you, if you have a moment
yet to be with us, if you have sought Federal aid directly,
particularly looking towards the large financing plans
that must be put together and brought together before the
total contribution of the City of Cleveland may be cor-
rected?
MAYOR LOCHER: First of all, thank you for
recognizing that we are complying with the Water Pollution
Control Board. We aim to be good citizens collectively
and individually, and we believe that what you have asked
us to do is reasonable, and we are happy to comply.
In answer to the question specifically, yes,
we have made application to the Federal Government for
aid and assistance in our sewerage treatment construction.
MR. MORR: Under what program, Mayor, and in
what amounts?
MAYOR LOCHER: I will have to ask Director
DeMelto to answer that.
There are two separate applications under
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847
Ralph S. Locher
two programs, and I can't relate the exact title of each
program, but they were under two separate programs.
Perhaps Commissioner Gerdel can tell us
what those are.
MR. STEIN: Will you give your full name
for the record, please?
STATEMENT OF
WALTER E. GERDEL,
COMMISSIONER, DIVISION OF WATER
POLLUTION CONTROL, CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. GERDEL: I am Walter Gerdel, Commis-
sioner of the Division of Water Pollution Control.
Before July 1st of this year, we submitted
two applications to the State of Ohio to participate in
the Federal grant aids for construction of sewage treat-
ment plants. One was for $600,000 at the City of Cleve-
land, and the other was for $1,600,000 as a multi-city
grant.
MR. MORR: If indeed, then, the total cost
of correction of Cleveland's contribution might reach —
some estimates being as high as nearly a billion dollars,
and since, Mayor Locher, you feel that perhaps as much
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Ralph S. Locher
as 90 per cent Federal aid should be granted towards these
projects, what would be your suggestion or your approach
to seeking 90 per cent Federal aid, speaking, of course,
in terms of a program such as that which you mentioned,
as the interstate highway system, or as some other Federal
programs might be reasonable as to the particular problem
involved.
What would be your approach in this matter?
MAYOR LOCHER: Mr. Chairman, members of the
panel:
The only approach would be through a formula
being established similar to that with regard to construc-
tion of interstate freeways, which would require Congres-
sional action and approval.
MR. MORR: Have you spoken to your Congres-
sional delegates in that regard?
MAYOR LOCHER: Yes, informally I have, but
this has been the first opportunity that I have had to
throw it out for a general discussion.
I would hope your panel would give this
the kind of lift and boost it would require to really get
somewhere in the Congress. It would be a great help,
and that is why I suggested it here.
MR. MORR: Might I ask further, please, and
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Ralph S, Locher
I appreciate your giving us your time this morning so
extensively — you mentioned too that it might be well
to use State funds to accomplish the ends in eliminating
pollution contribution to Lake Erie and the Great Lakes.
Are you proposing then a state-wide increase
in taxes to aid Cleveland in ending its contribution to
Lake Erie?
MAYOR LOCHER: No. Mr. Chairman and members
of the panel:
I am not asking it to help Cleveland any more
than does the State contribution to the interstate system
help Cleveland. It helps the entire State.
From the testimony I heard, the Cuyahoga
River is not atypical. It is typcial of the streams in
Ohio, at least that we know about, that have run off
into Lake Erie.
I am saying let's help the State of Ohio,
and 1 think the State of Ohio has a real responsibility
in this regard.
To the extent that Cleveland is helped, I
don't feel at all guilty, I might add> about receiving
any aid at all from the State, particularly when less
than 40 per cent of the tax monies that are collected
here and are sent to Columbus ever find their way back
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850
Ralph S. Locher
to the metropolitan area of Cleveland. So, when I say
the State of Ohio ought to put in 5 per cent of this cost,
as it does on the freeways, I am not saying help Cleveland.
I am saying let's do what Governor Rockefeller said, and
let's face up to the matter as a Federal, a State, and a
local problem.
A 5 per cent contribution, it seems to me,
is a pittance really when we consider that as citizens
of Ohio we hold the resources of Ohio in trust for all
the people of Ohio.
The Supreme Court has said that the subacreous
lands under Lake Erie and the waters are in trust for all
the people of Ohio. They aren't in trust for Cleveland
or Conneaut or Ashtabula or for Port Clinton, but they
are for all the people of Ohio.
I don't believe we can realistically spend
the hundreds of millions and billions, to summarize,
except that it be a coordinated effort, and except that
it be attacked, as we have attacked other large problems.
For example, education — we gave thousands
and thousands of acres of land to the land grant schools,
and this goes back to 1802. That is the way we started
those great universities.
Now we have another problem that is facing
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851
Ralph S. Locher
us all. I would suggest that the State, as well as the
local communities, but, to the largest degree, the Federal
Government, recognize that it is a Joint effort.
I realize that to do so will take money and
will take taxes. We will not be able to do it without
taxes, but sometimes, ladies and gentlemen, we've got
to look ourselves in the mirror and say if it takes money
and takes taxes, despite elections and everything else,
it is the only way to solve this problem, and my sugges-
tion is, yes, that the State of Ohio, either from present
revenues or by increased taxation, contribute 5 per cent
to this cost.
And I say very candidly to the citizens of
Cleveland, they should be willing to pay 5 per cent of
the cost.
The 90 per cent — and it is generous to
be able to say to the Federal Government, "You take up
nine-tenths of it" -- I feel is likewise, to a degree,
money that has come from the great industries and the
individuals, and the rank and file citizenry of Cleve-
land, Ohio.
This meeting would not have been held, I
don't believe, as well as it has, had it not been brought
together by the Federal Government, which is able to
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852
Ralph S. Locher
coordinate the efforts of all of us.
For Cleveland to attempt to do it would be
the tail wagging the dog, but here is the Federal Govern*
ment recognizing it as a Federal problem, and 1 would
like the State to recognize it as a 5 per cent State
problem, and I certainly would be willing to recognize
it as 5 per cent municipal.
(Applause.)
MR. MORR: How do you propose to the people
of Cleveland the obtaining of the 5 percent?
MAYOR LOCHER: Mr. Chairman, we are putting
on the ballot this fall an item for $6 million for sewers,
Also, as was pointed out, we have a $19
million program with regard to our sewage treatment
plants.
Our plants I don't believe can honestly be
said to be operating in an inefficient form, but our
collection of the sewerage wastes and the wastes from
industry leave a lot to be desired.
I would suggest, therefore, that it be done
in two ways: That this study, which is now being made,
and which the State rightfully asked us to undertake,
be used as a basis for computing the sewage treatment
rates for the suburbs and for Cleveland, just as soon
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853
Ralph S. Locher
as its preliminary report has been made, because beginning
next July, our present rate will have been exhausted or
the term will be over, and before that time we should have
negotiated a new rate with the suburbs, and with ourselves,
for that matter. That would be one way to take care of
that problem.
I would suggest also that a bond issue, in
addition to the $6 million, if that is found to be neces-
sary, might be a way of financing it; and I would suggest,
if I may presume, that the State likewise undertake it
on a bond issue matter.
We have been immensely successful with other
bond issues, and I believe the interest and concern is
here now at this time that would catapult it over the
50 per cent or 55 per cent that is required.
MR. MORR: Thank you.
Could I ask Mr. DeMelto one question, please?
MR. STEIN: Go ahead and ask your question.
MR. MORR: Thank you.
Mr. DeMelto, again, my commendation to you.
We feel that you are embarking on a program in your
recognition and Mayor Locher*s recognition of the attempt
to meet the problem of Ohio's contribution to the inter-
state pollution of our Great Lakes that must be met, and
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854
Ralph S. Locher
met now. We commend you too for your work.
It appears that one of the aids to be provided
by our Federal agency and interest is well on the way to
success, and I would like your opinion, if you would give
it to us at this point, in line with this aid problem.
According to the Duluth Herald, an official
of the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control in
the United States Public Health Service said, and I am
quoting this article:
"We intend to help you find answers
to scientific questions about the lakes,
and the new Duluth Water Laboratory will
be one of the main sources of information."
This gentleman was appearing before the
Pollution Control Committee of the Great Lakes Commission,
and he further related, according to the Duluth Herald,
that:
"A staff of 130 people, mostly scientists,
engineers and technicians, is being assembled
for the new laboratory at Duluth. Their
assignment is to determine the standards of
water quality necessary to protect aquatic
life, wildlife, industrial and agricultural
water uses, recreation and municipal water
-------
855
Vincent M. DeMelto
supplies.
"Standards developed at the laboratory
will help water pollution control officials
establish rules concerning the treatment of
wastes and their discharge into waterways."
Again I quote, according to this article,
Mr. McCallum:
"Today we simply do not have reliable
criteria defining the quality characteris-
tics affecting specified water uses. Such
criteria must be based on the relationship
between concentrations of various substances
and their beneficial or harmful effects."
This conference thus far has rather decidedly
ascertained that we have pollution which is detrimental,
and while there might not be any criteria or any standards
at the present time, at least exposed to this conference,
the main job to be done is the construction of facilities
that will adequately dispose of or treat waste, that
pollution may not occur or recur.
Do you feel that the contribution of the
Duluth Laboratory will evolve into a changing of criteria,
if indeed we would have any today, at least informally,
so that what we have presently might be inadequate ten
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856
Vincent M. DeMelto
years hence or twenty-five years hence, in the art -- if
we might speak of the art — of the sewage disposal of
industrial wastes?
MR. DeMELTO: I couldn't follow you all the
way through.
Will you specifically ask the question, sir?
MR. MORR: Certainly.
The establishment of criteria, it appears,
needs yet to be agreed upon, and the Duluth Laboratory
of the Public Health Service will attempt to establish
criteria.
My question to you is this: As an expert
and one directly in interest and attempting to do the
job, do you feel that criteria might be evolved from such
laboratory work that would make obsolete or ineffective
such projects as you are presently proposing for construc-
tion at Cleveland?
MR. DeMELTO: No, I don't think so. It may
mean improving and putting in more improvements and re-
finements to take care of what this conference, or what
may come up ten years from now.
1 don't believe we could wait. We have been
criticized for not going ahead and doing things, and so
we are doing it according to present day standards.
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857
Vincent M. DeMelto
Undoubtedly, if changes are necessary, we
will have to make those changes, but I don't think they
will render our entire plants obsolete, because, if it
did, you would be rendering obsolete all the plants on
Lake Erie.
MR. MORR: Certainly, and under what stand-
ards then are we constructing today?
MR. DeMELTO: Well, today we are enlarging
and increasing our facilities and putting in improvements,
various improvements, to take care of raising the amount
of solids that are taken out of the sewers.
MR. MORR: And whose standards are these,
if I might ask?
MR. DeMELTO: Pardon?
MR. MORR: Who established such standards
as you are addressing your construction to?
MR. DeMELTO: Well, we have our consulting
engineers, and, of course, we obtained all the available
data we could get.
The State, of course, gives us guidance on
it. All of our plans are sent to the State for approval.
Every plan, before any construction is started, must be
approved by the State, and so, of course, we rely rather
heavily on the State.
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858
Vincent M. DeMelto
MR. MORR: Is secondary treatment considered
in your present plans, and, if so, to what extent?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, of course. We now have
secondary treatment at both the Easterly and Southerly
Plants.
Now, at the Westerly Plant, with the approval
of the State, I am sure we are using chemicals to see
whether those chemicals will do the job on an experimental
basis. We have been doing that all this year, and when
the results of that are obtained, why, then we will have
to determine whether that is adequate, or whether we will
have to go to secondary treatment.
Another reason is that the Westerly is the
smallest of our plants, and, therefore, there may be
improvements necessary in the whole system that may be
more important than establishing secondary at Westerly.
However, if our engineering report shows
that Westerly must, of necessity, go to secondary treat-
ment, then, of course, that will be taken care of.
MR. MORR: Have you applied to any Public
Health Service office for Federal standards of criteria
regarding pollution or contributions to pollution?
MR. DeMELTO: I don't understand that ques-
tion, sir.
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859
Vincent M. DeMelto
MR. MORR: Do you have any knowledge of
Federal agencies' standards or criteria relating to pollu-
tion?
MR. DeMELTO: Well, we get all of the publi-
cations, and Commissioner Gerdell goes over them with me,
and we do study them. We keep up to date on all of them.
MR. MORR: There are Federal standards then,
and criteria?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes.
MR. MORR: Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Thank you. Are there any further
questions or comments?
You know, 1 might say with regard to the
speech in the newspaper that you quoted, Mr. McCallum,
of course, is my immediate boss, and I have worked very
closely with him for 15 years, as has Mr. Poole and Mr.
Oeming, and I think we know what he means.
He doesn't mean that every state program,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan, should stop
until all standards are perfected.
We realize and recognize that what we are
dealing with here Is that we are dealing with an imper-
fect science. We do have criteria, good engineering
judgment, and goals and standards to shoot at in various
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860
aspects. We know we can make immeasurable gains if plants
are designed to meet those, and we have them -- primary,
secondary, or sometimes tertiary treatment.
I think what Mr. McCallum was speaking about
was that we &re trying to get specifics in criteria deal-
ing with particulars on certain fish, as, for example,
the Mayor spoke about the blue pike, what might be harmful
to them or a critical point for those fish.
You hear about the algae -- what might be
harmful to algae or other water uses. We need other
standards and other criteria, and have to know a lot more*
When we deal with these with particularity,
I don't suspect that there is, from a logical point of
view, only one way you can go — that is, you have to
put in more treatment. Perhaps, with the defect of
knowledge, we overbuild in some cases to provide protec-
tion, and we may be able to do a little less.
So I look for the standards to refine the
art, but I think, and I am sure — as I say, I live every
day with Mr. McCallum — he would agree that programs
should not be held up for the perfection of these standards
and criteria*
MR. MORR: I think now that we have defined
the purpose of the Governor calling this meeting together,
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861
and you have done so rather nicely, that the public would
be informed, and that the various agencies of government,
local, State and Federal, meet this problem head-on, col-
lectively and in a unified approach.
1 think this conference is bringing out this
point quite well, and 1 would thank you, Chairman Stein.
I think we, at this point, have really de-
fined the purpose of this meeting, and I want to commend
the Federal agency for bringing to a point this need for
unification in the approach, and for definitions and
the total contribution each has to share, at every level
of government, and the individual citizens, and not only
share, but purposefully treating of a recognized blight
upon civilization, and this is true on the part of each
of us as citizens, beside our positions as public offi-
cials.
I think that this is the purpose of the
Governor's calling this meeting, that there be a public
awareness, and that the public agencies meet around the
table and decide to embark upon a unified approach to
this problem.
Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
Now, while I am talking, I think you and
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862
Mayor Locher boch raised one more point, and that was on
that 90/10 financing.
I was on a program last night with Congress-
man Charles Vanik, and he had precisely the same proposal,
Mayor, so evidently there is some support in your Con-
gressional delegation.
1 would like to point out several things
here.
Many states, other than New York, do have
some kind of financial aid for cities, and I am just
stating that as a fact. Some of them match the Federal
grant, some of them give partial matching, but at least
a half dozen states at the present time provide financial
aid for the cities.
However, again, in thinking through this
problem, and I am speaking here from a Washington point
of view, because I would like to see sewage treatment
proceed as rapidly as possible, and no one is more aware
of the problems of the city than I am, when you are
speaking in terms of 90/10 Federal financing, there is
a question of how the money is to be raised on the
Federal level.
1 think the problems here have been the
astronomical funds you get at if you begin adding up
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863
the needs of all the cities on a nationwide basis.
This is what happens in the highway program,
or this is what happens in any massive program we go
into, such as social security or Medicare, or what have
you. The financing becomes a real, real difficult prob-
lem.
I think again in most of these cases you
will find that some special form of tax, or earmarking
of tax, has been made for the financing. Certainly, that
is so in social security, Medicare, or the roads program.
In other words, 1 am not taking a position
on the legislation or on the proposal, but 1 think the
first question to be asked in Washington is, "How is
this money going to be presented?"
I think the question boils right down to
this: Is it going to come out of general funds, or are
you going to have to get some kind of device where the
Federal Government is going to have to go out and tax
and earmark funds for this purpose?
I think this is a very real question, and
I don't know that your proposal will move forward or get
much serious consideration until answers come forward
in that area.
Are there any further comments or questions?
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864
Ralph S. Locher
MR. BOSTON: I have a couple of questions.
I too appreciated Mayor Locher*s understand-
ing of his problems here in Detroit — in Cleveland —
we are in Cleveland now.
MR. STEIN: Wally, we surrounded him both
ways. I started off by mispronouncing his name, and you
put him in Detroit.
(Laughter.)
MR. BOSTON: Well, 1 wanted to ask Mayor
Locher one question, and ask whether he cared to comment
on his sewerage service charge, as compared to his lower
water rates than anyplace else in the country. Mayor
Locher indicated that he had the lowest water rates.
Do you care to comment on how low your
sewerage service charges are here?
MAYOR LOCHER: Mr. Chairman and members of
the panel:
Our rates for water are consistent with what
it costs us to provide water, and they are extremely low
by reason of the fact that Cleveland, early in the cen-
tury, provided these fine modern plants, far in excess
of what was necessary or what was then needed, at rela-
tively low costs.
Similarly, our municipal light plants provide
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865
Ralph S. Locher
electricity at considerably less cost than does the private
company, because we put in the facilities years ago, when
Johnson had his great fights at the turn of the century,
and we went into that area of work.
With sewerage rates, likewise, by reason of
the fact that we began at the turn of the century, rather
than being "Johnny come lately," so to speak, much of our
plant was constructed and paid for and put in when costs
were relatively low. As a result, our sewage rates are
low.
I think too that is a commentary on the ef-
ficiency of the department and the commissioner and his
aides. Our rates are low and they reflect early invest-
ment at low cost, and continued effort and efficient
maintenance and operation.
MR. POSTON: Thank you, Mayor Locher.
I would also like to ask Mr. DeMelto a ques-
tion concerning whether or not the city has a permit to
discharge wastes to the Lake and to the Cuyahoga River,
and, if they have a permit, for what period is this?
MR. DeMELTO: We have a permit from the
State, of course, and that permit comes up for renewal
this March, and the conditions substantially required
by the State will be met as of the calendar year, which
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866
Vincent M. DeMelto
means that they are not met at this very moment, but by
the end of the calendar year, we hope to comply with all
that the State has asked.
The State has never questioned our sewage
disposal plants and the improvement there* In fact, they
have commended us, that we are doing a good job on our
sewage disposal plants.
Most of their criticism has been centered
around sewers and overflows, especially in the low level
area.
We have awarded a couple of contracts this
year, and before the end of the year we hope to have
everything awarded, so that we will be in compliance with
the State's regulations, and will be able to obtain a
renewal of that permit.
MR. POSTON: Will your improvements include
secondary treatment at your Westerly Plant?
MR. DeMELTO: No, sir, not for this year,
because of the fact that with the approval of the State,
we are using the Palmer treatment, this new chemical
treatment, which we are experimenting with, to see whether
it will be necessary to go to secondary treatment.
MR. POSTON: In other words, you feel that
perhaps your Palmer treatment may equal the effluent
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867
Vincent M. DeMelto
that you get out of activated sludge plants, the type of
plant that you have at the Southerly Plant?
MR. DeMELTO: It may not 100 percent, but,
you remember» that is only the smallest of our plants,
and the amount of flow into that plant is being reduced.
For example, at the present time, we have
entered into a contract with the City of Lakewood, where-
by we have taken 25 per cent of this new plant, and much
of our sewage is being diverted from the Westerly to
the Lakewood Plant, and with these changing conditions,
we are, as I said, experimenting with the chemicals and
the reduced flows to see if it will warrant going into
secondary treatment in Westerly.
MR. POSTON: One other question: Does the
city have an industrial waste ordinance limiting the
kinds of industrial wastes that may be emptied into city
sewers?
MR. DeMELTO: Well, the State has preempted
the field as far as the industries are concerned. They
operate under permits from the State. We do not have
a local ordinance governing that.
MR. STEIN: Let me try this. Let's explore
this, Mr. DeMelto.
I don't think, in this case you are talking
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868
Vincent M. DeMelto
about, industries have a direct discharge necessarily
into the stream, but you do have industries discharging
into your municipal sewer system. You have control over
those, and I don't think that, as far as I know, any
State has preempted anything there.
MR. DeMELTO: No.
MR. STEIN: But when they go into your sys-
tem, you are legally and technically responsible for the
wastes.
Now, I think Mr. Boston's question may have
been directed at that.
Do you have an industrial waste ordinance
governing the volume and strength of the wastes that
industries can put into your municipal system?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, sir. We have created
an industrial department -- I might say parenthetically,
a few years ago we had a very serious explosion in one
of our sewers out on the west side, and at that time
we passed an ordinance and set up a crew of men who
do nothing but go around examining that sewage.
On several occasions, we have found ex-
plosive and different materials which industry should not
have put into the sewers, and we have checked up and
stopped the practice.
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869
Vincent M. DeMelto
MR. POSTON: One step further, then:
Does the city have an ordinance pertaining
to debris in streams? I noted that Mayor Locher indicated
that he either today or recently has instigated a program
for removal of debris from along the streams.
Do you have any type of ordinance that would
prohibit dumping along the banks of the streams so that
the material would not gain access?
MR. DeMELTO: Not specifically, but we do
have a general nuisance ordinance, and under that ordinance
we have the authority to stop a nuisance, and certainly
it is a nuisance if industry throws all its stuff in the
Cuyahoga River.
Looking towards enforcement of that, we have
let bids, which are coming in today, as the Mayor stated,
to rent a boat for experimental purposes this year, be-
cause the summer is fast going and we didn't have time
to purchase a new boat, but we will rent this boat out
and use it for that purpose, to clean up the Cuyahoga
River for the rest of the season.
After we look at our experience there, we
will undoubtedly purchase a boat and operate it and man
it ourselves.
I understand also that industry is willing
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Vincent M. DeMelto
to cooperate on that.
MR. BOSTON: Will this apply also to the
shoreline of Lake Erie within the city limits?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, but primarily the Cuya-
hoga River. Also, 1 might add that industry is cooperat-
ing by setting up a system whereby the oil can be reclaimed
and picked up by the boat.
MR. POSTON: I have one final question
pertaining to sludge. As 1 understand it, that sludge
is treated at the Southerly Plant. Do you have adequate
facilities at the Southerly Plant so that you can handle
the total amount of sludge without having to dump any
into the river?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes. What we do with the
sludge, we put it in cases or cartons and carry off
most of it. It is considered a good soil conditioner.
Southerly, of course, handles the sludge
also from Easterly through a 13-mile pipeline, and at
the present time we are under a construction program
to enlarge the sludge handling facilities of the
Southerly sewers.
MR. POSTON: That is all I have.
MR. STEIN: I must say this. As you know,
1 have been at the Easterly Plant several times, and
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Vincent M. DeMelto
in my opinion that is one of the best run sewage treat-
ment plants in the country.
Of course, when I asked what happened to
the sludge, they said you piped it to another plant,
so I never saw what you did with that.
1 have a brief question or two*
On your "No sewer no water rule," do you
require separation of sewers before you give them water?
MR. DeMELTO: Let me say that in — this
occurs mostly in the suburbs of Cleveland.
MR. STEIN: How about the suburbs? Are
they putting in combined sewers?
MR. DeMELTO: As to the suburbs, I would
say that 80 per cent of the suburbs' sewers are now
separate sewers.
MR. STEIN: How about the new ones?
MR. DeMELTO: The new ones, they are all
putting in separate sewers.
MR. STEIN: In other words, you don't give
them water unless they put in separate sewers. Suppose
they come to you with a plan for combined sewers?
MR. DeMELTO: They never have come into that,
because the State Board of Health also has a lot to do
with that.
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Vincent M. DeMelto
MR. STEIN: How about your urban renewal
ground, where you clear some ground? Do you separate
the sewers there as well, or do you just leave them com-
bined?
MR. DeMELTO: In our Erieview Project, we
had them build separate sewers, but we still have to
provide separate sewer lines to take care of it. At
the moment, they are going into combined sewers.
MR. STEIN: I recognize that, but if we are
ever going to get at the problem — is it your position
when you have a clearance for urban renewal to separate
the sewers in that area?
MR. DeMELTO: That is what we expect to do
on all of our renewal projects in the future.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Mr. Oeming?
MR. OEMING: Mr. Chairman, I think my ques-
tions will be directed primarily to Mr. DeMelto.
Pursuing this question that Mr. Stein raised
with respect to the separation of sewers in the outlying
area, what provisions do you make in your contracts with
these people to see that separation continues -- that
is, policing the system once it is built?
MR. DeMELTO: Our contracts do not call for
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Vincent M. DcMelto
separate sewers, but they call for a plan approved by
the State Board of Health, and before we will extend
our water lines into an unsewered area, those plans —
in other words, here is a community called "X." They
want water and they have no sewers.
We tell them that before they can get water,
the first necessity or prerequisite is that they must
have a plan approved by the State Board of Health, and
we have stuck to that.
MR. OEMING: I understand about the plans,
Mr. DeMelto. My concern is, once the plan is executed
and a separate system is in, do you have any tie-up or
any authority regulation that covers the use of this
system, to see that the separation continues to be main-
tained year after year?
MR. DeMELTO: No.
MR. OEMING: I mean, this is the real prob-
lem. You can provide a separation of sewers, but to
maintain them is another problem, as separate sewers,
and I was wondering if Cleveland had any provisions in
their approval or to take the sewers that maintain the
separation?
MR. DeMELTO: As 1 say, our contracts merely
say that before you can have water, you must have a plan
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Vincent M. DeMelto
approved by the State. Now, it doesn't go any further
than that.
No, it does not provide for maintenance.
MR. OEMING: I see.
MR. DeMELTO: But I think that is a good
point.
MR. OEMING: You have some separate sewers
in Cleveland, didn't I understand?
MR. DeMELTO: About 20 per cent of our sewers
are separate.
MR. OEMING: Yes. Well, how do you people
in Cleveland ride herd on this system now to make sure
that sewage doesn't get in the separated storm system?
MR. DeMELTO: Well, we inspect our overflows
about 1,000 times a month. We have about 1,000 inspec-
tions a month, and we are constantly increasing the
number of inspections.
In fact, I was notified this week by Commis-
sioner Gerdell that we are putting on another crew for
that purpose, to have a constant surveillance over the
overflows.
MR. OEMING: My next series of questions,
Mr. DeMelto, are directed at the point of filling some
of the gaps that 1 feel have come up in this conference
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Vincent M. DeMelto
with respect to the contributions of phosphates to the
Lake, the total Lake problem.
I have looked in your report here, and I
find information with respect to solids and BOD, and
I wonder, do you run tests at any of the plants on the
phosphate contribution?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, we run tests, but it
seems as though the latest — in order to eliminate the
phosphates, you've got to give more aeration, and instead
of that, your latest technique is to cut down the amount
of time of aeration, which, if we are going to take out
the phosphates, and 1 don't think any of the plants on,
Lake Erie at the present time take out the phosphates,
but if that is going to be one of the rules of the road,
then we will have to provide for more aeration, or what-
ever is necessary to take out those phosphates.
MR. OEMING: Specifically, do you have in-
formation available that would tell us what your total
phosphate loading is presently from your plants?
MR. DeMELTO: I would have to refer that
to the Commissioner.
MR. OEMING: I don't want the information;
I just want to know if you have it.
MR. GERDEL; We don't run phosphates as
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Vincent M. DeMelto
as ordinary routine determination. We have taken samples
for the United States Public Health Service. They have
analyzed these samples. They have tried to evaluate in
a plant such as our Easterly Plant, operating as it is
now, what the removal is.
1 don't know what the results have been.
MR. OEMING: I see.
With respect to the Westerly Plant, Mr.
DeMelto, do I understand that you are conducting full-
scale plant tests with these materials, on chemical
precipitation?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, sir.
MR. OEMING: In connection with those ex-
periments, are you going to determine what the phosphate
removal has been with the existing plant, and what it
would be with these materials added now to increase the
solids removal?
MR. DeMELTO: We hope, as a result of these
experiments, we may make that determination.
MR. OEMING: Is this a part of the test, a
part of the experimentation to determine?
MR. DeMELTO: No. Up to now we have not
done anything with the phosphates.
MR. OEMING: You have sat through all of
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Vincent M. DeMelto
this conference, and you know of the concern of the States
with respect to the interstate problem in the Lake, which
has been identified as a nutrient problem.
Don't you feel that it is important that you
get this information, not only with respect to what you
are experimenting with, but with respect to your present
loads from your existing secondary treatment plant?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, sir. That has been made
very clear at this conference.
(Laughter.)
MR. OEMING: You intend to do this, I take
it?
MR. DeMELTO: Yes, sir.
MR. OEMING: All right. Thank you, Mr.
DeMelto.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
Are there any further questions or comments?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, we would like to again
thank you, Mayor Locher and Mr. DeMelto, for an excellent
presentation.
As I say, at least in my experience around,
I think your city is coming forward with a full explana-
tion of what you are doing, what your plans are, what
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878
Vincent M. DeMelto
your policy is, and what your attitude is, and I am sure
when that is done, we and, I am certain, the State
governments will be more than happy to meet you halfway,
and arrive at an accommodation, and I am certain we will
get an equitable program to improve the situation.
You can be assured of our cooperation and
assistance in anything you wish to do to improve your
waste treatment or collection, and we work, of course,
through the State agency, as you know.
MR. DeMELTO: Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
MAYOR LOGHER: Thank you.
MR. STEIN: May we recess for ten minutes?
We will reconvene promptly in ten minutes.
(After recess.)
MR. STEIN: May we reconvene?
Dr. Arnold, please.
DR. ARNOLD: Yes, sir, Mr. Stein.
We would like to continue with the presenta-
tions from the municipalities, and call on the City of
Cuyahoga Falls at this time. Is the Mayor here?
(No response.)
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879
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Chairman, he doesn't seem
Co be here, so we will proceed now with the presenta-
tions of the industries, and call on the Du Pont
Company, Mr. Charles W. Lounsbury.
MR. STEIN: I wonder if we could try to
arrange it so that we can recess for lunch at about
12:30.
Is that possible, sir? How long will your
presentation take?
MR. LOUNSBURY: My presentation is very
brief.
MR. STEIN: Go right ahead.
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880
Charles V. Lounsbury
STATEMENT OF
CHARLES W. LOUNSBURY
PLANT MANAGER
CLEVELAND, OHIO PLANT
E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS & COMPANY, INC.
MR. LOUNSBURY: Mr. Chairman and Conferees:
My name is Charles W. Lounsbury. I have
been Manager of the Du Pont Company Plant in Cleveland, Ohio
for almost five years and have spent a total of ten
years at this location. The plant is located at 2981
Independence Road, on the Cuyahoga River, at a point
approximately 4-1/2 miles from its mouth.
Manufacture of industrial chemicals began
at this site in 1867. Operation has been continuous
during the intervening 98 years. Current employment
approaches 300 people. The principal products are in-
organic chemicals: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid,
sulfates and bisulfates, silicates, and zinc and ammonium
chlorides. Minor quantities of several chemical specialties,
both organic and inorganic, are also manufactured. None
of our products are sold directly to the ultimate con-
sumer, but are sold to other manufacturers for use in
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881
Charles ¥. Lounsbury
making their products.
Before a municipal interceptor sewer was
installed along Independence Road, sanitary sewage was
discharged to the river in a combined sewer. A separate
sanitary sewer system was installed in the plant and was
immediately connected when the municipal interceptor was
completed in 1962. All other water, consisting primarily
of river water used for cooling purposes, is returned to
the Cuyahoga River in a separate sewer system.
Pollution control is recognized as an essential
part of every operation by the Du Pont Company. No new
installation is approved unless it meets or exceeds the
requirements of the appropriate authorities. All in-
stallations are regularly reviewed to insure that avail-
able and applicable technology is adopted as early as
possible when it will further reduce losses to the sewer.
Since the Ohio Water Pollution Control Act was adopted in
1951, our programs for loss reduction have been regularly
reviewed and approved by the Ohio Water Pollution Control
Board. During this period, new facilities and improved
operating practices have accomplished significant re-
ductions of our wastes^. For example, we have eliminated
all acid process waste by installing a neutralization
tower. Process changes have reduced oxygen-demanding
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882
Charles W. Lounsbury
waste by 95# and nitrogen sources by 90$. Releases of
zinc compounds have been reduced by 50# and efforts to
make further reductions are continuing. Zinc is the
only constituent of our waste which the State has
classified as needing improvement. Zinc in small
quantities does not harm humans, but the State of Ohio
has asked that the level of zinc in the receiving stream
not exceed 1 ppm to protect aquatic life. At our present
rate of discharge, the maximum concentration of zinc in
the Cuyahoga River will not exceed 1 ppm except at the
time of lowest river flows. With our continued program
of reduction we expect to bring the stream concentration
below that figure at all times.
In summary, we have recognized our re-
sponsibility to control and reduce waste discharges as
rapidly as available technology and good operating
practices will permit, consistent with sound economic
judgment. Our regular monitoring and control procedures
give us assurance that our wastes are not contributing
to the degradation of Lake Erie, or limiting any of
the uses of the lake described in the Public Health
Service Report. Furthermore, we are very close to
complete compliance with the State requirements regarding
the Cuyahoga River itself.
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883
Charles W. Lounsbury
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much, Mr, Louns-
bury, for a complete statement, as Du Pont always gives.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Poston?
MR. POSTON: Mr. Lounsbury, 1 have one ques-
tion.
I would like to know whether the Du Pont
plant here monitors their effluents to know the quality
of the wastes being discharged to the Cuyahoga River?
MR. LOUNSBURY: Yes, sir, we do.
MR. POSTON: Would you object to giving
this information to the Public Health Service, the
Federal Government?
MR. LOUNSBURY: No, we do not. We are
willing to share our data with any group that is inter-
ested on working on the local pollution problem.
MR. POSTON: Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further comments
or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much,
Mr. Lounsbury. The policy that you just enunciated
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884
Charles W. Lounsbury
is the policy we have experienced throughout the country
with Du Pont, sir.
MR. LOUNSBURY: Yes, it is.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: We will next hear from the
Harshaw Chemical Company, Mr. Paul R. Pine.
Mr. Pine.
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885
Paul R. Pine
STATEMENT OF
PAUL R. PINE, VICE PRESIDENT,
THE HARSHAW CHEMICAL COMPANY
AND
CHAIRMAN, CLEVELAND CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE INDUSTRIAL WASTE COM-
MITTEE
MR. PINE: Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies
and Gentlemen:
I am Paul R. Pine, a Vice President of The
Harshaw Chemical Company. I have also been Chairman
of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce Industrial Waste
Committee for many years. I appear before this confer-
ence in a dual capacity. My statement will be in two
parts, one pertaining to The Harshaw Chemical Company
and one pertaining to the Industrial Waste Committee
activities.
This is part one.
The Harshaw Chemical Company is a Cleveland
based company with a major manufacturing installation
on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. The management of
my company has always had a positive philosophy with
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886
Paul R. Pine
regard to pollution problems, whether they be water
pollution or air pollution. They have stood and do
stand ready to assist any authorized agency or regulatory
body working in the field of pollution control.
In 1954 we voluntarily submitted to the
permit system set up by the State Water Pollution Con-
trol Act and have possessed a permit in good standing
since that date.
Prior to 1958 no trunk sewers were available
to our plant so that our industrial waste and our sani-
tary waste were mixed and were dumped into the Cuyahoga
River. In 1958 a low level interceptor sewer was in-
stalled by the City of Cleveland. We immediately segre-
gated our sanitary waste and tied into this system, so
that today no sanitary waste reaches the Cuyahoga River
from our plant.
We are one of the world's largest producers
of refined metallic salts for the electroplating of
metals and other uses. The principal metals handled
are nickel and cobalt, with minor amounts of copper,
manganese, cadmium and zinc. We are also large manu-
facturers of anhydrous hydrofluoric acid, and related
fluorides.
These activities give rise to two major
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887
Paul R. Pine
problems as far as industrial wastes are concerned —
one, heavy metals; two, calcium sulfate.
Heavy Metals
Since issuance of our permit for the dumping
of industrial wastes into the Cuyahoga River, we have
installed complete monitoring equipment to measure flow
and to sample this flow continuously twenty- four hours
per day, seven days per week. We have also installed
sampling stations at the boundary of each operating de-
partment to evaluate that department's contribution to
the effluent.
Using data thus collected, we have rebuilt
our sumps, installed acid-proof floors, modernized our
process equipment, installed scrubbers, etc., and gener-
ally increased the efficiency of these departments. By
these means we have brought about a substantial, and
that is a 20- fold reduction in the heavy metal content
of our effluent. Admittedly, there is more to be done.
S
Our calcium sulfate discharge again, ad-
mittedly, is unsightly. A milky white discoloration
fans out from the point of discharge and is visible from
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888
Paul R. Pine
almost any point of vantage. Calcium sulfate is the
natural component of almost any river, and we have not
regarded it as a pollutant per se, since any natural
gypsum deposit which a river flows through contributes
the same material to the water. It, being the discharge,
is completely dissolved within 500 feet of point of
discharge.
We regularly monitor the river above and
below our plant, and find that as the river enters
our plant area it carries a calcium burden of 73 ppm.
Now, there is an error in the text that
1 released. The word "sulfate" should be stricken.
I'm sorry, it was an error in transmission, and 1
apologize.
As the river leaves the plant area it
carries a calcium burden of 79 ppm. Associated with
the calcium sulfate are traces only of fluorides
and other sulfates. These figures are valid under
average flow conditions and would be somewhat higher
at low flow rates and somewhat lower at high flow
rates.
Waste acids from our fluoride operations
are collected in tanks and sold to acid consuming
industries throughout the City.
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889
Paul R. Pine
We are well aware that we still have work
to do , but we feel that under the very capable guidance
of the State Engineers of the Water Pollution Control
Board, we have made significant progress. We expect
to complete our work within two years, barring emergen-
cies, and to have our plant classified in the adequate
treatment category.
That is all for Part I.
MR* STEIN: Do you want to entertain ques-
tions now?
MR. PINE: Whatever you wish.
MR. STEIN: I think it might be advisable.
The record would be cleaner.
Are there any questions on the first part
of Mr. Pine's statement?
Mr. Poston?
MR. POSTON: I would like to ask Mr. Pine
whether the Earshaw Chemical Company would object to
providing records of their waste effluents to the Public
Health Service?
MR. PINE: No, we would not.
MR. POSTON: You would not?
MR. PINE: I would hope that any request
for the data, the bearer would also accompany in his
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890
Paul R. Pine
other hand an invitation to participate in the interpre-
tation of that data, for this reason: That our operations
do vary from day to day and week to week, and you might
take a set of data on one day that would make us look
lily-white, and we know we are not lily-white, and then
on another date, however it might make us look very bad,
and we know we are not that bad, so we would like to
assist in the interpretation of the data*
MR. POSTON: 1 think this is a legitimate
request.
MR. STEIN: Thank you. Are there any further
comments or questions on the first part?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Mr. Pine, will you con-
tinue, sir?
MR. PINE: I'll put on my other hat.
(Laughter.)
This statement pertains to the activities
of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce Industrial Waste
Committee.
The Industrial Waste Committee of the
Cleveland Chamber of Commerce was organized in 1953.
It is composed of representatives of major industries
in the City, especially those holding permits from the
-------
891
Paul R. Pine
State of Ohio for the discharge of industrial waste into
the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. It was organized for
the express purpose of rendering assistance to the City
of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the State of Ohio
whenever requested. It serves as a clearing house of
information on pollution problems and legislative programs
pertaining to pollution problems. It collects and dis-
seminates technical information, and it has at various
times been the agency through which financial assistance
was extended on special projects not contemplated in
the Municipal budget.
In addition to the other more subtle pollu-
tion problems, it recognizes three major problems which
are of prime importance to the community and to the
State. Oil films and debris are readily visible in the
waters of the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. The third
problem is with polluted beaches.
Debris is a water course problem and, how-
ever deplorable, does not have its origin in industrial
operations. The removal of debris, therefore, is not
an industry problem but is a problem for the City, the
State or the Federal Government.
Oil slicks originate from many sources,
some of them industrial. Oil finds its way into sewers
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892
Paul R. Pine
from filling stations and garages, from machining or
other metal working operations,and from surface runoff.
In Industry's opinion, oil slicks and debris
are two separate problems, not necessarily related;
and until the debris problem is solved, the skimming
of oil slicks as they appear is almost impossible.
My Committee has approached the oil problem
from two standpoints. We have appealed to all wholesale
merchandisers and transporters of oil products to caution
their retail ourlets against any misuse or careless use
of oil in a manner that would permit it to seep into
the sewers. We have not been able to evaluate the
success of this program.
When the City of Cleveland demonstrated
through Councilmanic action that they were willing to
seek a temporary solution of the debris problem by
contracting the collection until such time as a perma-
nent solution can be worked out, tJie industries of
the City collectively offered to procure at its ex-
pense suitable oil skimming equipment which can be
operated either as a part of the debris collection
or independently of debris collection. Steps are
already under way to make good on this commitment.
Debris and oil, however disagreeable,
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893
Paul R. Pine
rarely cause a beach to be closed. The cause of the
closing is high bacterial count. This is traceable en-
tirely to sanitary sewage which has been partially
treated or not treated at all and contributed by indi-
viduals, villages and cities all up and down the stream.
This is something industry can do nothing about except
pay taxes. It has been quick to separate sanitary waste
from industrial waste and discharge the sanitary waste
to sewers as rapidly as sewers have been made available.
Each industry represented on the Industrial
Waste Committee has its own problems. They must solve
their own problems. The most that the Committee can do
is to lend assistance, moral support and a sense of ur-
gency. We can assist industry and the community in
disseminating factual information so necessary to the
correction of our problems. We are very strongly of the
opinion that the pollution problem will not be solved
until each and every citizen recognizes his individual
as well as his collective responsibility and dedicates
himself to correcting his own faulty habits.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mr. Pine.
Are there any questions or comments?
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894
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
You know, we took that boat trip, and I
had the opportunity of seeing the problem you face in
the Cuyahoga River and what you are going to clean up,
I suspect you will get some oil and debris there.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: We will now hear from the
Republic Steel Corporation.
The presentation is to be made by Mr.
H. L. Allen.
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895
H. L. Allen
STATEMENT OF
H. L. ALLEN,
VICE PRESIDENT,
OPERATING STAFF SERVICES
AND
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
REPUBLIC STEEL CORPORATION
MR. ALLEN: Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies
and Gentlemen concerned with the problems of the control
of water:
I am Harry L. Allen, Vice President of
Republic Steel Corporation. We operate two plants on
property adjacent to the Cuyahoga River, and, incident-
ally, also operate a plant on the Buffalo River, which
we will not get into today, inasmuch as you are moving
this conference to New York State next week,
The first is our Cleveland District steel
plant and strip mill which extends upstream from near
old Jefferson Street to Harvard Avenue. The other is
our Bolt and Nut Division which is located on the west
side of the river just south of the Detroit-Superior
viaduct.
In addition to the responsibilities for
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896
H. L. Allen
my employer, I suppose I might digress from the script
for a minute and say I have somewhat of a selfish inter-
est in the whole matter of water pollution, because for
a good many years, Mrs. Allen and 1 have spent all the
hours we possibly can at our home on Lake Erie about
twelve miles east of Painesville, and we have raised our
five children to enjoy the benefits of water skiing and
swimming and water sports, and Mrs. Allen and I occasion-
ally do a little fishing.
I think this might be of peculiar interest
possibly to Colonel Neff. One of the problems we have
run into on the Lake is the lack of water in the Lake,
if any.
Years ago, I think, when Colonel Olstead
was in Buffalo before Colonel Neff, we decided it was
time we had a boat on the Lake, and with the permission
and knowledge of the Army Engineers, we took 80 years
of records of Lake levels, and decided if we built a
little pier that would compensate for one foot each
way, high or low, we would be able to get the boat in
and out of the dock.
Of course, you know, as someone close to
the Lake, what happened. Three years ago, we extended
the dock another sixteen feet out into the Lake, and
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897
H. L. Allen
when we had twenty-five feet of beach in front of the
pier this year, why, we had to take the bull by the
horns and start another project to get our little 19-
foot boat with 21-inch draft out at the stern end.
Of course, the Lake's aesthetic values have
been a pleasure in our life, as 1 hope it will continue
to be.
We welcome this opportunity to present a
brief statement, for as a part of the Greater Cleveland
community, we share concern with the rest of the com-
munity over the problems of water quality.
Republic Steel Corporation has long been
active in the field of industrial waste control, and
we have been making great progress in our own efforts
to contribute to improved water quality. We expect to
continue to do so and we applaud the efforts of others
in the community who are making equal effort to elimin-
ate pollution of Lake Erie and its tributaries.
We are well aware that much remains to be
done, and we can assure everyone that we will continue
to search diligently for workable and economically
feasible solutions to the problems that remain.
The Ohio Department of Health has submitted
a report to this conference which contains in detail a
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898
H. L. Allen
description of our company's progress in improving water
quality in the Cuyahoga River. You will find it in
Appendix (A) of the Department's report.
As the report states» we have made accomplish*
ments in a number of areas which I shall briefly summarize
for you.
A five-year program to intercept and collect
all of the sanitary sewage from both the steel plant and
the Bolt and Nut plant and discharge it into the city
sewer system was completed in May of this year. With
completion of the program we have eliminated the dis-
charge of all sanitary wastes into the Cuyahoga River
from Republic plants that employ approximately 9,500
people.
Our two coke making facilities in the
Cleveland Plant are now completely equipped to prevent
the discharge of coke plant wastes, including phenol,
into the river and no longer represent any source of
pollution. Priority was given these programs with
the full knowledge and agreement of the Ohio Water
Pollution Control Board.
A major problem to the steel industry is
the history of pickle liquor disposal. You are all
familiar, I think, with the pilot plant work and the
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899
H. L. Allen
research for a feasible method of the elimination or
treatment of sulfuric acid.
Some major steps have been taken to minimize
the effect of the acid discharged; dry cleaning methods
have been substituted for sulfuric acid cleaning in two
operations in the steel plant, thus eliminating batch
discharges. Also, controls have been installed on the
discharge of acid from the continuous picklers at the
strip mill, so that it is a fact that the alkalinity
and pH of the river is now affected very little. The
problem of iron salts, color and flocculation, however,
still remains. With the construction, by Republic
Steel Corporation, of a new hydrochloric acid pickler
at our Gadsden, Alabama plant and the development of
the first commercial plant in the steel industry for
the regeneration of acid and iron, a new approach seems
to be possible.
In spite of some excessive operating costs
and some risk of failure, we are planning a similar
recovery plant in Cleveland.
Subject to possible unforeseen delays be-
yond our control, we are scheduling conversion of one-
third of our pickling lines in 1966, increasing to
three-fourths of our pickling in 1968, with complete
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900
H. L. Allen
conversion in 1969.
Our six blast furnaces in Cleveland are
served by two 70-foot diameter settling tanks or thicken-
ers for the four west side furnaces and one 120-foot
diameter thickener for the two furnaces on the east side
of the river.
The accumulated flue dusts or fine iron
ore particles are removed from the thickeners and re-
charged back in the blast furnaces. The operation of
these facilities is difficult because of the large
volume of flow and the large tonnage of solids which
must be handled each day. The red color or iron ore
makes any of these extremely fine solids not retained
by the thickeners highly visible in receiving waters.
Another of the solids causing difficulty
in the steel mills is scale from the rolling mills.
Settling tanks adequately baffled and recycling systems
to minimize the incidence of these objectionable dis-
charges are all being used. We are continuing our
efforts in the recovery problem particularly on older
installations where the problem is sometimes nearly im-
possible of complete solution.
Of greater importance is the loss of oil
from the processing mills. This is a waste which is
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H. L. Allen
readily visible and is objected to by all.
The loss of oil from a steel plant is not
intentional.
Republic Steel Corporation has a program
underway in four steps:
(1) To provide oil recovery facilities at
scale pits where baffling is designed
to trap such losses.
(2) To provide newer types of lubrication
systems on all new installations to
eliminate oil line failures.
(3) To redesign and relocate oil supply
lines which are subject to breaks.
(4) To provide recycling and cleaning sys-
tems to prolong the life and reuse of
the oil.
This is of necessity a slow program because
of the age and physical condition of some facilities.
In spite of no immediate solution, it is
receiving constant attention, and as an example we
have installed one experimental oil treatment unit at
a cost of three-quarters of a million dollars.
In conclusion, may I call your attention
to the fact that, Republic Steel Corporation has already
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H. L. Allen
expended In excess of 9 millions of dollars to improve
water quality in the Cuyahoga River, and our program Is
continuing at an expanded rate. We are extremely pleased
with the cooperation we have had in our efforts from the
State Department of Health. We are, contrary to what seems
to be general opinion, perfectly agreeable to have the
State convey data, which we as a member of the Cuyahoga
River Basin Water Quality Committee have supplied to the
Ohio Department of Health for study by the U. S. Public
Health Service, under those conditions, of course, which
the State has set forth in its report to this conference.
May I assure all that Republic Steel Corporation
Intends to continue to cooperate with all agencies of the
State, local and Federal Government in all efforts to
bring about constantly improved water quality to this area.
As a large user of water, Republic Steel
Corporation has a natural stake In these efforts, but we
are also motivated by the honest desire to continue to
make improvements in our operations for the benefit of
all water users.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
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903
H. L. Allen
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much, sir.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Poston?
MR. POSTON: First, I assume that you make
regular analyses of your effluents to determine the
amounts and quantities of wastes?
MR. ALLEN: That is correct.
MR. POSTON: In your report here, you say
that under those conditions, or under certain conditions
you would give this information to the Ohio Department
of Health for study by the Public Health Service.
What are those conditions that would govern
here, relative to use of this information by the Public
Health Service, or would you object to giving it to the
Public Health Service for other uses?
MR. ALLEN: Well, I think from my standpoint,
isn't this a cooperative effort that should best be per-
formed by the Ohio Department of Health and the Public
Health Service?
I don't have a copy with me, but I believe
in the Ohio report, there was an outline of some condi-
tions.
Is that true?
MR. POSTON: I don't recall that.
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904
H. L. Allen
MR. ALLEN: Maybe Dr. Arnold can answer that.
MR. STEIN: Are there any conditions? I
think if there are, this should be made clear. I don't
recall any.
MR. POSTON: 1 wondered if we couldn't just
ask the question. Would you —
MR. STEIN: Let's try one point at a time.
Are there any conditions in your report that
you may want to identify?
MR. EAGLE: I am not sure they are in the
report as such.
On Pages 15 and 16 of our report, we do
describe something about the activities of the Committee,
but I have a letter which was addressed to Mr. Northington,
the Director of the Lake Erie Field Station, under date
of June 14th from me, which outlines the conditions under
which the Cuyahoga River Water Quality Committee would
submit data to the Ohio Department — rather, to the
Public Health Service.
These conditions are:
(1) All data employed in the development
of a mathematical model will be submitted
through the Ohio Department of Health,
and all acceptable data made available
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905
H. L. Allen
to the Department by the Cuyahoga River
Water Quality Committee will be used.
(2) In the use of the model to determine
various means of treatment and water
quality, the State will specify the
parameters and the conditions to be
considered.,
(3) The model will be available to the
State for future use in evaluating con-
ditions.
(4) The final report of these investigations
will be a joint report by the U. S.
Public Health Service and the Ohio
Department of Health.
I believe these were generally agreed to
by the staff of the Lake Erie Field Project as being
adequate for their purposes in the comprehensive survey.
MR. STEIN: This deals just with material
for a model.
I think the question here is, if you get
data from the Republic Steel Corporation and you have
it in your files, and the U. S. Public Health Service
or any Federal agency wants that material to use for
its own evaluation, can they come and get those figures
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906
H. L. Allen
from you?
That relates to effluent data on quantity
and quality going into public waters.
MR. POSTON: 1 think this is an appropriate
question.
MR. ALLEN: 1 can see that there can be no
objection, provided, as the previous speaker, Mr. Pine,
pointed out, that the-company should have some exercise
or control as to whether the samples are representative
of a particular day's operation or not.
MR. STEIN: I will give you my philosophy
on that.
I think that is perfectly reasonable, and
I am also in favor of splitting samples.
MR. ALLEN: This has been done in the past,
I am sure, with the State people.
MR. STEIN: Obviously, what I think any
responsible agency wants is representative figures, and
not figures which reflect a stream condition either way.
MR. ALLEN: That is correct.
MR. STEIN: I think that is a perfectly
reasonable request,
MR. ALLEN: And I am sure that the efforts
of the Public Health Service and the Ohio Department of
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907
H. L. Allen
Health are to the same end.
MR. STEIN: That is right. I can foresee
no difficulty with that policy.
Can you, Mr. Poston?
MR. POSTON: No, sir.
I understand that Republic Steel will share
with the Public Health Service information on quality
and quantity of wastes being discharged to the river.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further comments
or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
We will stand recessed for lunch until a
quarter to two.
(Whereupon, at 12:20 p.m., a luncheon
recess was taken.)
-------
908
AFTERNOON SESSION
1:45 P.M.
MR. STEIN: May we reconvene?
Dr. Arnold, will you continue, please?
DR. ARNOLD: We would like to proceed with
the presentation by the industries, and call on Mr.
R. M. Whitt of The Sherwin-Williams Company.
STATEMENT OF
R. M. WHITT
THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANY
CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. WHITT: Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies
and Gentlemen:
My name is R. M* Whitt and I am representing
the Sherwin-Williams Company of Cleveland, Ohio.
We appreciate this opportunity to relate
to this committee the problems encountered and the ac-
complishments made in relation to our comparatively
small waste disposal problems.
I will not require but a few minutes of
your time; however, I feel that when progress is made
-------
909
R. M. Whitt
it should be reported.
We have a Linseed Oil Plant which is located
on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. This operation
consists of processing flaxseed to produce linseed oil
for our company requirements.
Further refining of the linseed oil provides
finished products required in our business; however, it
also produces byproducts, which when processed to make
recovery of entrained linseed oil leaves fluid solid
combinations which are classed as industrial waste
pollution.
Several years ago the State of Ohio, Depart-
ment of Health, requested that we report to them the
nature of the industrial waste on a regular basis and
a permit to continue discharging waste into the river
was granted with the instruction that we find or develop
a system which would eliminate this pollution.
The chemical and physical nature of the
waste necessitated much research into methods of disposal
and available equipment. It was only after several years
of cooperative working with the City of Cleveland Sewage
disposal people and the Ohio Department of Health that
we finally solved the problem. We have engineered and
have on order the equipment necessary for elimination
-------
910
R. M. Whitt
of this pollution. Delivery of equipment is a factor;
however, we hope to complete our system before the end
of the year.
Our permit from the State also covered the
discharge of sanitary sewage into the Cuyahoga River
until such time as the City of Cleveland installed a
low level sanitary system in our area.
I am pleased to report that our Sanitary
Sewer System is completed and is discharging into the
City System, which I understand has been operated on a
test basis and will go into regular service in the
very near future.
In connection with that, Mr. DeMelto reported
this morning that it was already in service. However,
1 have been in this conference for three days and 1
guess they started the pump since 1 came here.
MR. STEIN: These conferences do some good,
you can see,
MR. WHITT: Yes, they do.
While our own problems are nearly eliminated
the Sherwin-Williams Company recognizes the need for
general improvement of water conditions here and through-
out the area, and will continue to participate in the
several civic minded organizations in which we are now
active.
-------
911
R. M. Whitt
We would like to take this opportunity to
thank the Ohio Department of Health and the City of
Cleveland for their cooperation in helping us resolve
our problems.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any comments or questions?
MR. POSTON: I would like to ask Mr. Vhitt
whether the Sherwin-Williams Company makes analyses of
their effluents to determine the quantity and kinds of
pollutants that are emptied to the river?
MR. WHITT: We do.
MR. POSTON: Would you be willing to share
this information with the Public Health Service?
MR. WHITT: Yes. In a publicity release,
released about a month ago, we indicated that too, be-
cause we feel that we have nothing to lose and everything
to gain through cooperative effort in this pollution
problem*
MR. POSTON: Thank you very much, Mr* Whitt.
MR. WHITT: You're welcome.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further comments
or questions?
-------
R. M. Whitt 912
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much for
your statement.
MR. WHITT: You're welcome.
MR. STEIN: Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: We will now hear from Mr. R. N.
Simonsen of the Standard Oil Company of Ohio.
-------
913
R. N. Simonsen
STATEMENT OF
R. N. SIMONSEN
CHEMICAL ENGINEER
THE STANDARD OIL COMPANY (OHIO)
MR. SIMONSEN: Mr. Chairman, Conferees,
Ladies and Gentlemen:
My name is R* N. Simonsen, and I wish to
make a statement on behalf of The Standard Oil Company
of Ohio. By way of introduction and to qualify my pre-
sence before this conference, I would like to state
that I am a chemical engineer and have devoted the last
15 years of my employment with Sohio to full-time work
on pollution control. My title is Consultant - Air and
Stream Pollution.
In addition to work on Sohio problems, I
have actively participated in the affairs of numerous
organizations concerned with pollution control — ef-
forts which have involved cooperative work with local,
state, interstate, and U. S. Public Health Service
personnel. I serve as Chairman of the American Petroleum
Institute Committee on Disposal of Refinery Wastes,
which has been engaged since 1929 in study and research
-------
914
R. N. Simonsen
on refinery waste disposal problems and publication of
technical manuals detailing problems and their solu-
tions. These have been widely distributed to control
officials and are available to anyone interested.
The Standard Oil Company operates a gasoline
refinery and a small lube refinery in Cleveland, a re-
finery and two chemical plants in Lima, and a refinery
at Toledo. All are in the Lake Erie Watershed, and all
operate under permit from the Ohio Water Pollution Con-
trol Board.
I will not go into details of all the pol-
lution control measures taken at all of these plants.
Reports submitted earlier in this confer-
ence by the U. S. Public Health Service and the Ohio
Department of Health have both made specific recommenda-
tions regarding Sohio installations. We wish to comment
on these. In addition, pre-conference publicity has
implied that all industry is uncooperative with those
fighting the pollution battle, particularly with respect
to release of data. At no time has Sohio refused to
give data to any qualified public agency.
Oil removal was noted by the Public Health
Service report as a necessary action to be taken at
No. One Refinery in Cleveland. The fact is, over the
-------
915
R. N. Stmonsen
years this refinery has done an increasingly good job
of oil removal. The steps taken, at a $2 million cost,
and the results achieved were made public less than
one year ago in a report issued by the Ohio Department
of Health and the Cuyahoga River Basin Water Quality
Committee.
The effluent is continuously sampled for
oil 24 hours per day by an automatic composite sampler
and the results reported to the State. At average
Cuyahoga River flows, the oil we lose would account for
less than 1/4 part per million of oil in the river it-
self. This refinery will be shut down in early 1966.
We are quite certain that this event will not make a
detectable change in the oil content or appearance of
the Cuyahoga* I might say, too, that the refinery has
been host to many visitors interested in seeing how we
handle oily water. This included both civic and
scientific delegations from both the United States and
foreign countries.
Although No. Two Refinery has been classified
as having adequate treatment, it may be of interest to
note that the quality of the small effluent from this
lube plant is acceptable for discharge to a city sani-
tary sewer and can be so directed on short notice. In
-------
916
R. N. Simonsen
fact, this is where the effluent used to go, but its
quality was too good to justify taking up needed
capacity at the Cleveland Southerly Sewage Treatment
Plant. However, we are ready to revert to the city
sewer whenever conditions warrant.
Our refinery at Lima, Ohio, on the Ottawa
River in the upper reaches of the Maumee Basin, has
phenol reduction noted as a specific recommendation.
Based upon the phenol levels below Lima reported in
Part 2 of the Public Health Service report, wo could
understand this recommendation, but are unable to
reconcile the data with our own. We do report the
discharge of about 100 pounds of phenol per day.
Analysis of our own effluent for many years, plus data
from several phenol surveys of the river have indi-
cated, however, that natural oxidation of the phenolic
material from our refinery is 100 per cent complete
in a satisfactorily short distance downstream before
any water use is damaged. This was confirmed in c-.
survey early this year in cold weather when phenol
destruction in the river should be slow. We plan
to repeat the survey. If our findings cannot be
reconciled and the State concludes that phenols from
this source do impair water use, we will be prepared
-------
917
R. N. Simonsen
to show how they can be reduced and at what cost.
Present indications are that the cost would be about
$200^000. Although oil reduction is not mentioned
for this refinery, oil ig noted as a pollutant in
the area. As a matter of interest, since the installa-
tion 4 years ago of the refinery's $250,000 combination
chemical flocculation-dissolved air flotation unit
following the conventional refinery oil separation
facilities, effluent oil contents have averaged only
20 parts per million in a flow of about 2,000 gallons
per minute.
Sohio also operates two chemical plants in
Lima — one whose principal product is acrylonitrile
and the other whose products are anhydrous ammonia,
urea, dry ice, and a variety of fertilizer solutions.
Pollution downstream is reported to be severe. We
agree. We have had major problems with control of
waste disposal from both of these plants . Waste con-
trol measures were important parts of the original
installation for both of these plants. They were in
our opinion the best treatment provisions available
at the time and were installed after consultation
with State pollution control authorities.
These provisions did not prove as adequate
-------
918
R. N. Simonsen
in practice as had been anticipated. This was especially
true in the acrylonitrile plant where a $100,000 solvent
extraction system for waste purification was ineffective
and had to be abandoned. Steps were immediately taken
strip and then to digest waste streams. While these
steps were being taken, studies were initiated to develop
more effective methods of treatment. This involved
studies by our own research department, consultation
with others in the industry, field and laboratory studies
on the wastes and receiving waters by two well-known
consulting organizations, and included consultation
with personnel at the Public Health Service Robert A.
Taft Sanitary Engineering Center. These studies showed
the most positive method of treatment to be destruction
by incineration. As an immediate step, existing equip*
mcnt was revamped to this service and orders placed
for additional equipment. Incinerators, now being
installed at a cost of $500,000, will be placed in
operation next week to incinerate all the process wastes
from the acrylo plant at a yearly operating cost in ex-
cess of $1 million per year.
These are the wastes responsible for the
color of the plant effluent shown in the Magazine Sec-
tion of the August 1, 1965 Plain Dealer, which I am sure
-------
919
R. N. Simonsen
many of you saw.
Other pollution control improvements, cost-
ing an additional $500,000 have either been placed in
operation or are now under construction to reduce losses
of nitrogen compounds — our other major problem. De-
tails have been fully discussed with the State. Current
nitrogen levels in the Ottawa River are substantially
below those in the Public Health Service study just
reported. Further improvement will result vhen facili-
ties now nearly completed are placed in service.
With respect to industrial cooperation,
Sohio feels it has cooperated fully with every request
made by the Public Health Service, The Sohio Chemical
Plant, where our problems have been the most difficult,
assisted by doing some of the specialized analytical
work required by the Public Health Service in their
basin studies. In addition, the plant made available
analytical data from our own river monitoring program*
I would just like to repeat that we know there are
serious problems in the area below Lima. By next
week we will have resorted to brute-force liquid in-
cineration to solve the problems of one plant. Nitrogen
losses are on the downgrade at the other chemical plant,
and we will keap on reviewing progress and plans with
-------
920
R. N. Simonsen
the State to achieve satisfactory control* We monitor
our effluent and both we and the State monitor the river
itself.
Our last manufacturing facility is our
Toledo Refinery located just east of Toledo in Oregon.
Effluent discharges to Otter Creek just above its dis-
charge to Maumee Bay. Little is said specifically about
this refinery, so there is no point in taking up the
time of the conference with detailed discussion. With
the expansion of Toledo Refinery now under way, it will
become our largest refinery. Although we have a sizable
investment in waste control facilities now, we have
been making plans for improvements that will insure
that we can meet future receiving water quality require-
ments. The relation of effluent volume and characteris-
tics to receiving waters of Maumee Bay have not been
well defined in the past. We hope that the report of
the findings of the comprehensive Lake Erie Survey will
provide a sound basis for planning future improvements
to our system.
In summary, we have an overall investment
in water pollution control — not counting sewers which
are a major cost — of approximately $6,000,000. It
has been our policy to consider the cost of installing
-------
921
R. N. Simonsen
and operating waste control equipment, whether required
by law or not, as a necessary cost of doing business.
We have discussed our waste control problems with quali-
fied, interested personnel in the past, including
representatives from the Public Health Service, and
will continue to do so in the future. Sohio, as a
matter of policy, has in the past and will continue
in the future, to spend the money necessary for what-
ever steps are required to meet any reasonable stream
quality goals that may be established.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
Are there any comments or questions?
MR. BOSTON: Mr. Simonsen, for the record,
I would like to ask whether or not the Standard Oil
Company of Ohio makes regular analyses of the polluting
materials that might be emptied to the streams, and
what is their policy relative to the release of this
information to the Public Health Service, Department
of Health, Education, and Welfare?
MR. SIMONSEN: We are happy to release
data to any qualified agency, and we do consider the
Public Health Service a qualified agency.
(Laughter.)
-------
922
R. N. Simonsen
MR. POSTON: Thank you, Mr* Simonsen.
MR. STEIN: Are there any other comments
or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much,
Mr. Slmonsen.
There is one question I would like to ask
the Ohio people. I have checked the Ohio report with
reference to the Republic Steel Corporation statement
that they spent $9 million to abate water pollution.
I didn't see anything in your report.
Do you have the information in Ohio on
what water pollution treatment facilities Republic did
for the $9 million? That is quite a sum.
MR. EAGLE: The statement was in the report
that was given.
MR. STEIN: Yes, that they spent $9 million
to improve water quality.
Have you any information as to what they did?
MR. EAGLE: In the Republic statement?
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. EAGLE: Yes, we have a record of what
they have done.
MR. STEIN: Do you recall what it is?
-------
923
MR. EAGLE: They covered that in their re-
port. They have settling basins and recirculation of
much of the water, and oil skimming, and all that sort
of thing.
MR. STEIN: And that cost $9 million?
MR* EAGLE: Hell, of course, I had nothing
to do with the preparation of that cost estimate.
MR. STEIN: I recognize —
MR. EAGLE: This is a tremendously large
plant. As a matter of fact, it is three plants.
MR. STEIN: Yes, but those items you point
out are the ones that you know are pollution abatement
facilities.
MR. EAGLE: The ones I pointed out are
pollution abatement facilities.
MR. STEIN: Yes. I would agree with that.
MR. EAGLE: Yes.
MR. STEIN: Well, I am not sure, and I guess
Republic should speak for themselves, and maybe they
have left, but I am not sure that the $9 million will
just cover those. Maybe they do.
MRc EAGLE: I think, Mr. Stein, that they
can document this.
They did not give us the detail, of course,
-------
924
of what each piece of equipment cost, but I feel confident
that they can document it.
MR. STEIN: I am sure they can, but this
revises my estimate, because I didn't know that pollution
abatement in the equipment that you pointed out was so
expensive.
Of course, we don't have very good informa-
tion on industrial equipment. Sometimes we have found
though that when industry has said they have used money
for pollution abatement, this is really for production
purposes and just incidentally abates pollution.
I don't want to draw any conclusions on
this. I thought you might have had it, and Republic
may not be here, but I looked through the report and
I was unable to identify any amounts that, in my exper-
ience, would amount to $9 million.
Are there any further comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, I have a few announce-
ments.
Dr. Meredith Thompson of New York has called
and he has left this message: He wishes this announced
to the conferees, he said, and I will try to give you
the message as I got it, and the press. I would hope
-------
925
he means for all the other people here too.
He said that the New York conferee left for
a meeting on water quality on the Hudson River for the
New York, or proposed New York City water intake, and
he also said that ordinarily the representatives of New
York State do not leave without communication.
Mr. Boardman, do you have a statement to
make at this time?
MR. BOARDMAN: It is a very appropriate
follow-up to this one.
It will be necessary for me to leave this
afternoon at approximately four o'clock, and the con-
ference may not be ended by that time.
We are by no means abandoning the conference*
Our formal presentation and our Pennsylvania people will
appear at the Buffalo reconvened session, so we certainly
are interested in this conference and will be in Buffalo.
MR. STEIN: Before we call on Dr. Arnold,
I would like to give you the procedure we expect to
follow for the rest of the conference.
We will attempt to go through the rest of
the day or evening, and spend as much time as we have
to hear all the others who have been invited and wish
to participate.
-------
926
After that is completed, the conferees will
retire for about two hours, and, after that time, we
will have an announcement to make.
1 hope we will have this room at the time*
If we don't, by that time, or by the time we complete
all the statements, I hope to tell you where we will re-
convene for the announcement.
MR. MORR: Mr. Stein, I will have to be ex-
cused from that evening meeting of the conferees. I
have another appointment in Columbus this evening.
What is the purpose of that meeting?
MR. STEIN: The purpose, as I understand it,
is for the conferees to see what conclusions we can ar-
rive at on the basis of what has been said so far.
MR. MORR: Even so, some of the findings
of the report are inconclusive.
MR. STEIN: I would not presuppose they are
inconclusiveo If they are inconclusive, and the con-
ferees feel that way, I would be glad to come back and
make that announcement.
MR. MORR: I just wanted to know the purpose
of that meeting.
MR. STEIN: Yes, to see how far we can ar-
rive at agreement at this point, and what announcement
-------
927
we can make.
Obviously, I am not making any judgments
as to what we can accomplish at that meeting.
MR. MORR: Then, in the record so far, I
think we have determined that there are several areas
of inconclusion, and I understood, as one conferee, that
perhaps we would have no conclusions until after the
Buffalo or other meetings would follow.
MR. STEIN: I am not sure that we are going
to have the same conferees at Buffalo, either from
Pennsylvania or New York, and, if we don't, we are
going to be hard put for those people to come to conclu-
sive agreements.
On your other statement, Mr. Morr, that
there are several areas that are inconclusive, I have
not polled the other conferees yet. That may very well
be, but there may be several areas where conclusions
can be reached, and I think if we have the people who
have heard all the statements here, we may be able
to achieve that and save the time of the people at
Buffalo who may not have heard this material here.
We may have different representatives from
two States,
Mr. Boardman?
-------
928
MR. BOARDMAN: I would just like to request
that in such a meeting, no recommendation be made in-
volving Pennsylvania until after we have had our chance
to talk at Buffalo.
MR. STEIN: I think that is a very good
suggestion. I don't know that anyone has contemplated
that.
MR. BOARDMAN: 1 just want to make sure.
MR. STEIN: I am informed that after the
conferees meet, we will, in two hours I hope, reappear
in this room for an announcement after the adjournment.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Harold F. Elkin will make
the presentation for the Sun Oil Company of Toledo.
-------
929
Harold F. Elkin
STATEMENT OF
HAROLD F. ELKIN
COORDINATOR OF POLLUTION ABATEMENT
SUN OIL COMPANY
MR, ELKIN: Mr. Chairman, we note, as one of
the industries operating on the Delaware River, that this
emergency which has developed on the Hudson River is of
vital Interest to us also.
Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies and Gentlemen:
My name is Harold F. Ellcin, and I am Chairman
of the Sun Oil Company Coordinating Committee on Air and
Water Resources.
I am accompanied today by Mr. Lawrence R. Kumnick,
Loss and Waste Control Engineer at the Sun Oil Company
Toledo Refinery.
Sun Oil Company welcomes this opportunity to
review accomplishments In control of water pollution at
its Toledo, Ohio, Refinery where 95>000 barrels per day
of crude oil are processed into a broad range of petroleum
products.
During the last 16 years, Sun Oil Company has
Invested more than $1,700,000 in capital expenditures for
-------
930
Harold P. Elkln
water pollution abatement facilities at the Toledo Refinery.
These facilities include API-design oil and water separators,
segregated sewer systems, a sulflde and mercaptan stripping
tower facility, an 8,000,000 gallon impounding-equalization
basin and a waste water reutillzatlon and secondary treatment
system involving unusually efficient biological oxidation
of waste components through the use of mechanical draft
cooling towers. However, the dollar expenditures incurred
in Installing these facilities are not fully indicative of
the extensive accomplishments in reduction of net waste
load and In water conservation at Sun's Toledo Refinery
which have attracted international attention during the
past 11 years of complete operation.
The first slide represents a schematic Flow
Diagram which will be of Interest to the conferees.
(The Flow Diagram is as follows:)
------- An error occurred while trying to OCR this image.
-------
932
Harold F. Elkin
This may be difficult to see from the rear of
the room, but, In brief, this Is a descriptive flow diagram.
Those of you who have the complete text of our presentation
today will find a reproduction of this attached.
The far left shows the refinery water intake
sources, in our case from the Maumee River and also from
the Toledo City water system. The water is employed in
conventional use with pretreatment through the water plant.
Process steam condensates are treated in a sulfide stripping
tower. General waste waters, including process wastes as
well as ground drainage and miscellaneous streams, are
collected, and processed through a conventional API-design
oil and water separator for primary oil removal.
Drainage then discharges Into the 8,000,000
gallon impounding basin, which provides the multiple
functions of equalization, Initial biological oxidation and
removal of settleable solids.
Another purpose of passing interest, but never-
theless an interesting part of the system, is the alternative
water use as emergency fire water.
An interesting feature here Is the fact that
when this emergency water is taken from the basin for
fIrefighting, It Is automatically returned through the
same drainage system in the plant, back to the impounding
-------
933
Harold F. Elkln
basin, so In effect we have a virtually Inexhaustible water
supply for fire-fighting purposes.
Normally, the water in the impounding basin,
after two to three days of settling, is then pumped as
makeup into mechanical draft cooling towers for secondary
biological treatment. These towers are not specially
designed; they were in conventional cooling service in the
Refinery prior to our installing the biological oxidation
system. We have achieved the utilization of the water,
as well as simultaneous biological oxidation. The oxidation
rato has consistently demonstrated a very high rate of
removal.
Could I have the next slide, please?
This (indicating) is the impounding basin shown
at the bottom of the schematic diagram, approximately 1,200
feet by 200 feet, and approximately 6 to 8 feet deep.
The API separators and oil skimming tanks are shown in
the background at the far end of the impounding basin.
This (indicating) is one of the cooling towers
that was initially used for the biological oxidation, as I
have already mentloned.
Bear in mind that the water goes directly back
from the impounding basin without any additional intermediate
or chemical treatment prior to the utilization as conventional
-------
934
Harold F. Elkin
makeup water to the cooling system.
Next slide, please.
This is a rebuilt tower. The original tower that
was used for this purpose happened to be a forced-draft
tower, and was replaced by this newer induced-draft tower.
But the point is that initially we were using an existing
older cooling tower.
Next slide, please.
These slides (indicating) were of historical
interest at the time they were taken. They are electro-
micrographs of approximately 1/25-.000 power. These were
early electron microscopic photographs of bacteria from
the activated sludge in the tower system.
Next slide, please.
Here again (indicating) is a high-powered
magnification of bacteria in the circulating system.
Next slide, please.
These (indicating) are some data showing the
operation of the cooling tower system and demonstrating
that these are conventional cooling towers with conventional
cooling water rates, air flow rates, and temperature.
Next slide, please.
Here (indicating) are some typical data for
removal of phenolics. This is a material balance demonstrating
-------
935
Harold P. Elkin
where the phenols are removed. One of the obvious Initial
questions was, where does the biological oxidation take
place. As you can see, the bulk of the removal occurs in
the tower structure and in the water distribution system
itself.
Next slide, please.
We are back to the beginning. That completes
the slides. Thank you.
The high hydraulic application rates and the
normal reclrculation of cooling water provide dilution
factors ranging from 17 to 30 to 1 which safeguard the
biological oxidation system from any sudden organic waste
"shock loadings."
I might mention at this point that the system,
by recycling and reutilizlng upwards of 40 to 50 percent
of the waste water of the plant, automatically cuts down
the water Intake to the plant. It accomplishes this by
the same 40 to 50 percent of what we normally would be
taking in, and, at the same time, the net discharged volume
is correspondingly reduced. The typical dry weather flow
discharge rates are in the order of approximately 1,000
to 1,050 gallons per minute, which, for a refinery of this
particular size, Is a low discharge water rate.
-------
936
Harold F. Ellcin
The cooling tower bio-oxidation step has been
likened by other Investigators to a combination of high-
rate trickling filtration and activated sludge procedures.
The blowdown from the cooling tower systems is
carefully controlled to meet the oxidation capacities
required and represents the biologically treated effluent.
This water is discharged into a final oil-water separator,
equipped with flight scrapers and desludging equipment for
removal of residual bacterial sludge. Crude oil desalting
water and blowdown from the fresh water cooling tower
systems are also directed to this separator. The effluent
from the final separator combines with oil-free streams
including blowdown from boilers and ion exchange regeneration
wastes. This combined stream represents the total refinery
effluent water.
Pollutant removal efficiencies in the cooling
tower bio-oxldatlon systems have proven highly efficient
during 11 years of operation. Based on total loadings
before treatment, the removal of phenolic compounds has
averaged over 99.0$, and COD and BOD reduction has been
consistently over 90$.
Based on recent Inplant material balance studies,
the overall Toledo Refinery pollution control system since
-------
937
Harold P. Elkin
1957 has removed approximately 500 pounds per day of phenolic
compounds. COD is reduced from initial levels of 20,000-
30,000 pounds per day down to an average of 4,000-6,000
pounds per day. Initial refinery waste load BOD of 11,000-
15,000 pounds per day before treatment is reduced to a
level of 1,000-2,000 pounds per day in the final effluent.
Oil in the drainage system has been lowered from approximate-
ly 20,000-35,000 gallons per day to an average of approximate-
ly 100 gallons per day in the final effluent.
I might add that due to recent changes and installa-
tion of additional equipment, we are now effecting significant
oil removals well below the 100 gallons per day figure.
Sun Oil Company installed the cooling tower water
reuse system at the Toledo Refinery voluntarily with full
consultation and approval of the State of Ohio Department
of Health, This biological oxidation-cooling tower process
has been extensively reported in the technical literature
(partial listing in the attached references, for the record),
and the novel approach of simultaneously providing a source
of reuse water supply together with economical biological
treatment and minimizing efi'luent discharge volume has
been the subject of interested inquiry by industrial waste
specialists in industry, State regulatory agencies, and
the U. S. Public Health Service.
-------
938-939
Harold F. Elkin
Analytical tests of the total refinery effluent
water have been reported on a monthly basis to the Ohio
Department of Health for the past 12 years. Data reported
include discharge flow rates, oil content, pH, phenols,
sulfides, COD and BOD. Since 1959, suspended solids and
settleable solids have also been routinely included.
Samples for determination of phenols and oil
content are obtained by a continuous composite sampler at
the final outfall weir. Two 48-hour composite and 72-hour
composite samples are collected each week. The phenol
samples are chemically fixed during sampling to Inhibit
oxidation prior to conducting the analyses. Sulfides and
pH are determined daily while BOD, COD, suspended and
settleable solids are run four times per month. A summary
of these data over the past 12 years is attached on Table
1 to our statement, and this Information is available in
detailed form to all the conferees and other parties in
interest.
(Table 1 is as follows:)
-------
940
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-------
941
Harold F. Elkin
Gentlemen, thank you very much for the
opportunity of making this presentation.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mr. Elkin.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Eagle.
MR. EAGLE: Yes. For the record, and I
think this is an official copy, for those who do not
have it in their copy, on Page 9 of Table 3 in Appen-
dix B, in addition, under "Type of Treatment," in addi-
tion to "Oil Separator Lagoons," we should add "Biological
treatment for phenol and organic removal."
Mr. Elkin has described it in his presenta-
tion, but I just want to be sure that this is included
in the record.
MR. STEIN: That refers to the Sun Oil Com-
pany?
MR.EAGLE: Sun Oil, yes.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any other comments or questions?
Mr. Poston.
MR. POSTON: Again, for the record, Mr.
Elkin, I would like to confirm that the Sun Oil Company
policy permits the use, or the Public Health Service to
-------
942
Harold F. Elkin
share with you data on water quality, discharges of wastes
to streams, quantity and quality both; is that right?
MR. ELKIN: Yes, Mr. Poston. This has been
a traditional company policy of Sun Oil Company.
MR. POSTON: I know that in our Delaware
River Project, we have a close working relationship
with you.
Maybe you would care to tell us about this?
MR. ELKIN: Yes, I would be very happy to.
MR. POSTON: The general procedure for the
dissemination of data.
MR. ELKIN: We, along with others in the
industrial group along the Delaware, in connection with
the study which the Public Health Service has been con-
ducting, have been participating, I would say, for the
better part of two years in a rather extensive plant
effluent testing program involving 24-hour continual
sampling, approximately once per month, and, in some
cases, twice per month.
The arrangement has been most satisfactory.
I think we, as a company, feel that we have learned a
great deal from this sampling program. We have, as a
matter of course, split the samples — I should say
your people have split the samples with us, and we have
-------
943
Harold F. Elkin
run corroborating analyses of the various parameters
under consideration during the sampling program.
I might add that our sampling program on
the Delaware River estuary study was recently completed
after about approximately one and a half years of plant
sampling.
MR. POSTON: Thank you, Mr. Elkin.
MR. ELKIN: We have been quite pleased to
cooperate in that program.
MR. STEIN: Mr. Oeming?
MR. OEMING: Mr. Chairman and conferees,
I can't refrain from mentioning my former associations
with Mr. Elkin. They are of quite long standing, and
I can* t refrain from specifically pointing out what I
consider was a real constructive attitude on the part
of the company, back in the days when the company was
locating a refinery on the St. Glair River at Sarnia,
and coincident with the operation of that refinery,
they recognized the necessity of taking care of the
phenolic compounds prior to starting operations in order
to prevent both international complications and state
complications with Michigan, with particularly the
water supplies taken from the connecting channels below
Sarnia.
-------
944
Harold P. Elkin
The extent to which the company had to go is
illustrated, I think, by the difficulties in getting a
biological oxidation plant under construction and in
operation, particularly in operation in that It became
necessary to transport bacteria seething from Michigan
Industry over to Sarnia in order to cease the operation and
start the new operation, and a good deal of difficulty was
experienced, because I don't believe that the Canadians
liked it very much taking bacteria from the United States
over across the way, and this was held up for some con-
siderable time, but it was finally released to be used by
the Sun, Oil Company in Sarnia.
MR. ELKIN: I certainly remember with a great deal
of gratitude, Mr. Oemlng, the assistance of the State of
Michigan relative to the design of that plant, and, of course,
initially getting the plant started, and for the excellent
and helpful cooperation of the United States and Canadian
representatives at the time.
Transporting bacteria across the international
boundary presented interesting problems.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any further questions or comments?
(No response.)
-------
945
Harold F. Elkin
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much,
Mr. Elkin, for a very excellent presentation.
Mr. Oeming?
MR. OEMING: Mr. Chairman and conferees,
during yesterday's session I obtained your consent to
interrupt the Ohio presentation for an appearance by
one of our Michigan people, and I would like, at this
time, with your approval and permission, to call upon
Miss Olga Madar of Detroit, who is here to present a
statement on behalf of the UAW-CIO.
MR. STEIN: I think we agreed to this yes-
terday.
Miss Madar, would you take the podium and
go right ahead?
-------
946
Olga M. Madar
STATEMENT OF
OLGA M. MADAR,
UNITED AUTOMOBILE WORKERS-CIO
RECREATION DEPARTMENT,
DETROIT, MICHIGAN
MISS MADAR: Mr. Chairman and Conferees:
First let me thank you for letting me come
in at this late date and changing the schedule. I
appreciate it very much.
I have filed here for the record the tes-
timony which was submitted at the second session of the
Conference on Pollution of the Detroit River-Lake Erie,
and their Tributaries in the State of Michigan. It is
relevant to this conference here. I would like to
summarize it and file it for the record of this confer-
ence.
In addition to that, I would like to have
an extension of those remarks for this particular con-
ference. The recorder will have them. There will be
points on which I will make some other comments, how-
ever.
MR. STEIN: How long do you want us to keep
-------
947
Olga M. Madar
the record open, Miss Madar?
MISS MADAR: No. What I am saying is that I
would like to file the testimony from the last confer-
ence, if I may.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MISS MADAR: In its entirety. I will not,
however, repeat it here today, except to summarize it.
MR. STEIN: Right.
MISS MADAR: And then I will present a short
statement now.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
Go right ahead.
MISS MADAR: You will recall that in the
last presentation, we indicated in the area that had
been reported upon at that particular session that we
had some 350,000 members in the area surrounding the
Detroit River and Lake Erie.
However, in respect to the area which is
now being discussed, we have some approximately 500,000
members.
Although we recognize that pollution of
our waters did exist, we must admit we were appalled
at the rate of the deterioration and the extent of
the pollution of Lake Erie in the detailed report as
-------
948
Olga M. Hadar
presented at this time.
Before, we welcomed the cooperation, and
we now urgently request that the State agencies and the
U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare do
all that they can to speed up their efforts to eliminate
and prevent continuous and continued pollution.
As in the previous conference, the Public
Health Service report indicates conclusively that some
municipalities and Industries are pouring tons of pol-
lutants in Lake Erie. Unfortunately, these same munici-
palities and industries have exerted political pressures
on their state legislatures and have made it difficult
to enact effective state legislation for the establish-
ment and enforcement of adequate standards on the disposal
of wastes. As a result, we have antiquated state laws
such as the Ohio statute, which prohibits the Ohio De-
partment of Health from releasing information on indus-
trial wastes without permission from the industry in-
volved, which I understand you have already been dis-
cussing here.
I had an opportunity, incidentally, to
glance at the newspapers before 1 came here, and 1 am
very glad and gratified, and I know that our organiza-
tion is gratified, that there are some industries who
-------
949
Olga M. Madar
are willing to release this information.
I am certain, however, that the membership
in this area would like to see the legislation changed
so that it is possible to get the utmost cooperation,
and not just do it on an isolated instance.
To go on with the official presentation:
And it was only this past month that Michigan
was successful in enacting legislation which, hopefully,
will enable the State to prevent continued pollution of
its waters. Although the Detroit area is one of the
principal pollution sources of Lake Erie, Michigan did
not have a single conviction in twenty-four years under
the old legislation.
As I said, the newspapers report that the
situation will be different, and that the officials will
have better opportunity to do the job that they are at-
tempting to do.
The circumstances leading to the pollution
of Lake Erie, and the inability of individual states to
control the situation, amply demonstrate the need for
the establishment and enforcement of Federal water
quality standards.
Although the Lake Erie Study now provides
the technical data which permits the Federal Government
-------
950
Olga M. Madar
to intervene, we are confident that the citizens of the
five states involved expect aggressive action by muni-
cipalities and states in implementing the recommendations.
With public interest, health and welfare at stake, lengthy
hearings and action by the United States Attorney General
should not be necessary.
We understand that there are the same kinds
of problems occurring here in Ohio and the other states,
that we have had in Michigan, in which the municipalities
and the municipal officials have found it necessary to
defend the programs which they have done in the past,
and we do give due credit for all of the attempts which
Have been made, but, unfortunately, Lake Erie is polluted,
so apparently we are not doing the kind of job that we
ought to do, and it seems to us that at this point it
is time for some action and not looking back, but in
terras of looking ahead as to what we can do.
The actions requested in the recommendations
of the Report are essential and reasonable. The cost of
implementing the recommendations may seem to be stagger-
ing, but we cannot afford to lose Lake Erie.
In our previous statement, we said that we
understood industry protested at the cost, that this
would be an expected reaction, but once having made that
-------
951
Olga M. Madar
protest, we believe that they ought to take the necessary
action, remedial action. But, what is more important,
as we have looked at the findings of this latest report,
we note that there are more industries which are involved
in pollution, and we get the impression that in some in-
stances -- and now 1 am talking about those industries
which are guilty of the pollution — we get the impression
that they feel that it was perfectly all right to pollute
in the first instance.
We do not believe so, and we also believe
that there is a responsibility to clear out of the water
whatever is put into that water to pollute it.
Despite the fact that we have heard that
the report is unreasonable from some in terms of the
cost that would be involved, it seems that in our his-
tory, in our present state of knowledge and technology,
that we ought to be able to find the means and resources,
and that those who are responsible must pay the major
share in terms of cleaning up the pollution, and also
to take the steps to prevent it in the future.
The (JAW accepts the challenge of the
United States Public Health Service that each and every
citizen of the Lake Erie Basin must bear a share of
the responsibility to use wisely and preserve for
-------
952
Olga M. Madar
posterity the valuable water resource of Lake Erie.
We are not naive and we realize that action
will only be forthcoming, however, as citizens are in-
formed and call upon the responsible government agencies
and industries to implement the recommendations of the
Public Health Service. We are exploring, therefore, the
possibility of joining forces with other trade unions
in the Lake Erie Basin to present the facts of the Study
to our combined memberships* By working with local,
county and state officials in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana,
Pennsylvania and New York, we can expedite action on
the recommendations in the Lake Erie Report and also
secure designation by the Federal Government of the Lake
Erie Basin as a model demonstration area where every
known and accepted waste-treatment technology would be
used.
You will recall, Mr. Chairman, although I
understand there are additional conferees here, that in
our last presentation we did make six recommendations.
One of them was the same recommendation
which has been repeated by the Public Health Service in
both reports, and that is that a minimum requirement of
secondary treatment is, without doubt, absolutely essen-
tial, and not only in Detroit, but in the areas where we
-------
953
Olga M. Madar
do not have it, and there ought to be a national standard.
Secondly, we recommend the designation of
this Lake Erie Basin as a model demonstration area.
Incidentally, I would like to comment here
that after our presentations were made public in the
Detroit area, we received many comments from our member-
ship, particularly those who are fishing and hosting
and swimming enthusiasts, and they say it is very fine
that we have all of the scientific information that has
been presented by the United States Public Health Serv-
ice, but they told us that they knew all the time the
water was polluted — they could tell by the way it
looked and by the way it smelled, and by the fact that
they can't do any more fishing there.
We commend the United States Public Health
Service for its painstaking, intensive and well docu-
mented study, and we are grateful to the press for its
contribution in making the facts of the Study known to
the general public. We reiterate our pledge of full
support in achieving our mutual objective for clean
water in Lake Erie and its tributaries.
We will continue in terms of our program
of informing and mobilizing our membership, their fami-
lies and their friends, to see to it that all the necessary
-------
954
Olga M. Madar
action is taken in the various municipalities and in
the states, to see to it that Lake Erie is not only
cleaned up, but kept clean.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
(Applause.)
(The following is the testimony submitted
by International Union, United Automobile Workers, at
the Federal Pollution Control Enforcement Conference
on Detroit River-Lake Erie Pollution on June 17, 1965:)
Mr. Chairman and Conferees:
I am here today as a representative
of the UAW and at the request of Mr. Walter Reuther,
President of the United Auto Workers of America.
The UAW has approximately 350,000 members
in the area surrounding the Detroit River and Lake
Erie. In our activities we have attempted to provide
energetic and purposeful leadership in all aspects of
the community life, outside as well as inside the auto
plants. For many years, the UAW has lent its weight
to campaigns for neighborhood conservation, urban re-
newal, beautification of the city and country, and
restoration of water resources. We have urged planning
-------
955
Olga M. Madar
for the future, for the increased demands that will in-
evitably be placed on our recreational resources by an
area population projected to reach 5 1/2 million by
1980. We have recognized that the pollution of our
waters, especially the Michigan waters of Lake Erie, is
growing, not lessening. Our 350,000 area members repre-
sent nearly 350,000 families, each eager to preserve
and expand opportunities for swimming, fishing, and boat-
ing. Accordingly, we welcomed the cooperation of the
Michigan Water Resources Commission and the U. S. De-
partment of Health, Education, and Welfare in the battle
against pollution.
This cooperative effort began on the most
solid scientific basis that could be asked: a two-and-
a-half year, $750,000 study project. A staff of about
30, with headquarters at the Naval Air Station at Grosse
lie, spent nearly two years studying the River, the Lake,
and the wastes pouring into them. Their final report is
staggeringly thorough, detailed, and precise. The study
project was concluded with the presentation of conclu-
sions and recommendations, each of them fully explained
and justified by the scientific findings. I think I can
speak for the UAW when I say that we find the report
completely convincing.
We in the UAW feel a special responsibility
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956
Olga M. Madar
for leadership in abating pollution which originates in
automobile plants or associated industries. But we
represent citizens of this area as well as auto workers,
and tae Public Health Service report prepared for this
conference indicates, beyond ttie possibility of any
doubt, that several of our municipal installations also
add pollution to these waters. There have been some
newspaper stories and statements by individuals whicn
interpret this report as an insult and an affront to
Detroit and its municipal government. Such an inter-
pretation is at best a disappointing response to a
growing nation-wide concern with protecting water re-
sources, and at worst a cynical tactic to avoid taking
the necessary remedial action.
The Chairman of this conference has empha-
sized that this is not an adversary proceeding. No one
is being indicted here, and no orders will be issued.
The Public Health Service study and recommendations were
made, at Federal expense, at the request of John Swainson,
the former Governor of Michigan. The conferees and other
participants here today are being given an opportunity
to discuss these recommendations, to offer new ones and
amend the old ones, and to debate means of abating pol-
lution. To whatever program of action the conferees
-------
957
Olga M. Madar
adopt that will stop pollution in the Detroit River -
Lake Erie complex, the UAW pledges its full support*
Critics of the Public Health Service report
have expressed puzzlement that Detroit's existing sewage
treatment plant, once considered ultra-modern, should
now be termed inadequate. There should be nothing
puzzling about this. Detroit's population has multiplied
6 times since 1910. Its industry has grown accordingly,
and so, naturally, have its waste discharges. Detroit's
supply of water always has and always will remain ex-
actly the same. It should be obvious that, if we dis-
charge increased amounts of wastes into the same quantity
of water, more advanced treatment will be required.
The urgent problem of the pollution of
Lake Erie presents a separate, equally important reason
for the installation of further treatment facilities
by the municipalities of the Detroit area. The parti-
cular population problem in Lake Erie -- aging -- is
not new. It is a problem in which recent technological
advances have added to our understanding. We know now
that Lake Erie changes every year, becoming more and
more like a bog and less and less like a clear lake.
We know now the causes of this aging process, and what
we can do to slow it down. If nothing else works,
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958
Olga M. Madar
certain types of chemical treatment may render wastes
less damaging to the Lake. The Public Health Service
recommendation for secondary treatment is, in fact, the
minimum and the least expensive means of improving
•water quality in the Lake.
And I would think it safe to suggest that
the most expensive waste treatment that could be de-
signed could not begin to reach the value of Lake Erie
merely for industrial and navigation purposes. The
recreation value, present and potential of Lake Erie,
is beyond all dollar estinuites.
The recommendations for further waste treat-
ment in Detroit are in no way a condemnation of the
excellent work done until this time by our public water
and sewer departments. No more do the recommendations
for industrial waste treatment represent a condemnation
of Detroit's industries. Many of these plants have
exercised initiative and public spirit in providing
waste reductions, particularly in new plants* If various
interested groups, government and private, now find
that both municipal and industrial polluters require
some prodding to accelerate their construction of
treatment facilities they should not be surprised.
Nor should they be alarmed if some of those establishments
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959
Olga M. Madar
asked to make expenditures for treatment facilities do
a bit of protesting. It would be a poor businessman
who was too anxious to spend his stockholders' money.
Similarly, few cautious city officials are eager to
commit city funds to new construction without the clearly
expressed support of the voters.
That support is almost universal in Detroit.
We in the UAW will do our best to see that it is expressed
not only here but also in Ohio and Canada. We hope that
many other groups of private citizens will join us in
making explicit to city and industry officials alike
our pleas -- no, our demands -- for clean water in the
Detroit River and Lake Erie.
To achieve this, we endorse:
(1) The concept of "stream renewal" urged
by a panel at the recent White House Conference on Natural
Beauty which would establish a national goal of water
beautification similar in scope to urban renewal.
(2) A minimum requirement of secondary
treatment in Detroit as well as other municipalities,
unless it is demonstrated, without doubt, that less
treatment will suffice.
(3) Effective local, State and Federal
action to require industry to install adequate systems
-------
960
Olga M. Madar
Co avoid water pollution.
(4) Designation by the Federal Government
of the Detroit River - Lake Erie complex as a model
demonstration area where every known and accepted waste
treatment technology would be used.
(5) Establishment of a national policy
which would require industry to provide satisfactory
methods of treating waste products resulting from the
production of new products.
(6) Increased Federal granted to encourage
area-wide pollution control projects.
We call upon the Governors of Ohio and
Michigan and the Mayors of Cleveland and Detroit to
provide the leadership in soliciting the support of
President Lyndon B. Johnson, appropriate Federal agencies,
and the involved industries in achieving these objectives.
We pledge the fullest support of the DAW.
Attached is a copy of President Johnson's
Message on Natural Beauty, with a foreword by Walter
P. Reuther, President of the UAW. This brochure is
published and distributed by the UAW Recreation Depart-
ment as a public service.
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961
Olga M. Madar
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Poston.
MR. POSTON: Thank you, Miss Madar, for an
outstanding report. I think you show an understanding
of the problems we have, and I think you are to be com-
mended for mobilizing forces to present the facts to
the people, for I think this is a most important aspect
of accomplishing total pollution control.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Miss Madar, another thing you would be in-
terested in knowing, while you referred to the Ohio
statute which prohibits the Ohio Department of Health
from releasing information on industrial wastes with-
out permission from the industry involved, every Ohio
industry which has made a statement here has indicated
that it would have no objection to the release of this
information,
MISS MADAR: Yes. I was very delighted
to see that, by the way.
MR. STEIN: That is, so far. They all
haven't been up yet, but so far they are batting 100
per cent.
MISS MADAR: I think you ought to make it
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962
Olga M. Madar
easier for them. We ought to make certain that this
information is obtainable here, as well as in other
states.
In some respects, until we get some uniformity,
there is going to be some unfair competition amongst the
states.
MR* STEIN: Right.
MISS MADAR: Certainly, it being required
in the other states, it ought to be required in Ohio.
Incidentally, in Michigan, it seems to me
that we ought to all get on an equal basis, and every-
body would be required to do the same thing, and all of
us should be required to do more than in the past.
MR. STEIN: All three of us, Mr. Poole,
Mr. Oeming and I, have been connected with the suggested
stace water pollution control acts.
We recommended one about ten years ago, and
it was just revised. The philosophy in that act makes
it clear that strict provisions like this are not de-
sirable, and I think all of our names are on that.
I don't know if you want it in the conference
record, but I think at least from three conferees here
in other capacities, we made our views on state legis-
lation pretty well known.
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963
Olga M. Madar
MISS MADAR: Good, I know you have.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any further comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Or. Arnold, would you
proceed?
Thank you very much, Miss Madar, and thank
you for the United Automobile Workers.
DR. ARNOLD: We would like to now call upon
the U. S. Steel Corporation for its presentation, which
I understand will be made by Mr. Herbert J. Dunsmore.
Mr. Dunsmore.
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964
Herbert J. Dunsmore
STATEMENT OF
HERBERT J. DUNSMORE
ASSISTANT TO ADMINISTRATIVE
VICE PRESIDENT ENGINEERING
UNITED STATES STEEL CORPORATION
MR. DUNSMORE: Most of my remarks will be
made with the aid of slides, and it may be more comfort-
able if the conferees sit in the audience, if they wish.
They will be able to see the slides better
My name is Herbert J. Dunsmore. I am a dip-
loma te of the American Academy of Sanitary Engineers and
have worked in public health for twenty-seven years.
My job at United States Steel is the assistant
to the administrative vice president of engineering and my
responsibilities include the engineering phases of U. S.
Steel's water conservation activities.
My report to the Conference today will cover
the water conservation and treatment systems of Lorain Works,
one of the world's great pipe mills, at Lorain, Ohio; Cuya-
hoga Works in Cuyahoga Heights, whose wire and strip products
are used throughout the world; and Central Furnacee on the
Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, producers of merchant iron.
These three plants which requested me to
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965
Herbert J. Dunsmore
study their water conservation systems and report for
them today, employ more than 11,000 people. It is a
distinct privilege for me to appear here today and re-
port for them.
(Slide 1) LORAIN WORKS
Kenneth Thomas, steelworker and fisherman,
angles for perch off the Lorain breakwater at the mouth
of the Black River in Lake Erie.
Kenneth Thomas, his thousands of co-workers
at U, S. Steel's Lorain Works and their families share
Lake Erie with some 10 million other people living along
its shores.
They swim and fish on Lake Erie and they
cruise across the Lake occasionally on weekends.
Lake Erie also plays an essential part in
their working lives. They operate one of the world's
largest integrated pipe mills. Lake Erie water is used
to transport raw materials, cool furnaces, test pipe,
power turbo blowers and perform vital functions in many
of the steelmaking processes.
(Slide 2)
The iron ore these Hulett unloaders are
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966
Herbert J. Dunsmore
removing from the hold of the Motor Vessel THOMAS at
Lorain Works dock crossed Lake Superior, Lake Huron and
Lake Erie on its way to Lorain Works blast furnaces.
But navigation is only one of the many ways
in which Lake Erie water served our Lorain Works or-
ganization.
(Slide 3)
Maintenance men ready a trash interceptor
for the rigorous job of taking large logs and branches
out of the Black River water on its way into the plant
for use in steelmaking.
(Slide 4)
The traveling screens remove leaves, sticks,
shale and other debris as the water leaves the Black
River for Lorain Works furnaces. The screens also pro-
tect Lake Erie game fish.
(Slide 5)
This is the escape trough through which
game fish are blocked by the screens and returned to the
river to be caught by Kenneth Thomas and his fellow
fishermen.
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967
Herbert J. Dunsmore
One interesting aspect of the Lorain Works -
Lake Erie relationship bears mention here.
While Lorain draws its water from the
Black River every day of the year, during long periods
there is little flow from the river above Lorain Works.
The levels of the river and lake are such that much of
the time the flow is from Lake Erie and the lower reaches
of the Black River form a huge reservoir from which Lorain
draws and redraws its water again and again.
The principle of reuse has also been prac-
ticed to a high degree within the plant and, as we
describe the water conservation and treatment systems
at Lorain Works, we will highlight many instances in which
reuse of water in the plant diminishes the volume of
effluent waste water.
A major objective -- not to impair the use-
fulness of the water we use in making steel at Lorain
Works -- has guided the development of Lorain Works'
elaborate water conservation and treatment facilities.
We welcome this opportunity to show this
Conference how we go about the job of conserving this
precious resource that serves all of us in so many
ways.
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968
Herbert J. Dunsmore
(COLLECT BLAST FURNACE FLUE
DUST IN FIVE STAGE PROCESS)
(Slide 6)
A hurricane of heated air reduces mountains
of ore, coke and limestone into molten iron in Lorain
Works' five blast furnaces.
The several thousand tons of molten iron
which flow from these furneces every day find their
way into tublar and semi-finished steel products, some
of which are for the drills that penetrate the earth in
the quest for oil and into the pipe lines that deliver
your gasoline.
That same hurricane also blasts fine particles
with the gas out of the furnace top into a five-stage
network of control devices that keeps this unwanted by
product of ironmaking out of the Black River.
(Slide 7)
This is No. 4 blast furnace and the big
diagonal pipe (A) is the "downcomer" that conducts the
dust-laden gas stream from the furnace top to that big
round tank (B) called the dry dust collector. Here most
-------
969
Herbert J. Dunsmore
of the flue dust particles are deposited by gravity. The
captured dust is loaded into hopper cars through a chute
at the bottom.
The next stage is the venturi scrubber (C),
a high column with a narrow throat where water sprays
wash out the finer dust particles that escaped the dry
dust catcher. The sprays offer another example of water
reuse at Lorain Works. The thousands of gallons used
in these sprays have done previous duty to cool the
blast furnaces.
In the third tower (D), the aftercooler, the
gas stream is sprayed with water again to further reduce
dust content before returning to the blast furnace stoves
for reuse in the ironmaklng process.
(Slide 8)
The dust in the water from the venturi scrubbers
on No. 3 and No. 4 blast furnaces is pumped to this
500,000 gallon circular basin called the West clarifier
where the dust settles to the bottom as a thick sludge,
permitting the clarified water to flow back into the
river. The men at the center of the tank have the re-
sponsibility for keeping the operation at top efficiency.
-------
970
Herbert J. Dunsmore
(Slide 9)
Here, Douglas Grayson examines a sample
of thick effluent liquid from the venturi as it enters
the clarifier.
(Slide 10)
After clarifying, Mr. Grayson samples the
effluent water as it leaves the clarifier.
(Slide 11)
Chemist James McCauley analyzes test samples
of influent and effluent water from the 700,000 gallon East
clarifier at the Lorain Works' main laboratory.
(Slide 12)
This is No. 2 reservoir at Lorain Works
which receives effluent water from the East clarifier.
After cooling and further settling in this reservoir, the
water is ready for reuse in other steelmaKing processes.
(USED WATER
GOES TO THE CLEANERS,
RETURNS TO WORK)
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971
Herbert J. Dunsmore
(Slide 13)
Reuse takes many forms in Lorain Works'
water conservation and treatment systems and the triple
duty performed by blast furnace cooling water is an
example of this.
This six-acre reservoir provides ample re-
tention time for cooling and settling out solids.
(Slide 14)
This barometric condenser ules over two
million gallons of water from No. 2 reservoir daily in
condensing steam from the blast furnace power house.
It returns the warm water to the filter plant to be
treated for its third steelmaking function.
(Slide 16)
The warm water from the barometric con-
denser comes to the settling tank in the background on
its way to the boiler houses.
(Slide 19)
Here is another example of water reuse at
Lorain W«j>rks. This cooling tower in the center of the
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972
Herbert J. Dunsmore
picture takes the condenser cooling water from the
besseiner turbo-blowers and cools it for reuse. The
seven protruding circular-shaped knobs along the length
of the cooling tower anchor seven huge fans that cool
the water as it cascades down through the tower.
(KEEPING MILL SCALE
OUT OF THE RIVER)
(Slide 20)
Hot steel oxidizes rapidly and the scale
must be removed before it is rolled. High velocity
water sprays knocks scale from a hot steel bloom be-
fore it enters the rolls on the bar mill. The scale
drops into a flume and is sluiced at high velocity into
one of three scale settling pits.
(Slide 21)
This concrete cavern is one of three scale
pits serving No. 4 blooming mill. At the intake point
the water is slowed so that the heavy particles of
mill scale will settle rapidly.
(Slide 22)
Foreman Lee McClellan directs cleaning
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973
Herbert J. Dunsmore
of the scale pit at the blooming mill.
(Slide 23).
This hopper car loading scale alongside
scale pit No. 3 gives an idea of the heavy duty per-
formed by the pit in keeping this foreign material
out of the river.
Again, reuse conserves water at Lorain Works.
After the scale has been settled out, the water is
pumped back to the mill for reuse as sluice water.
(Slide 24)
This is the nine-acre reservoir No. 1
where mill water and Qsndenser water from the bessemer
power house cool and settle out the remaining burden of
solids for another steelmaking assignment.
(Slide 25)
The testing pump on the No. 3 seamless
mill tests large pipe with water up to 3,000 pound
pressure per square inch. The test water shown here
pouring from a length of 24" diameter pipe is used over
and over again — another water conservation practice
at Lorain Works.
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974
Herbert J. Dunsmore
(Slide 26)
These are the continuous weld pipe mills
that produce U. S. Steel pipe for structural, industrial
and domestic use.
(Slide 29)
This is the outfall of No. 3 lagoon at
Lorain Works. This lagoon is 16 acres in area and
retains 25 million gallons of water.
No. 3 lagoon receives waste water containing
oil from the rolling mills, a great deal of furnace
cooling water, some scale pit overflow and storm over-
flow from the Clinton Avenue municipal sewer. The
large area and volume of water retained in this reservoir
permits the settling out of the solids. A skimmer retains
the oil and subsequent cascading of the water further im-
proves the effluent quality before discharge into the
Black River. Spent pickle liquor is retained in another
small lagoon where the acid is leached out. No spent
pickle liquor reaches the river.
(Slide 32)
Lorain Works pumps all of its sanitary
-------
975
Herbert J. Dunsmore
wastes to the municipal sewer system for treatment.
This is one of the 15 power-operated
stations for pumping sanitary waste.
Our taxes which helped to build the municipal
plant and operate it are, of course, substantial.
(RIVER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SHOWN)
Now we come to the payoff question. What
effect does this intricate water quality control system
have on the river?
A significant answer is provided by regular
readings taken in the Black River upstream and below
Lorain Works outfalls.
They consistently show that Lorain Works
water returning to the river, while slightly warmer, is
substantially lower in solids than the water coming down
the Black River.
(Slide 1) CUYAHOGA WORKS
We now move some fifty miles closer to
Cleveland and to the source of water for a much smaller
operation and plant -- the Cuyahoga Works.
Water flowing from the Cuyahoga River
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976
Herbert J. Dunsmore
into the old Ohio-Erie Canal will be utilized to cool,
quench and rinse steel strip and wire processed at
U. S. Steel's Cuyahoga Works in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio.
Here we use a modest allotment of water, when
compared to the requirements of an integrated steel mill.
This is because the big water users - coke ovens, open
hearths and blast furnaces - are not present at Cuyahoga
Works.
Cuyahoga1s steel comes from other mills to
be processed into a variety of highly refined wire and
strip products widely used in auto and appliance manu-
facture, agriculture and countless other American in-
dustries.
Ninety-five per cent of the water supplied
is used at the hot end of the plant, comprising No. 1
and No. 2 Rod Mills and the hot strip mill. Most of
the plant's water pollution abatement installations were
designed to serve these facilities.
(Slide 2)
(CONTROLLING HOT MILL WASTES)
Billets shipped to Cuyahoga Works are
heated to rolling temperature in the Rod Mill Reheating
Furnace and rolled into long rods.
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977
Herbert J. Dunsmore
When heated, the steel surface oxidizes
rapidly to form a coating of scale.
Here we see the scale being removed from
the red hot billets by water sprays in the Rod Mill;
this is where the ma,1or element in Cuyahoga Works'
water treatment system comes into play.
(Slide 3)
The scale generated in the Rod Mill is
flushed through a sluice running the length of the mill
into this scale pit. Here the water is slowed down and
held long enough for the scale to settle out, permitting
the effluent water (relieved of its metal burden) to
return to the River. The clam shell bucket is removing
scale from the pit.
(Slide 4)
This is what the scale looks like at
close range.
(Slide 5)
Here Shelton Tufts is retrieving a water
sample from another scale pit - the one that serves the
hot strip mill.
-------
978
Herbert J. Dunsmore
(Slide 6)
And here's what the sample looks like in
the Chemical Laboratory; Chemical Analyst William
Scott analyzes the sample taken by Shelton Tufts to
check the scale-trapping efficiency of the Hot Mill
Scale Pit.
(Slide 7)
(KEEPING LUBRICANTS OUT OF THE RIVER)
The control of the lubricant wastes at
Cuyahoga Works begins with the skill of our steel
workers who are trained and experienced in using
numerous types of oils and greases required in steel
finishing.
Here Engineer John Garvey checks the auto-
matic lubrication system on the Rod Mill: this system is
inspected regularly to insure oil-tight operation.
The equipment presents a problem when a
small amount of waste oil escapes into the scale pit
cluices. As an additional measure to control this
waste oil, engineering designs have been completed for
the installation of baffles and skimmers on the scale
pits and this equipment will be in operation by the
-------
979
Herbert J. Dunsmore
end of 1965.
(Slide 8)
Recirculation solves the oil problem in
Cuyahoga Works' two large cold rolling mills.
This photo shows the filters which per-
mit the recirculation of oil on the Sendzimir Mill
which rolls steel strip.
The Cuyahoga Works' steel maker, combining
''know how" and good housekeeping with an assist from
modern controls, is solving the plant's waste lubri-
cant problem.
(Slide 9)
(SPENT PICKLE LIQUOR)
"Pickling1' refers to the immersion of
strip, rod, or wire in dilute sulphuric acid by which
means the oxide coating which forms after hot rolling
is removed.
Here the crane operator lifts coiled rods
riding on C-Hooks from the pickling bath.
(Slide 10)
We are minimizing this disposal problem
-------
980
Herbert J. Dunsmore
by slow controlled discharge from this storage tank
which is operated under a state permit.
We are continuing to study several methods
for solving the remaining waste acid problem and are
confident that by mid-1967 this will be solved.
(SANITARi WASTES)
All sanitary wastes at Cuyahoga Works
are discharged into the Municipal sewer system for
treatment.
(Slide 1) CENTRAL FURNACES
Now let us travel down the Cuyahoga River
to Central Furnaces in the City of Cleveland. Here
again, a navigable river brings iron ore to our door-
step.
Central Furnaces produces merchant iron
and a great deal of the plant's output goes into engine
blocks.
Central Furnaces uses about 69,000 gallons
of water per minute which is pumped from the Cuyahoga
River. Approximately 85$ of this intake is used for
furnace cooling and turbo-blower condensing. It re-
turns to the river unchanged, except for a slight
-------
981
Herbert J. Dunsmore
temperature increase.
A complex conservation and treatment system
has been designed for cleaning the remaining 15% of the
water. Developed over the years under the permit system
of the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board, it is oper-
ated by specialist crews, around the clock, to restore
water quality before it returns to the river.
To those who operate and maintain this
network of controls, the quality of water returning to
the Cuyahoga River is just as important as the quality of
the iron that flows from our blast furnaces.
(Slide 2)
This is the newer of the two Central
blast furnaces and one of the nation's largest pro-
ducers of merchant iron.
Preheated air is necessary to produce
iron and this is where the blast comes in.
Here, at the top, the dust laden gas is
removed for cleaning.
Notice that big pipe flaring down and out
from the top of the stack as we turn to the next photo.
(Slide 3)
That "downcomer" pipe, at the right of
-------
982
Herbert J. Dunsmore
the last photo, is seen at top center of this one.
It conducts the gas, laden with tiny
particles of raw material, into this dry dust catcher
(A) where most of the fine pollutants swirl out of the
gas on their own momentum. This vessel is 35 ft. across
and 70 ft. deep and deposits 140 tons of dust every day,
through a chute at the bottom, to waiting dump trucks.
After the dust catcher, the gas enters
this 80-ft. cylinder (B) in which a 2700 gallon per
minute shower bath douses the finer dust particles out
of the gas stream.
Now we come to the heart of Central Furnaces'
water pollution control system. The dust laden water
flows from the bottom of the gas washer to the center
of the clarifier, and from here, clarified water flows
back into the river.
Before we proceed further with the clari-
fier story, however, we have another gas cleaning oper-
ation to cover.
(Slide 4)
Leaving the top of the gas washer, gas
flows to three electrostatic precipitators at the
center and right in the photo.
-------
983
Herbert J. Dunsmore
Nine Hundred 8-inch tubes in these pre-
cipitators ionize and collect the remaining dust particles,
which are too fine to be removed by the preceding equip-
ment.
A continuous film of water carries the dust
to a basin where 1,000 gallons a minute is pumped to the
clarifier.
(Slide 5)
Now back to the clarifier again where
Dave Towns, holding a white porcelain tile for color
contrast, inspects the dark effluent from the gas washer
as it enters the clarifier.
(Slide 6)
Later, Dave Downs examines the clean
effluent water from the clarifier as it flows into the
river.
The sludge from "A" thickener is pumped
to the "D" Clarifier which is part of a duplicate water
pollution abatement system serving the secod blast furnace.
(Slide 7)
Dave Downs analyzes a test sample of the
-------
984
Herbert J, Dunsmore
influent water and the clean effluent from "A" Clari-
fler at the laboratory.
(Slide 8)
Pumped from "D" Clarlfier, the sludge
forms a dry cake on the seven cloth-surface drums of
this Oliver filter.
The filter cake, a mass of fine flue
dust containing approximately 27$ water, drops through
a chute onto a transfer belt, is mixed with ore and
delivered to the sinter plant.
(Slide 9)
The slag cooling process has generated a
water problem that continues to give us trouble at
Central Furnaces. A water spray cools the freshly
tapped slag so that it can be loaded into trucks and
moved out of the plant.
Most of this water evaporates but a small
amount remains.
This problem is being solved by a reduction
in the amount of spray water and by preventing access
of this water to the river.
-------
985
Herbert J. Dunsmore
SANITARY WASTE TREATMENT
At Central Furnaces we discharge sani-
tary wastes into the Cuyahoga River. We have done
this under a permit which would have subsequently re-
quired us to tie into a proposed interceptor sewer
planned for this area by the City. We were in regular con-
tact with the City and had developed plans to segregate
and discharge sanitary wastes into the City system as
originally planned. However, on November 13» 1964, the
City advised us that their original plans had been aban-
doned and they recommended that our sewage be routed to
the existing Broadway sewer. Our engineering is pro-
gressing in accordance with the City's new plan and
we expect to make this connection by mid-1966.
U. S. Steel wishes to make it abundantly
clear that the Ohio State Health Department has our
unqualified permission to release to the Public Health
Service all information they have regarding the amount
and kind of industrial waste being emitted from U.S.
Steel facilities in the State of Ohio.
This brings us to the conclusion of our
tour through the Lorain, Cuyahoga, and Central Furnaces
-------
986
Herbert J. Dunsraore
where you saw our water treatment and pollution abate-
ment facilities. We believe you will agree with us
that water clarification in steel manufacturing pre-
sents substantial and complex problems, and that our
company has made great strides in solving these prob-
lems. We recognize that the job is not yet finished.
We are continuing our research, planning, engineering
and the actual construction of corrective devices.
United States Steel stands ready to cooperate with
every further effort to improve the water quality of
Lake Erie and its tributaries.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, sir, for a very ex-
cellent statement.
You know, I was anticipating, Mr. Dunsmore,
that you would give us that information, because you had
such a full disclosure of your processes that I couldn't
imagine you were going to withhold that effluent infor-
mation.
That was really a very interesting analysis
of the steel company processes.
Are there any comments or questions?
MR. POSTON: I was interested, Mr. Dunsmore,
-------
987
Herbert J. Dunsmore
in the type of information that you may have on your
industrial wastes, whether you run tests on all of the
polluting materials as to quantity and quality, so that
a complete analysis of water quality conditions could
be made?
I know that the Health Department has indi-
cated that in some cases they do not have ample infor-
mation from some of the industries to give us a complete
evaluation of conditions that we might anticipate in
downstream areas.
MR. DUNSMORE: To date we have made all the
analyses that we have been requested to make, and sub-
mitted them to the State Health Department.
We are willing to make additional analyses,
if they deem necessary.
MR. POSTON: And this could be made avail-
able to the Public Health Service?
MR. DUNSMORE: Yes, as is indicated in my
statement.
MR. POSTON: I think that is ample.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further questions
or comments?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much, Mr. Dunsmore,
-------
988
Before we start again, I would like to re-
vise the previous announcement 1 made.
I guess, by looking at us, you can tell our
ages. I know that at least three or four of these fellows
I have worked with for twenty years, and I think our
ages show.
We were a little optomistic when we thought
we would meet tonight. When you get to the panel's age,
you begin getting testy, and we have decided, in view
of the complicated nature of the problem, that it would
be the better part of valor to let us digest it overnight,
and the conferees will again have a public meeting in
the Exhibit Hall. You will see the sign here. If you
can find this room, you can find the Exhibit Hall.
That will be at eleven o'clock tomorrow
morning.
We will attempt to push on tonight as long
as we have to go, so that everyone on Dr. Arnold's list
is heard.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Stein, I would like to have
entered into the record a statement made to me today
by another industry in the Cleveland area.
The Jones & Laughlin Steel Company advised
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989
me today that the Ohio Department of Health has their
permission to make known effluent data which we may
have.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
If not, would you proceed?
DR. ARNOLD: I would now like to extend
the courtesy to Mr. Anthony J. Russo, a member of the
Ohio House of Representatives, to make a brief state-
ment.
Mr. Russo, of Cuyahoga County.
-------
990
Anthony J. Rueso
STATEMENT OF
ANTHONY J. RUSSO
MEMBER
OHIO HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COLUMBUS, OHIO
MR. RUSSO: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle-
men:
My name is Anthony J. Russo. I am one of
the State Representatives from Cuyahoga County.
As Secretary of the Mines and Natural Re-
sources of the State of Ohio, I am fairly familiar
with the problems we face.
I would like to compliment all those who
took part in the conference. I believe that they have
spotlighted a problem -- a problem of real emergency.
However, I think we have been cognizant
of this problem for a long time. This problem does
not exist only because of industry, but it exists be-
cause of human beings and urbanization.
We can't lick this problem here in the
State of Ohio by itself. We have got to have help.
The only place we can go for help is to the Federal
-------
991
Anthony J. Russo
Government. I believe this is a health problem of an
emergency matter, and we have got to look forward to
the Federal Government for help.
We in the State of Ohio, of course, have
taken some strides in this direction. We have just
passed House Bill No. 1, which allows private industry
to install water pollution controls, and gives them a
tax exemption from real estate, personal property, and
sales tax.
This is a loss to the State of Ohio and
the taxpayers, but we recognize the problem.
We have to move somewhere in some direction.
This is the first step from the State of Ohio.
Pollution itself is not located in Lake
Erie alone. We have this problem in the entire State
of Ohio.
The present tax structure of the State of
Ohio cannot absorb the cost of cleaning up the water-
ways. The municipalities cannot absorb this cost of
the urbanization. You have seen repeatedly that the
people have voted down tax increases or bond structures.
The only proper branch is the Federal
Government, because they are here through the taxing
system, and they can spare this kind of money.
-------
992
Anthony J. Russo
Now, some estimates have gone from 3 to
7 or 8 billion dollars, and we recognize this. You
certainly cannot get this from the people of northern
Ohio. You can't get it from the State of Ohio. We
have other problems within the State of Ohio which are
just as vital.
The next question is, where do we get the
money?
Now, we have had reams of reports, and we
can't blame industry alone. They are trying. And you
can't blame the antiquated laws.
This problem has become an emergency within
itself. What about the Lake killing itself off without
any human effort? This is a problem, and this is not
a problem for the people of the State of Ohio; it is
a national problem. Lake Erie is a national and inter-
national waterway.
The only way we can start to lick this prob-
lem is by huge sums of money. We can't get it from
industry. We've got to be realistic. They have stock-
holders. We can't get it from the public. The public
doesn't want any new taxes.
But the Federal Government is geared
through the taxing structure, which will enable them
-------
993
Anthony J. Russo
to give huge loans to municipalities that need them,
and also give loans to industry on a long-term range,
which will then allow them to go into the water pollu-
tion control systems.
Water pollution control systems within them-
selves do not act as an aid to the community, and conse-
quently many companies are reluctant or unable financially
to go into solving this problem, and no matter how tough
we make the law, are we going to put them out of busi-
ness? Are we going to tell the communities to stop?
Because then we are going to have everybody pack up and
leave Cleveland.
Cleveland is an offender. All of the muni-
cipalities are. Everybody is, but the only place we can
do anything is in the Federal program, and 1 think that
by now the Federal Government should recognize this is
an emergency problem, and should take immediate steps.
I don't care what kind of financing they
use. We can scream for 100 per cent financing, but
they should look at it logically and realize that we
are unable to cope with this problem, and give us the
necessary help, because whether it is estimated that
Lake Erie will last one year or two years or twenty
years, we know the danger is there. Everybody is
-------
994
Anthony J. Russo
cognizant of this. The question is, how do we solve it?
There is only one way. We need money, and
the only place we can get any money of any consequence
is from the Federal Government.
The State of Ohio and the citizens of
northern Ohio and Greater Cleveland have contributed
handsomely and mightily to the structure of the United
States, and 1 think they owe us this, and they should
step into this as an emergency and act accordingly,
and give us this right to solve the problem by imple-
menting the loaning of funds to do a proper job, but
the only way we can do it is with financing.
Gentlemen, we can go over and over this
problem. We can talk about the technical depth of
the Lake, we can talk about the chemicals, and we can
talk about what the companies are doing. It is just
impossible to solve this at a local level.
The problem is here before us. There is
only one other level to go to, that of the Federal
Government, and 1 think they owe it to the State of
Ohio , they owe it to the people of northern Ohio and
to Greater Cleveland, and they should step into this
emergency immediately.
Thank you.
-------
995
Anthony J. Russo
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much for your
statement.
Do we have any comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: For clarification of the record
on a question that you brought up regarding the expendi-
tures of the Republic Steel Corporation, Mr. Allen is
now prepared to give you the breakdown for this and
have it entered into the record.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Allen.
CONTINUED STATEMENT
OF
HARRY L. ALLEN
MR. STEIN: Mr. Allen, I'm sorry I didn't
ask you that question when you were up first, but it
inadvertently slipped my mind.
MR. ALLEN: I'm sorry I didn't get back
after lunch, but I was trying to catch up with some
-------
996
Harry L. Allen
paper work that had accumulated.
Would you restate the question?
MR. STEIN: Yes. You indicated in your
statement that you had spent $9 million for water quality
improvement measures.
I wondered if there was some kind of break*
down as to what kind of devices, or where this $9 million
went?
MR. ALLEN: Well, to clarify the record,
Mr. Chairman, of the $9 million, $1,800,000 was spent
at our two coke plants, of which $900,000 was for the
installation of the dephenolizing equipment, and tying
the two coke plants together to keep the phenol out
of the receiving river.
$875,000 was spent on the benzol plant
to put in a waste water quenching system to keep that
water from going into the river.
On the sanitary sewage program which we
tied into and have been working with, there was
$1,600,000 spent at the strip mill. And keep it in
mind that our plant here covers some 800 acres of
ground.
$2,500,000 was spent at the steel plant,
including our Bolt and Nut Division down the river,
-------
997
Harry L. Allen
our shops and our railroad terminal facilities.
On the matter of scale, $1,650,000 was
spent, of which $220,000 was spent for the 12-inch bar
mill equipment, and this is improving the equipment
that is already there, $560,000 on a 10-inch bar mill
where we added a completely new scale oil recovery
system, and $875,000 was spent at the strip mill to tie
in facilities from the 98-inch hot mill, so that the
scale could be deterred from entering into the river
at a maximum.
As far as acid reclamation, it cost us
$600,000 to modify three continuous pickling lines at
the strip mill, in order to discharge the acid into
the river on a trickle basis instead of a bubbling
basis, and there is another $750,000 which 1 referred
to as an oil reclamation installation that is being
installed on the 72-inch coal reducing at our strip
mill.
In addition to this, there was as much as
$100,000 spent on one septic station in connection
with our blast furnaces, and on some of the smaller
sampling stations I am sure you are well aware of the
expense.
MR. STEIN: Well, I can see the sampling
-------
998
Harry L. Allen
stations are expensive for private industry as well as
Government.
MR. ALLEN: Some of them are.
MR. STEIN: Yes, I recognize that.
The question is, I think, are some of these
expenses really designed also to be improved production
devices which would necessarily result in lower wastes,
or were they just designed as waste treatment facilities?
I listened to those that you mentioned, and
it seems that some of them may have had that dual purpose.
MR. ALLEN: No. I think I would like to
disagree with that, Mr. Stein.
They are not connected with any increase
or modernization of production facilities. We have spent
about $200,000,000 in the Cleveland complex in the last
ten years, and this $9 million I refer to is a complete
separate item of the expense only to improve the prob-
lem of effluent discharging into the Cuyahoga River.
We will document it in real detail if you
would like it.
MR. STEIN: No. I am glad to have your
statement in the record on that.
I don't know that you are disagreeing with
me. I asked the question; I didn't make the statement.
-------
999
Harry L. Allen
But I think you have answered the question, and this was
the question, whether that was used for waste treatment.
Mr. Poston?
MR. POSTON: I wondered whether you had
any figures on the amount of reduction of pollution to
the stream as a result of this expenditure?
MR. ALLEN: Well, I think those figures
are probably knowledgeable to the Department of Water
Pollution Control in Ohio.
I don't have any with me for the record*
MR. STEIN: I do think, Mr. Allen, that
this is a point that I would like to make in general.
1 think one of the defects you have in
this field is how much money industry has spent and what
a job industry has done.
As you well know, there are certain inhibi-
tions, and certain cost figures which are really none
of the Government's business.
We are really interested in clean water,
but it does seem to me that from what I have heard
throughout the country in various water pollution control
meetings and in the field, and I do this all the time,
that where a company has a record of spending, say,
$9 million on purely waste treatment facilities, it might
-------
1000
Harry L. Allen
be worthwhile thinking of giving that a little more pub-
licity and making that generally known.
1 think this might help the public have an
understanding of what industry is doing and the costs
involved. As a matter of fact, I think this is kind of
impressive.
MR. ALLEN: 1 think your point might be
well taken.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. ALLEN: Too often it becomes submerged
in a mass of figures on other things that seem to be
more interesting to the general public.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. ALLEN: More interesting to the people
at large.
Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. John Pilch, a member of the
Cleveland Council, has a statement to make, and also
wishes to read into the record a statement prepared by
Mr. Henry Sinkiewicz, also a member of the Cleveland
City Council, and Chairman of the Water and Air Pollu-
tion Committee.
-------
1001
Henry Sinkiewicz
STATEMENT OF
HENRY SINKIEWICZ
READ BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN PILCH
MR. PILCH: Mr. Chairman, Conferees:
This is the statement of Councilman Henry
Sinkiewicz, who is the Chairman ot the City of Cleveland
Council Committee on Air and Water Pollution.
He presents his apologies, but he expected
to speak and he has made commitments for this afternoon
with his constituents and he could not wait.
Cleveland has been called the city of
committees, with some justification. However, the time
for conclusions and tabling of conclusions is past.
The past has caught up with our future. The passing
of the bison on the great plain, a great natural re-
source, the loss of the passenger pigeons in their
countless millions, are all witness to the everlasting
depredation that we and our forebearers condoned.
A tragic loss! Yes, indeed, but we are doing the
same thing -- even more sol
In the Great Lakes we have something that
-------
1002
Henry Sinkiewicz
is unique in the entire world. And what have we allowed
to happen? Through apathy, neglect and downright dis-
interest, we have allowed it to become a cesspool of
industrial wastes. Something that belongs not only
to the people of Ohio, but to everyone who loves their
country. Why has this pristine purity been destroyed?
Because of the apathy and neglect that I have shared
with my fellow citizens.
I am, as Chairman of the Air and Water
Pollution Committee, not only concerned but frustrated.
I am asking for a forward movement -- not on agreement,
but on action I And that is "action" in big words'.
This requires not only the lip service of
industry, not only the empty promises emanating from
Columbus, but a program! A program which spells out
how far Columbus will share the mutual responsibility,
how far we in Cleveland can contribute, and what the
Federal Government will do.
The life blood of our communities are the
industries that make it possible for our people to be
employees, and to bring the pay check home -- the pay
check that makes the whole function of government pos-
sible. We all rest on the broad base of the pyramid —
the weekly pay check. But also the disburser of the
pay check has a responsibility to us all. Without getting
-------
1003
Henry Sinkiewicz
into professional management and its responsibilities
to its stockholders, they have a higher responsibility
to themselves, unrecognized maybe, but still there.
A body can feed on itself, but in so doing destroys it-
self. Let's not let that happen here. No one likes a
prophet of doom! I hate to sound that trumpet. But
unless in no uncertain terms we enforce the laws already
enacted, we are living in a fool's paradise.
Only you and millions of Ohio residents
can prevent this! It affects your pay check and it
affects your family's health, but more than that, it
destroys something God gave for our sustenance and we
wilfully despoiled.
Gentlemen, there are remedies. Let's not
make this a seminar to deplore. Let's make it not
just a committee, but one that takes a positive stand
and then sees that positive action is taken — not in
1966, not in 1967, but now!
That is the conclusion of the statement
by Henry Sinkiewicz.
-------
1004
John Pilch
STATEMENT OF
JOHN PILCH
COUNCILMAN, CITY OF CLEVELAND,
OHIO
MR. PILCH: As for myself, first, I don't
claim to be a chemical expert. I don't claim to be a
biologist. I don't claim to be an engineer. I am not
going to trouble about BOD, MGD, phenols, or what have
you. I leave that to people that know.
There is one thing though that does my
heart good, and this is a culmination and the beginning
of a dream — the conference here in Cleveland that is
being attended by so many important people.
I would just like to give you a brief out-
line of what we went through in order to accomplish
some of the things that all of us thought everybody was
becoming aware of in our area.
There was a statement made first by someone
the other day, I believe, that it seems that our water
pollution problem is caused by public apathy. But I
think that it is not only public apathy, but apathy by
industry itself, who has to be prodded, and apathy by
-------
1005
John Pilch
the Government itself, which occasionally has to be re-
minded .
When we first started a little over a year
ago in attacking this problem of water pollution in our
area, we were greeted by many different types of remarks.
"Pollution? What Pollution?"
"Why, we can go out into the Lake and get
a glass of water and drink it right out of the Lake."
I don't know -- you might be able to do it
once, but if you tried to do it on a continuous basis,
1 doubt very much whether you would last long.
"You can't swim in Lake Erie. So what? I
don't swim anyway."
But does that mean because I don't swim
I have to deprive others of that recreational facility?
"What are you trying to do, make a swimming
pool out of the Cuyahoga River?"
We never expected to make a swimming pool
out of an industrial river, but what we must remember
is that what goes into that river goes out into that
Lake, which could possibly be used as a swimming pool.
"It's hard to catch fish in Lake Erie, So
what? I don't fish anyway. Besides, 1 don't like fish."
Well, let me give you a little minor example,
-------
1006
John Pilch
and this I put out as an idea to industry. I remember
a time when you could go out into the Lake and catch a
mess of fish, bring them home and have them for supper.
Fine -• and a lot of people did that. That was the
complete sustenance of many families in our area during
the depression days. That is something I think we have
lost now.
We used to be able to buy pike for 65 cents
a pound. Now you buy pike for $1<,35 a pound, which in
turn raises the cost of living, which in turn means --
maybe it sounds silly, but it means that industry indi-
rectly has to pay an increased cost of living because
of something that they feel they have no control or no
power over.
"What are you trying to do, drive industry
out?" We were told, "What are you boys doing? Do you
want to chase all the big steel industries out?"
That I think is something that it is even
silly to mention. No one is trying to chase industry
out.
But if the Federal Government emphasizes
and implements and makes sure that the same water pol-
lution control laws are standard throughout the whole
country, and industry has to abide, where are they going
-------
1007
John Pilch
to go if they did want to move? They need water. It
is a precious asset. They have to have it to operate.
But let's not let them abuse it.
"What are you, a bunch of fanatics or do-
gooders? What are you trying to do? What are you try-
ing to prove?"
Well, actually, when you come right down
to it, we don't know what we are trying to prove, but
we feel that we are trying to do something for our com-
munity, for millions of people that depend on a lake
for water that they have to have, because, without water,
no life. Even grained wheat which has been called the
staff of life needs water. We all need it.
Now, when you run into these types of
questions, sometimes it becomes discouraging, because
you feel, oh, well, what the heck -- let's throw the
whole problem up. These types of questions really amaze
us, because we have found out that although water pollu-
tion was a problem in general that people talked about,
that people said, "Well, what is Joe or John, or John
Doe there going to do about it?" — they thought that
if they turned their head into their shoulder, the
problem disappears, that it won't be there, and it will
be non-existent.
-------
1008
John Pilch
When Councilman Sinkiewicz, Councilman
Katalinas and myself started out on this pollution
problem, one of the other names they used to call us
was "The three musketeers."
When we started digging into the problem
a little more and started taking trips up the river,
then they called us the "Three Rover boys." Then
they called us the "Three River Rats." Yet it did
not discourage us. We felt that the problem existed.
Now, I understand that some of the con*
ferees took a trip up the river. We took six -- six
trips, rainy weather, sunny weather, murky weather,
foggy weather, what have you -- you pick it, we took
it. If you think the conditions were bad on that trip,
you should have been with us on one that we took.
It happened that a big oil boat was
helping the tug make a bend, and its big screws were
churning up what was on the bottom of that river.
From our boat, when we saw the scum, the detergent,
the dirt, the filth, and dead rats churned up by this
propeller, you know, for two days we had quite a time
swallowing a glass of water, believe me.
But the other things that amazed us more
was when we found out that the U. S. Army Corps of
-------
1009
John Pilch
Engineers was caking Che same scum, filch, dire and dead
rats, and dumping it two miles from our crib in Che
middle of Che Lake where we geC our drinking water, we
still Choughc very, very discouragingly of our drinking
water.
We cried drinking juice and we Cried drink-
ing everything else, buC wiChout water, you can't exisC.
MR. STEIN: WhaC kind of juice was Chac,
Councilman?
(Laughcer.)
MR. PILCH: Orange juice, Ohio's ComaCo
juice.
(LaughCer4)
We started asking questions: What is being
pumped in the river and the Lake? Everybody had a faint
idea that everybody is dumping everything into it, but
we would get evasive answers. Nobody would say defi-
nitely, "We are throwing this in or that in," but our
trip up the river showed what was being dumped -* not
chemically, but visually.
Who is doing it? Everybody and nobody.
Why are they allowed to do it? "We have
a permit."
What can we do to stop these various actions,
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1010
John Pilch
this various dumping that is ruining one of our greatest
assets?
If you ever thought of what would happen
to this whole community of millions of people — not
only Cleveland — without Lake Erie at our doorstep,
just consider what is going on in the State of New York
now. Take a shower, and, if you can get away with it,
don't take a shower, Use deodorant. I would prefer
to take a bath.
(Laughter.)
But it seemed hard on any of us to get
any information. We looked at studies that have been
carried on for the past twenty, thirty years, each
one in itself concerned that we were wasting, neglecting,
abusing and misusing one of our greatest assets, and
yet you had to prove to people that this was going on.
Even right now, take this glass of water
(indicating). Water, chemically — on this I know
enough about chemistry -- is F^O, a simple chemical
formula. But I would guarantee you that there is a
lot more than ^O in this glass, and there is nobody
who has been able to prove that some of the other
chemicals, some of the detergents that It is impossible
to get out of your water through whatever processes
-------
1011
John Pilch
you may use to purify it — no one can prove that that
in one way or another is not harmful to us as individ-
uals.
We talk about reuses of water. You can
ask industry whether or not it is possible for them to
take the water where it reaches the mouth of the Cuya-
hoga River and use that water in their processes, and
they will tell you, "No, it has too much of everything
in it."
Who put it there? Who knows.
Why are they putting it there? "We have
a permit."
We were told that in order to completely
eliminate the water pollution problem in Cleveland
alone would cost us three quarters of a million dollars.
We asked on what basis they figured that.
Well, this would be, if you took the entire city, lifted
it up, took out the whole sewer program, put in a com-
plete modern dual system, and then put the city back.
Let's face it -- we know that that is
impossible. You couldn't do it. But there are ways
and means that we can control, and not only in industry.
We stepped out into the county and into
the State. Even today in outlying communities there
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1012
John Pilch
are permits being issued for septic tanks, but they must
dump directly into a sewer or into an open waterway.
Now, we know that a septic tanks, after
aging so far, becomes practically nonexistent. It is
supposed to be replaced, or cleaned, or what have you,
every so many years. Nobody does it, because it costs
too much, and nobody does it because there is nobody
there to tell them they must, so we continue with pol-
lution.
Take the average day housewife. As a man
in the home, did you ever think that whatever detergents,
chemicals, oils, varnishes, paints, fingernail polish
remover, and even fingernail polish, that you tossed
down into the drain in your home, can come back to you
because it may be impossible to remove it from this
glass of water? You may be drinking what you are throw-
ing into your drain.
We take a body of water like Lake Erie
for granted. It is big. We could never pollute it.
It's impossible; it's too big. Yet, we are finding
out that in the past ten years, because of what we have
been doing with our natural resources, what we need
for life itself has accelerated so fast, that all of
a sudden everybody is realizing that it is a problem.
-------
1013
John Pilch
Well, we hope everybody is realizing that
it is a problem, because we have found out in the past,
again, through apathy, what becomes a problem today we
forget about, because tomorrow we are going out to play
a game of golf, but after you get through with that
game of golf and walk into that clubhouse, and have
your juice, or beer, or glass of water, remember what
may be in it. Then that brings the problem back to
you.
We take the Lake for granted, and yet all
of us, not only individuals but as groups, industry
and the Government itself, allow everything to happen
to disturb the natural aging of our waterways in
cleansing themselves. We over-use it, or we find that
maybe we have been caught, or we are prodded a little
bit, and then we do something that is a little bit
face-saving in order to sort of pour salve on our
wounds, or pour a balm on our conscience.
We ask, is all of this pollution affecting
our present intakes at our cribs? Is it affecting
the water that comes back to you?
We are told, "No, absolutely not. The
water at our intake is checked many times a day."
But we ask one other little question:
-------
1014
John Pilch
What are you going to do the day when you test that water
at that intake and you find that you've got other impuri-
ties in it that didn't exist before? What are you doing
to do now?
The answer? We will just add more chemicals
to the water to make sure that the other chemicals that
are in there aren't going to hurt you.
We ask the question: Can you guarantee
that any of those chemicals you add will not hurt?
Well, no one can do that. You may not be
able to tell it — you may be able to drink that water
for ten or twenty years. It may not hurt you, but it
may eventually catch up with you in aggravating a con-
dition or causing a condition that may exist when you
get old. No one can say that for sure.
I want H20, not 1^0 plus a lot of other
formulas, but l^O.
We started on these various cruises, on
contacting people, and on talking to people, and, as
I said, we went through the general routine of do-
gooders, and so forth and so on.
We even took pictures of our beautiful,
wonderful, and, believe me, colorful river. You can
get the colors of the rainbow in it. We had to take
-------
1015
John Pilch
it on color film.
We went to Washington, where we were very
warmly received by Mr. Stein and a congressional com-
mittee. Nobody prodded us to do this. We felt that
this was something that had to be done in order to
awaken that apathy. They agreed with us, but the Federal
Government said that they could not enter into the pic-
ture unless the Governor of the State invited them.
So, through various devious ways and means,
back doors, conferences, and so forth and so on, letters
that constituents wrote in, we have the culmination in
a seminar on our problem here today.
We are glad that in a little way we were
able to prod and pinpoint and make people aware of the
problem.
Now, we hear industry say that they have
received permits to drop these little bits of waste
matter into the river. They say, "Well, now, look, what
we are putting in is not harming the river." Maybe
Joe Doakes is putting something in that he shouldn't,
but then we go to Joe Doakes, and he says, "Well, what
1 am putting in isn't harming the river either."
Then you get somebody else, and he tells
you the same thing.
-------
1016
John Pilch
Well, let's take our Lake so that we can
envision it just a little more. Let's make it a bathtub
full of real nice clear water, something that is a joy
to look at.
So I come along and I drop a little drop —
mind you, only one drop -- of black ink into it. Some-
body else comes along and drops another drop of black
ink into it. The body of water is big enough. It ab-
sorbs it. You don't see it.
We are now at a point where we are dropping
not one or two, but hundreds of drops, thousands of
drops, possibly from every home in the city or the
outlying area -- millions of drops of black ink.
When you add all that up, it can't be taken
out, so it goes out into that real nice pure lake, and
what do we end up with? A fouled up lake, a cesspool.
When are we going to stop putting those
buckets and cupfuls and tankfuls, and so forth, of black
ink into our water?
1 remember as a kid, my dad was able to
take me down to the lake for a swim. I was able to
fish there too. My youngsters can't.
Possibly, maybe, if we take action now,
their youngsters may be able.
-------
1017
John Pilch
We have heard the statement made that nobody
died from swimming in polluted water. On one hand, we
have people tell us, "Why, it can't be that polluted."
On the other hand, we have our Department of Health tell
us, "You can't swim in it because it is too darned pol-
luted." You have branches of the Government at two
extreme ends, and yet, how can you tell if by some
youngster swimming in that polluted water, that polluted
lake, and he swallows one or two mouthfuls, that maybe
years later he will suffer from some sickness, possibly
leukemia? Who can tell? Nobody knows what it is.
Possibly cancer -- who can tell? Can you? Can 1?
No, but it could happen.
Industry needs water, we all know that, and
yet it is possible that unless they are checked or con-
trolled, they can be the greatest misusers of water.
I have suggested to the Ohio State Board
of Health and to the Federal Government that we issue
permits. Give them a permit to dump into our waterways,
but use the German system. Fine, you want it dumped?
We'll tax you on what you are putting into our water-
ways, and use that money then to supplement our own
water pollution control program.
I know we were down in Columbus on a hearing
-------
1018
John Pilch
on the same thing. One statement amazed me, and it will
dwell in my mind for a long time. We were complaining
about the fact that not only was Cleveland — we didn't
say Cleveland did not pollute the waters -- but we said
not only does Cleveland, but all of the outlying areas
also pollute it.
This is the answer we got back: "If we
sent you clear streams, you would still pollute them."
Our answer was: "Send us those clear,
clean streams, and we'll make sure they go into the
Lake the same way," because then we will have an ally,
with everybody fighting the problem.
The age of fingerpointing is over. We
cannot say that "He is doing it, so why shouldn't we?"
We can't say that industry is polluting, but so is the
every day individual. We cannot completely blame the
city, that they are doing it, when the outlying communi-
ties are doing it too.
There is only one way that we are going
to be able to lick this problem, and that is by a con-
certed effort and a definite cooperative plan by all,
by every individual, by every form of our government,
whether it is the city, the outlying communities, the
county, the State, and the Federal Government.
-------
1019
John Pilch
I noticed the other day a statement was
made by the representative of the Federal Government
that the Federal Government, insofar as it goes, can
implement local programs. Yet, when we spent billions
of dollars -- billions to send a rocket to Mars to
find out whether there is life there, and all of the
photos so far have shown that there isn't, because there
is no atmosphere and no water, we can certainly spend
millions in controlling the problem and conserving our
own water supply.
When the Federal Government can spend over
a billion dollars en a proposed canal from Lake Erie
down to the Ohio River, which is primarily for the
purpose of getting more water through that section of
our State because there isn't enough there to use --
when they can spend that much money, then maybe we had
better spend that much and more in order to save what
we have.
I know I seem to be "net" up on this sub-
ject. I started on it many years ago, even before I
got interested in the Council. One of the points and
platforms of my program the first time I ran, and ever
since then, has been that water pollution control is
a problem, and I am going to do every bit that I can
-------
1020
John Pilch
with my own being, with every breath I take, to protect
the water — for me? No. For the future generations.
Too often we pile up problems for our future generations
that we should take care of today. They have more than
enough problems now. Let's not leave them any more.
Let's take care of it today.
We have to let everyone know what the prob-
lem is* We also have to let everyone know what they
can do to fight it. We know that the American public,
the common, everyday, ordinary person, if you give him
what the problem is, if you give him what you need in
order to correct it, if you give him a positive program,
if you give him what you are going to do -- not in
1975 or 1980, but what you are going to do in 1965,
1966 and 1967, they will dig into their pockets and
help pay for it.
But, by God, don't expect that man to give
you a darned cent until you have a positive program
of what you are going to do to eliminate this problem
that affects everyone of us.
It may be possible that because the problem
is so big and complex, because the various communities
cannot get together, we need a regional authority for
sewage and water pollution control in our area, to take
-------
1021
John Pilch
in the whole basin that empties into Lake Erie.
That is a suggestion that we passed on both
to Columbus and to the Federal Government. We alone in
a municipality cannot do it.
We know that it will take money. 1 just
want to add a statement here to the remark I made
previously, where the common everyday man is willing
to pay.
A program was instituted in St. Louis.
Their problem was bad, maybe as bad as ours, maybe worse,
or maybe not as bad. They are taking care of their
problem. The people realized what could happen, what
was happening, and they went along with the program.
If they can do it there, we can do it here.
I hope that from this conference we can
take steps to save one of our national assets, one of
the greatest, one we can't live without.
The State recognizes the problem not only
as Cleveland's, but other communities, not only as a
problem that we in one locale have to deal with, but
it is also a State problem.
To the local government 1 say, get some
positive programs and the people will buy them.
To industry I say, we don't have to go in
-------
1022
John Pilch
there to check what is going into that river from your
industrial waste. You know. You take care of it. You
have a big asset in water. You can do a lot of your
own without prodding to help save it, preserve it, and
take care of it.
To the individual all I can say and repeat
is, remember, whatever you put into your drain may come
back to you in your glass of water.
To the Federal Government, the amount of
money that is now allocated towards a problem of this
type is not enough. We will need more. If we can
spent it for other things, we can spend it for this.
We have a moral obligation as individuals,
as groups, as citizens, as members of industry, as a
State and as a nation, to do everything and anything
we possibly can, in any way, to preserve an asset
that has been God-given, and has been misused and abused
by us, but I think now is the time to do everything we
can to preserve it.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much, Councilman,
for a complete and vivid statement.
Are there any questions or comments?
-------
1023
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
You have really covered the field.
May we go on, Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: We will next hear from Mr.
Arvo E. Sundberg of the Conneaut Port Authority.
MR. STEIN: While Mr. Sundberg is coming
up, I understand there may have been some confusion.
Tomorrow's meeting will be at eleven o'clock
in the morning in the Exhibit Room.
Thank you.
-------
1024
Arvo £. Sundberg
STATEMENT OF
ARVO E. SUNDBERG
CHAIRMAN, CONNEAUT PORT AUTHORITY
CONNEAUT, OHIO
MR. SUNDBERG: Thank you, Chairman Stein
and our State Governor James Rhodes, for bringing this
meeting about and having the opportunity to attend and
state a few comments.
My name is Arvo E. Sundberg, Chairman of
the Conneaut Port Authority.
Panel members, ladies and gentlemen:
Our City of Conneaut's interest, along
with other city representatives attending this meeting
as to the serious lake pollution, is mutual. Our city's
population is 15,000, and due to recent merger we are
the third largest city areawise in the State of Ohio.
Lifelong residents have resided on the lakefront through-
out.
We are having our toll as to pollution*
A few years back, the commercial fishing industry was
a healthy flourishing industry on our lakefront — 27
fish tugs with employment of 200 at its peak -- now
-------
1025
Arvo £. Sundberg
4 tugs and barely hanging on; when blue pike and white-
fish started dropping off some ten years ago, everyone
was up in arms stating that the commercial fisheries
were fishing the lake out, and now, after extensive
and timely studies which are being presented here, we
can clearly see who and what the culprit is.
We should, everyone of us here, be thankful
for these studies that have been and are being made
on these pollution problems. Yes, differences and
criticism will come about, but from the series of meet-
ings -- Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo — there is no
doubt in my mind that sound guidelines and positive
programs of action will be forthcoming.
On our lakefront, algae also is an ever
growing problem. Yet we should feel that is in our
area, that our pollution problems are not as serious
as they are in the large metropolitan lakefront cities.
This is why we laud these reports and guidelines we
want to maintain what we have and find ways to improve
our lakefront area.
Let me point out a few plus factors:
Our swimming beaches, even inside the
breakwalls, have never been closed due to unhealthy
conditions, with a bacteria count below average. As
-------
1026
Arvo E. Sundberg
we stated, algae is the Number 1 nuisance.
We are enjoying a gradual increase in good
fishing and good fish in our Conneaut Creek within our
city limits. This season it is at its peak of what
the growth has been up to now. We have northern pike,
trout, perch, and so forth. These recreations we want
to protect.
Gentlemen, we do hope that future reports
by the State and Federal Government will state about
our large, safe, sandy swimming beaches, boating and
fishing facilities. We noticed in the report that the
State had and the Federal Government had, when these
studies are made, they should stop by, and not just
check the map and check the former report, but we would
like to show what we do have, because we are proud of
it.
This report may differ with other reports,
but we want to show up a little positive and hopeful
side to this problem. There are reasons for these
present prevailing pollution conditions. One is due
to population and industrial growth. The main reason
for improvement in Conneaut is that we complied with
and accepted the State of Ohio's urgent request some
ten years ago to build a modern sewage plant. Our
-------
1027
Arvo £. Sundberg
leaders informed us, and we as citizens responded and
passed the proposed levy.
These three days that I have been here and
the reports indicate that some cities and industries
are dragging their feet. They have had ample time and
notice and should accept their guilt for being contribu-
tors to our Lake's pollution.
We in Conneaut are yet able to enjoy our
Lake, and I am sure that we all could if we all accept
our responsibilities.
Our sewage plant is a primary plant. The
city has not been notified yet, and from these meetings,
as to secondary treatment, but we are presently using
our intermediate treatment facilities, which consist
of chemical precipitation.
We now have plans in advanced development
stages for an 1100 boat marina, covering 64 acres.
I would like to say something as far as
the press is concerned. In our little town over here,
we get the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 1 would like to see
whether there is a little positive side shown, and not
all negative. I don't think our Lake is a dead lake
yet. We know we have a serious problem, and that is
what we are all here for.
-------
1028
Arvo E. Sundberg
We see cartoons in the paper of a youngster
going on the beach, and it shows a big black lake and
he can't go into the water. Well, that is true in some
areas, but it is not true throughout the Lake. We have
Cedar Point and different places where there are wonder-
ful beaches.
We say polluted, yes, but presently I don't
think it is as poisonous throughout the Lake as many
cartoons indicate.
In our town, which has been for years a good
vacation and tourist town, we note that there is a steep
drop in that tourist trade due to the bigger papers or
the newspapers with large circulations that go into
inland towns, and who wants to come up to a lake where
it is set up as a big poisonous lake?
In my layman way of analyzing the serious
pollution problem, it makes me think that it is similar
to a dangerous cancer problem. The growth has been here
for some time, but we have not been able to properly
detect it. When that remark was made not too many years
ago that the commercial fishermen took the fish out,
we didn't have the answer, but gradually we are finding
out what the answers are.
Now before us solutions are being recommended,
-------
1029
Arvo £. Sundberg
and we should, as the Governor stated, take action.
Mr. Chairman, from this conference we seek
the following advice to help us with our present and
future planning, and a more secure program as to our
Lake Erie's problems.
We ask the Federal and Stage agencies to
place us on their mailing lists and forward recommenda-
tions and data that we can study and put into effect.
We seek suggestions on proper legislation
our city should enact as to pollution appointments or
boards to work and fit into the State and Federal pol-
lution boards*
We are presently having a comprehensive
regional study in our City of Conneaut. That is a
$34,000 study that is presently under way. We have very
good potentials for sound growth, but we also want
sound planning.
I want to believe and to look with an
optomistic viewpoint into the near future along with
the Chairman of this conference panel, Mr. Murray Stein,
who stated that an improving upturn can come about
within the coming few years. And we want to assure
the Governor of our State, James A. Rhodes, on his
request here Monday encouraging coordination and
-------
1030
Arvo E. Sundberg
cooperation, this we pledge.
My personal firm belief is that local,
State and Federal cooperation and participation will be
the most effective way to fight this pollution problem.
Our city water plant was built in 1935 under the Federal
CWA program. I am no engineer about it in any way, but
we are proud of our water plant, and with our population
now of 15,000, that could be very easily doubled, and
then some, without too serious cost. The outlook is
very good.
We have low water rates and can easily
expand. In 1964, our industrial park was completed
with 50 per cent grant moneys under the Federal ARA Act,
which also provided major trunk sewer and water lines
into the west end of the town.
We are hoping to see this pollution problem
worked along the same level, with local, State, and
Federal participation.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, sir, for a very
positive and optomistic statement.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
-------
1031
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
Doctor, would you go on?
DR. ARNOLD: We will next hear from Mr.
William B. Henry of the Cuyahoga County Regional
Planning Commission.
MR. KAUFMAN: Mr. Henry unfortunately had
to leave, and I will take his place.
MR. STEIN: Come right up.
-------
1032
Stephen A, Kaufman
STATEMENT OF
STEPHEN A. KAUFMAN
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. KAUFMAN: My name is Stephen A. Kaufman.
I am Deputy Director in charge of regional planning for
the Regional Planning Commission of Cuyahoga County.
Mr. Stein and Gentlemen:
The Regional Planning Commission of Cuyahoga
County has been deeply interested in the problems of
sanitation and pollution since its establishment in
1947. In fact, its first special committees were con-
cerned with this general problem and prepared a report
in January, 1949, which recommended that a Regional
Sewer Agency or Authority, be set up to finance and
administer the necessary improvements to sewerage and
drainage facilities of Cuyahoga County and the surround-
ing areas. Our efforts to establish such an agency
resulted in the passage of the Regional Sewer and
Water District Law in 1949 by the State Legislature.
Efforts to implement the law in the Cuyahoga County
-------
1033
Stephen A. Kaufman
area were proceeding slowly but steadily when a County
Charter Commission was created and the attempt to adopt
a charter used this need as a major issue. In the de-
feat of the charter, the regional sewer agency issue
also lost its force.
Our next project was to secure the passage
by the voters of Cuyahoga County of a one-half million
dollar bond issue for the preparation of a Regional
Sewer and Water Plan. The issue was approved in 1951
and the plan work, assigned to various official and
consulting engineering offices, mostly in Cleveland,
was completed in December of 1957.
In the course of its creation, a complete
set of sewer maps of the county was prepared. The
plan consists of a series of reports, as well as de-
tailed maps, sections and other documents. A report
on the expansion of the Cleveland Water System was
prepared by Havens 6* Emerson. Another report on De-
sign Standards for Sewers and Drainage Facilities was
prepared by Rollin F. MacDowell & Associates (W. A.
Schade & Associates, successor).
Sewer plans for the various drainage areas
of the County and its neighbors were prepared by the
MacDowell firm and its successor, and also by the County
-------
1034
Stephen A. Kaufman
Sanitary Engineer, the City of Cleveland, and the F. A.
Pease Engineering Company. These were reviewed and
consolidated into the final Sewerage & Drainage Report
by Albright & Friel, Inc., of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
It included a number of specific recommenda-
tions totaling over one hundred million dollars, together
with a number of other proposals for improvements to be
undertaken after further engineering study. The former
were oriented mainly to serving the newly urbanizing
areas.
A plan to finance these projects through a
Regional Sewer & Water District was developed by the
New York municipal finance consulting firm of Wainwright
and Ramsey, Inc. Copies of the plan were given to all
municipalities in the area, as well as County and State
officials and interested civic leaders, and I have a
copy here to leave with the conferees.
The original drawings are in the keeping
of the County Sanitary Engineer.
The plan for a metropolitan sewerage and
drainage system has guided the development of most of
the projects now underway and has already saved the
people of Cuyahoga County many millions of dollars
by indicating more economical ways to handle sewerage
-------
1035
Stephen A. Kaufman
and drainage problems. It has become, more or less,
"the Bible" for sewerage development in the metropolitan
area. In fact, all applications for Federal Aid are
reviewed as to their conformity to the plan by our
office before submission to the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare. These studies were all under-
taken and completed with funds furnished by the County
of Cuyahoga and the municipal members of the Regional
Planning Commission.
In July, 1961, assisted by a grant from
the Housing and Home Finance Agency, the Regional Planning
Commission issued a special report on pollution on the
lakefront, one of a series on all aspects of the lake-
front by our own staff. It called for, among other
things, further engineering studies as a first step in
clearing up many of the basic problems which this cur-
rent Federal study has reemphasized.
At the recommendation of the State, the
City of Cleveland is now embarking on a comprehensive
study of the combined sewer problem, a step we urged
most strongly in that report. This is just one example
of our interest.
We are very pleased that at last the
larger units of government are showing such concern,
-------
1036
Stephen A. Kaufman
and are hopeful that action will now be forthcoming to
solve these problems.
Re commendation
A great deal of basic information based on
past studies and effective plans is already available.
We recommend, therefore, any further studies should be
in the form of expanding and updating the present plans,
and with the definite purpose of implementing plans and
recommendations from this point on.
(Document entitled "Regional Planning
Commission, Cleveland - Cuyahoga County - Ohio,
Sewer and Water Plan, Sanitary Sewerage and Storm
Drainage," has been filed with the Division of Water
Supply and Pollution Control, Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, Washington, D. C.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much for your
statement.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
If not, thank you very much, sir.
Dr. Arnold?
-------
1037
John W. Talbert, Jr.
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. John Talbert, First Vice
President of the Ohio Division of the Izaak Walton
League of America.
-------
1038
John W. Talbert, Jr.
STATEMENT OF
JOHN W. TALBERT, JR.
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, OHIO DIVISION
IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA
EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. TALBERT: Mr. Chairman:
I am John W. Talbert, Jr., First Vice Presi-
dent of the Ohio Division of the Izaak Walton League of
America. The League is a nationwide organization of
citizens dedicated to the wise and proper use of America's
natural resources.
It may be of some interest to you to know
that the League, at the behest of President Hoover, in
1927 conducted the first nationwide survey of water
pollution in the United States. Mr. Hoover at the time
was Secretary of Commerce and the Honorary President of
the League. The League was then but five years old but
throughout its life has had an active and intense in-
terest in water pollution abatement.
"A river is more than an amenity. It is a
treasure. It offers the necessity of life that must be
rationed wisely among those who have power over it ...."
-------
1039
John W. Talbert, Jr.
These are the words spoken by Supreme Court Justice
Oliver Wendell Holmes in a 1931 decision involving the
use and diversion of the Delaware River. These words are
more meaningful and appropriate to us today as we convene
for this important conference.
According to Webster, pollution is the act
of making or rendering unclean. I'm sure there is no
question in the minds of those present that Lake Erie
is a polluted body of water. Therefore, I do not pro-
pose to belabor you with statistics to prove that point.
We are here to correct the problem which we know exists.
Collectively, citizens must form into groups
to take corrective steps at the local level--and vote
the necessary funds to pay for them. Existing local
industries contributing to pollution must be induced, by
one means or another, to recycle their waste and clean
it up. New industries must comply with local regulations
before commencing operations. Housing developers must
not be allowed to leave bare areas of soil unprotected
for unreasonable lengths of time. Individual home owners
who empty their wastes into septic tanks must be forced
to keep their septic tanks functioning correctly. Mew
sanitary sewers and storm sewers must be separate units.
-------
1040
John W. Talbert, Jr.
Farmers must put into effect good conservation measures
to protect their soil against erosion—either from wind
or rain. Pond owners must seed their dams with grass--
again to prevent erosion. Detergents must be replaced
by bio-degradable washing compounds. Use of insecticides
and fertilizers must be regulated and controlled—if not
by local ordinance, then surely by individual stewardship.
Again, collectively, we must stress the
gravity of individual abuses—for the individual's con-
tribution of waste materials to our water resources, when
multiplied by the entire population, may well exceed that
of a single offending industry.
You—the local citizen—must pay more than
lip service to the cause of pollution control. Every time
you throw an empty gum wrapper on the sidewalk or high-
way (from where it will eventually enter a body of water),
you are polluting. Any time a farmer applies chemical
fertilizer to his crops and then, through lack of soil
conservation measures, permits the fertilizer to wash
off his land in escaping silt, he is polluting. The
car owner who washes down his oily garage floor, with-
out first removing the oil with absorbent materials, is
polluting. No one has the right to pollute. An aware-
ness of what constitutes pollution—even in its smallest
-------
1041
John W. Talbert, Jr.
aspects--is an elementary step toward effecting its
control.
The proposed New York State budget figure
for antl-pollution was $1,700,000,000. What is Ohio's?
A good characterization of an American would
show him standing knee-deep in sewage—shooting rockets
at the moonj
There is little doubt the most important sub-
ject in connection with this conference is the health of
the vast number of people who daily drink and wash in such
waters as those under discussion. The Izaak Walton League
of America feels it is extremely important that these
waters be given far more protection for this reason alone.
However, there are many additional benefits to be gained
from clean water for industrial, recreational and other
uses. It is definitely time all concerned exert a major
effort to restore these waters to a high degree of purity
for the benefits which it will return in the health, wel-
fare and economic well-being of everyone.
The League believes the American people
possess the ability, ingenuity, energy and wealth to
abate pollution by all means possible. Certainly it
is fully as important to devise a new type of sewage
treatment plant which has an efficiency rating approaching
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1042
John W. Talbert, Jr.
the 100# level as it is to land a man on the moonI
Also, much more practical application should
be made of knowledge presently available in order to
achieve a higher degree of pollution abatement.
The Izaak Walton League of America is
honored to be able to appear before you and it calls
upon you to take immediate steps to rectify the various
sources of water pollution mentioned above as well as
a multitude of others much too lengthy to be included
herein.
Thank you very much.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: I can tell you that the Izaak
Walton League has been one of the foremost agencies work-
ing for pollution control at all levels of government,
and they were instrumental in getting our legislation
passed and setting us up as a Federal agency. We are
very glad to have had you here.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. George Watkins, Lake Erie
Watershed Conservation Foundation.
-------
1043
George H. Watkins
STATEMENT OF
GEORGE H. WATKINS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
LAKE ERIE WATERSHED CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. WATKINS: Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies
and Gentlemen:
My name is George H. Watkins. I am Executive
Director of the Lake Erie Watershed Conservation Founda-
tion.
The Lake Erie Watershed Conservation Founda-
tion is an organization dedicated to sound water manage-
ment today and for the long term. The organisation believes
that public education is an integral part of sound water
management and it is in this field that the organization
functions.
We appreciate the opportunity to appear at
this conference and hope our thoughts will be a construc-
tive addition to the material presented. I might say
that our approach is a little different, and I hope that
even" at this late date in the conference something new
might be said.
-------
1044
George H. Watkins
Sound water management deals with more than
just pollution control. I think it important that the
participants in this conference be reminded of this,
lest their enthusiasm for action in this one area limit
their capabilities to act in other equally important
areas of water management.
The most important aspect of water manage-
ment is supply. Without it there would be no cause for
this conference because there could be no pollution.
Perhaps second is the use of water -- the
most beneficial use -- beneficial to the whole popula»
tion of an area, on a net basis. That is, using water
first for the most important uses, such as domestic
supply, second for the next most important, and so on.
Dr. Tarzwell of the Public Health Service emphasized
the importance of water use in his interesting and
informative discussion on the definition of pollution.
Third in importance most people would place
the avoidance of disasters* In this category of water
management comes:
1. Protection from floods.
2. Overcoming droughts.
3. Pollution control -- particularly the
safeguarding of domestic water supply.
-------
1045
George H. Watkins
And fourth, under ultimate conditions of
choice are the less essential uses.
The Lake Erie watershed of Ohio with sound
water management practices can continue to have all of
these water uses, not in every part of every stream
and perhaps not in every part of Lake Erie, but available
within the area.
Corrections to water management problems
are not effected overnight. In general whether supply
problems, flood problems, pollution problems or other
water management problems, the solutions require examina-
tion of many alternatives all in the context, not of
today but of conditions that will exist 10, 15, 20, or
50 years from now. If you think I exaggerate, here
are three examples:
A) The water supply which the City of Akron
enjoys today was planned in 1911. That
is over 50 years agoI
B) In 1959, Cleveland, among other Lake Erie
Watershed cities, was devastated by floods,
Many of you have forgotten that time.
Planning and engineering studies have
been underway since then to protect
Cleveland from a repetition of this
-------
1046
George H. Watkins
disaster. If the Federal Government,
various local governments and the people
of this area vote the money, a flood con-
trol project on the Cuyahoga may be com-
pleted by 1972. That will be 13 years of
work — planning, engineering, design,
education -- education to get the funds --
finally construction, and with it protec-
tion.
C) Pollution is in fact news to many people
in this area. But it is not to those
charged with responsibility to control it.
In 1951, for example, the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources, Division of Water
made and published a very comprehensive
study of water quality in Lake Erie and
its tributaries. In 1957, as Mr, Kaufman
just mentioned, the Regional Planning
Commission made a study and drew up plans
for area-wide sewage facilities, including
storm water sewers. Currently the Public
Health Service, under the able direction
of Mr* Northington, is conducting a com-
prehensive survey of Lake Erie.
-------
1047
George H. Watkins
I cite these, out of many possible examples,
to show that there is a tedious job of problem identifi-
cation, data collections, evaluation of costs, versus
needs, which has been going on over the long term.
Then you say, why doesn't anything happen?
Why don't we clean up the pollution? Sometimes the neces-
sary planning is not adequately done. For this there is
no excuse. Sometimes attitudes change more quickly than
new plans to deal with such change can be brought to
fruition. This may be the case with some of the pollu-
tion problems being dealt with at this conference.
In the space of about a year, there has
been created a public awareness that is now demanding
action. This awareness has caught up with those far-
sighted public officials and industrial leaders who have
for many years been conducting the battle against water
pollution. The area's awakening needs and desires will
determine what is economic and what is practical.
There are sound examples of what car? be
done. The needs and desires on the Ohio River were
aroused many years ago and an interstate compact formed --
ORSANCO it is called. It has been sensitive to the needs
of that basin. Working with and through pollution con-
trol authorities of the States on the Ohio River, and
-------
1048
George H. Watkins
with representation from the Public Health Service, it
has been a model of self determination, self policing
and progress by people of an area who wanted to clean
up their fouled river. Here is a home grown product of
Southern Ohio which we in the north, if necessary, might
well adopt.
In conclusion then, the Lake Erie Watershed
Conservation Foundation hopes that as a result of this
conference three important things will happen:
A) On the local level -- and this has been
suggested by several previous speakers,
Mr. Yark of Toledo, Dr. Tarzwell of the
Public Health Service, the Ohio Pollution
Control Board, Mayor Locher this morning,
and just now Mr. Talbert -- the creation
of officially recognized local river
basin groups representative of the area
interests - industrial, municipal, recre-
ational, etc., who can determine water
uses for various sections of streams and
lakes of the basin, develop a priority
for those uses, adopt criteria of water
quality at every point of use consistent
with the uses agreed upon, establish
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1049
George H. Watkins
monitoring of water quality, and assist
the Ohio Pollution Control Board in its
enforcement of compliance.
B) On the State level, a renewed sense of
real accomplishment by State pollution
control personnel which will fire their
determination to continue their durther
efforts to abate pollution.
C) On the Great Lakes level, a determination
on the part of the Great Lakes States --
and I say this at least was suggested
by two other speakers -- which already
are joined in a Great Lakes Commission,
to proceed as rapidly as possible to
obtain Congressional ratification of
this compact, so that this already exist-
ing organization can be the agency through
which the States and the citizens of
the Great Lakes Basin may find the solu-
tions to any future interstate pollution
problems of the Great Lakes.
Thank you,
(Applause.)
MR, STEIN; Are there any comments or questions?
-------
1050
George H. Watkins
MR. OEMING: I have a question.
MR. STEIN: Mr. Oeming.
MR. OEMING: Mr. Watkins, is your agency
in any position to give this conference or the conferees
here some suggestions or guidance on how to attack this
problem of siltation resulting from land wash?
Is this a function that your agency would
be interested in pursuing?
MR. WATKINS: I think probably the United
States Department of Agriculture would be the appropriate
body, or the State departments concerned.
That is a technical problem you speak of.
MR. OEMING: This isn't something that
enters into your water management functions?
MR. WATKINS: We are interested in siltation
control, yes, but not technically competent.
MR. OEMING: I see. All right, thank you.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further comments
or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Next we have Mr. Verne Harris,
League of Ohio Sportsmen, and also representing the
National Wildlife Federation.
-------
1051
Verne L. Harris
STATEMENT OF
VERNE L. HARRIS
LEAGUE OF OHIO SPORTSMEN
and
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION
MR. HARRIS: Mr. Chairman, members of the
panel, Ladies and Gentlemen:
When I first came to this meeting, there
were a lot more than fifty people, and most of the
people interested have left us. I hope this is not a
criterion of what is going to happen with this setup.
My name is Verne L. Harris. I am from
the Cleveland area. I am past President of the Northern
Ohio Fish and Game Association, the Woods and Waters,
and the League of Ohio Sportsmen. I represent here
today the League of Ohio Sportsmen and the National
Wildlife Federation. We are here today to seek action
in stopping pollution.
Governor Rhodes has stated that "Time for
study, re-stury, and study; the studies have passed,11
and I hope that is true.
We have established the fact that gross
-------
1052
Verne L. Harris
pollution exists in Lake Erie. Are these studies final
or are there more to come?
Our fishery resource and other recreational
benefits are endangered.
The facts must be faced! 1 am a former
resident of Michigan and a present land owner in that
State, The pollution materials entering Lake Erie
through the Detroit River are mainly responsible for
pollution in western Lake Erie. Obviously, this inter-
state pollution must be dealt with through our inter-
state agencies working together.
There are also international problems.
Where is Canada? Canada should be present at this meet-
ing. The League of Ohio Sportsmen and the National Wild-
life Federation recognize that Canada must be considered
in any overall solution.
No agency, no organization, no person has
clean hands in this matter of pollution. A recent syndi-
cated column enumerates several sources of pollution
bv Federal installations. Of course, State institutions
and cities are also guilty.
Solutions require money! But why should
this frighten us? We are spending billions of our tax
dollars to get to the moon. Additional billions are
-------
1053
Verne L. Harris
being spent by our Government in other nations throughout
the world, for economic developments on facilities similar
to those needed right here in Ohio. It is time that we
meet our obligations at home — in our own streams and
lakes, in our municipalities and in our industries.
Mayors, councilmen, and boards of directors
of corporations must present the problem to their people.
I want to quote just a few figures to show
you what the cities in Ohio are paying for water pollu-
tion and sewage collection.
Cincinnati pays $32.59, Youngstown $25.20,
Toledo pays $22.75, Dayton pays $17.12, Canton pays $16.75,
Columbus pays $28.75, Akron pays $26.30, and Cleveland
pays $6.00.
The people must accept the responsibility
by providing the funds. We find money for everything
else — why not pollution control?
Action must be taken now to save this valu-
able resource. Otherwise, people of my age will see
fishing and other recreational opportunities vanish
from our sight. We are denying these benefits that
you and 1 have engaged in to our future generations.
No red-blooded American ever runs away
from his problems. He solves them, and we can solve
-------
1054
Verne L. Harris
this one.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mr. Harris.
Are there any comments or questions?
Mr. Morr.
MR. MORR: Those figures that you cited,
Mr. Harris, sound like the annual yield per sewer con-
nection in the municipalities cited in Ohio, and sound
very much like those we have had brought before our
Ohio Pollution Control Board.
Is that what those were, the annual yield
per sewer connection?
MR. HARRIS: That is what we claim is being
spent to alleviate pollution.
MR. MORR: Yes. Thank you.
MR. STEIN: Are there any further comments
or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you very much.
Dr. Arnold, will you continue?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Morr has a communication
he would like to read into the record.
MR. STEIN: Yes. Go right ahead, Mr. Morr.
-------
1055
MR. MORR: Mr. Chairman and Conferees:
I would like to have the record show that
the Ohio conferees are in receipt of a communication
from The Ohio Conservation Congress, dated August 3,
1965, and I quote for the record:
"This Organization pledges its wholehearted
support in any manner possible, to help fight the pollu-
tion problem in the waters of the State of Ohio.
"Yours in conservation, Lee M. McClurg,
Cuyahoga County Director, The Ohio Conservation Congress."
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mr. Morr.
Is there any comment on that?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Dr. Arnold, will you
proceed?
DR. ARNOLD: Mrs. Howard Moore, League of
Women Voters of Ohio and Lake Erie Basin Committee.
-------
1056
Mrs. Howard Moore
STATEMENT OF
MRS. HOWARD MOORE
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF OHIO
AND THE
LAKE ERIE BASIN COMMITTEE
OF LEAGUES IN
MICHIGAN, INDIANA, OHIO,
PENNSYLVANIA, AND NEW YORK
MRS. MOORE: My name is Mrs. Howard Moore.
I am a member of the Board of Directors of the League of
Women Voters of Ohio and Chairman of the Lake Erie Basin
Committee of Leagues in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsyl-
vania, and New York.
We welcome the opportunity Governor Rhodes
has given us to speak today. Our members are deeply con-
cerned about the effects of municipal and industrial pollu-
tion on Lake Erie and its tributaries and on everyone living
in the basin. We know we are not alone in this concern.
We are glad this conference has been called.
It focuses public attention on the problems and the ways
to deal with them. It requires the conferees to deter-
mine the nature and extent of this pollution and come up
with positive steps to deal with it. It backs up these
-------
1057
Mrs, Howard Moore
steps with definite procedures to insure their accomplish-
ment.
We do not speak to you as professionals.
We speak to you as citizens who have taken a long, hard
look at the situation and are greatly distressed by what
we find. Our members have observed conditions, they have
gone to look at the streams and the Lake, have visited water
supply and waste treatment facilities, have talked with
representatives of government and industry and professions
and other organizations, have attended and conducted all
sorts of meetings, have read reports, articles and news-
papers, listened to the radio, watched TV, and have dis-
cussed what they learned with each other.
We think we have a stake in what happens
to Lake Erie and its tributaries. We think we have a
responsibility along with others who use these waters,
and with our government officials who are charged with
responsibilities for them, to take care of this resource
which is so vital to everyone's health and well-being, to
our industries and jobs, and to our leisure time and
surroundings.
For the past two years our Lake Erie Basin
Committee, representing 70 Leagues in the Basin, the
great majority of which are in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana,
-------
1058
Mrs. Howard Moore
has been inquiring into Lake Erie pollution as part of
our national program on water resources which dates back
to 1956. Our preliminary report issued in the Fall of
1964 showed many alarming facts about the deterioration
of the waters of Lake Erie and tributaries despite con-
siderable effort and expense on the part of many locali-
ties and industries and the states to control pollution.
These facts are borne out and further substantiated by
the report of the U. S. Public Health Service to this
conference.
From every part of the basin, the story is
one of waterways polluted with insufficiently treated
municipal and industrial wastes; of harbors and navi-
gation channels clogged with silt and sediments. This is
particularly true in the Toledo-Maumee area; it is also
true in the Cleveland-Guyahoga area. In some places water
supply intakes are threatened; some have been abandoned
because of pollution. This has already occurred on the
Detroit River. As water quality deteriorates, the costs
of providing suitable drinking water increase. Offensive
taste and odor problems recur with regularity in drinking
water taken from the Maumee River. A company making soup
from Ohio's highly valued tomatoes has had to interrupt
processing at times for this reason.
-------
1059
Mrs. Howard Moore
A trip down the Cuyahoga River from Kent
to the mouth dramatically reveals the progressive
degradation of one stream and its surroundings. It is
cluttered with litter, foam floats down stream, its
banks have been turned into dumps, it smells, it bubbles,
the water is discolored, oil floats on the surface and
has sometimes caught fire. And these are only the
things that can be seen and smelled] When we consider
what people and their refuse have done to this stream -
and know the same is true of many of the other streams -
it takes little imagination to guess that such massive
accumulations of waste have an undesirable effect on
their destination, Lake Erie. Commercial fishing in
Lake Erie is declining. Water based recreational
activities are curtailed along large stretches of Lake
Erie's shoreline from Detroit to Buffalo. Bathing
beaches are closed because they are considered to be a
health hazard by officials responsible. Algae and dead
fish and debris floating in the water and washing ashore
and creating smelly, messy nuisances are reported by
summer cottage owners from the western islands to the
eastern end of the lake; by vacationers swimming and
boating; by operators of tourist facilities. The value
of shorefront recreational property is declining.
-------
1060
Mrs. Howard Moore
The signs of pollution are widespread and
many and varied. Most alarming of all, the quality of
the lake itself is deteriorating. We can no longer take
for granted its capacity to purify itself of the domestic
and industrial wastes we are pouring into it. We have
already largely destroyed our streams for other purposes
by using them primarily as waste carriers. The onslaught
on the lake has begun. What can we do to halt and reverse
these trends?
We need more and better treatment plants. If
people understood the limitations of primary treatment,
we think they would make the effort to get better treat-
ment. We need better ways to help large cities and their
surrounding urban sprawl deal with the difficult problems
of collecting and treating their wastes. We need more
and better treatment of industrial wastes. We know this
is difficult and expensive because of the variety of
wastes and their resistance to economical treatment, and
also because expenses incurred increase cost of operation
but don't contribute to profits. We need better means
for local jurisdictions and for states to handle things
jointly. Joint programs can be more effective and
economical whether we are talking about region or sewer
districts or interstate compacts. We need more and
-------
1061
Mrs. Howard Moore
better enforcement of regulations regarding treatment
and disposal of wastes, whether from municipal sources,
industrial sources, just plain littering, refuse, or from
ships and pleasure boats. We need vigorous enforcement
by local jurisdictions, by state and interstate agencies,
and by federal agencies where they are responsible.
But most of all we need positive goals
backed up by the public as well as by officials. Other-
wise conditions will become unbearable, especially around
our rapidly growing metropolitan areas. We need as a
goal the reduction of pollution to make the multiple use
and reuse of the basin's water possible. Using rivers
and lakes primarily for waste disposal is not satisfactory
today. Perhaps it was all right when people lived far
apart and industries were smaller and the water could
purify itself. This is no longer true. There is no doubt
that people want cleaner water for public supply, for
recreational purposes and for general environmental en-
hancement. They also want to continue to be able to buy
and enjoy the products of today's industry.
The League of Women Voters has long favored
abatement of pollution for more reasons than health. We
think it is the cheapest way to make water available for
other necessary and desired uses. We think improvement
-------
1062
Mrs. Howard Moore
will require the best possible efforts at all levels of
government and by the general public. We think localities
and states have a very important place in these efforts.
We think the federal government has, too. We do not re-
gard the federal government as the antagonist of
localities and states, but rather as their ally, and
the public's too.
In a variety of ways Leagues in the Lake
Erie Basin are trying to help clean up our water. Many
local Leagues have or are working for improved municipal
treatment in their communities. Ohio Leagues have begun
a study to determine whether their state's pollution con-
trol program needs strengthening and how. New York State
Leagues are campaigning for the billion dollar bond issue
for waste treatment facilities to be voted on by the
people of New York in November. Michigan Leagues will
present their views on what should be done to clean up
pollution in their part of the Lake Erie Basin to the
Michigan Water Resources Commission in August. I have
already mentioned our five-state Lake Erie Basin group.
League members in the Cleveland-Akron Metropolitan Area
have just formed an inter-League group to prepare them
to work for improvements in that region. League members
in the basin cooperated with other organizations and
-------
1063
Mrs. Howard Moore
representatives of industry and professions in a seminar
for community leaders on land and water use in Cleveland
last March, conducted by the League of Women Voters Edu-
cation Fund, and are participating in follow-up schools
for citizens in their communities.
In the Lake Erie Basin, as in other parts of
the U.S., industrial growth and the population explosion
have combined to transform water pollution from a nuisance
to a menace. Not only is it destroying the pleasure we
derive from water but it threatens continued progress and
growth of our cities and industries. Taft Center re-
search scientists report that streams and rivers in the
U.S. are getting twice as much pollution from municipal
sewers - which includes wastes from industries which are
able to discharge to them - as they did ten years ago in
1955. If pollution from municipal sewer systems has in-
creased so greatly in this ten year period, there seems
little reason to doubt that the same is the case with
pollution from industrial wastes discharged directly to
streams and lakes.
We have no reasons to be complacent here in
the Lake Erie Basin. Even if a lot has been done and a
lot is being done to abate pollution, much more needs to
be done NOW. We all need to get on with the job.
-------
1064
Mrs. Howard Moore
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you, Mrs. Moore.
You know, we really can't live without the
League of Women Voters.
MRS. MOORE: It's nice of you to say that.
MR. STEIN: It is true.
Are there any comments or questions?
(Mo response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, Dr. Arnold, will you go
on?
DR. ARNOLD: We will next call on Mr. David
Blaushild, of Cleveland.
-------
1065
David Blaushild
STATEMENT OF
DAVID BLAUSHILD
CLEVELAND, OHIO
MR. BLAUSHILD: Mr. Chairman:
I am David Blaushild, and I come here as
a citizen. I thank you for inviting me to this most
important meeting, and wish to make it clear that I
am voicing the sentiments of hundreds of thousands of
cynical, disillusioned residents of Northern Ohio,
weary of the banalities and lethargy of our public
officials in their attitudes towards the crucial prob-
lem of water pollution, and weary too of the negative,
snide, condescending attitude of some of our major
industries who keep wantonly infecting our waters, at
the complete expense of an ever-angering public.
If I can only convey to you here that in
taking positive actions, you will have the support of
an almost total community, that you will be supported
vigorously, vocally, and with total enthusiasm, I will
have then done my job.
If I can dissuade you from having more
surveys and more meetings and to get on with the task
-------
1066
David Blaushild
of ending this very obvious pollution problem, I will
have done my job.
Assembled here in this room are enough
brains, technical skill, power, and knowledge to correct
this acute, very obvious problem. What a horrible dis-
grace, what a frightful shame, what a waste that your
talents are being sheathed and hampered by the fetters
of surveys, political machinations and selfish interests.
Let us hope that from this meeting will come a positive
course of constructive action.
Let us forget political differences and
regional rivalries. Now is the time for statesmanship
of the highest order. In your hands and ability lies
the future of Lake Erie. You will have the public be-
hind you* the newspapers, the TV and radio media. All
want action. For God's sake, let's get to work, and
do not let the traditional enemies of conservation
and pollution stop or stall you.
It has been charged that the public is
apathetic about this problem. Let me say this: If
there is apathy, it is because the public has been lulled
into apathy by an endless round of meetings and surveys,
that always seem to lead to more of the same.
I think that most of our civil and political
-------
1067
David Blaushild
servants are men of good intent, conscientious, sincere,
and trying to do their best, but I find no rational ex-
cuse for the few gifted with a scientific knowledge and
great education that could so vastly benefit the public
interest in this critical area, who choose to prostitute
themselves by hypnotizing the people by half-truths and
trivia for the benefit of a few.
Over 33 communities, Mr. Chairman, represent-
ing well over two million people, have sent resolutions
addressed to the Governor of Ohio and the United States
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, protesting
the pollution of Lake Erie.
In addition to exercising grave concern
over the damage and loss which has already been suffered
from the unabated pollution of Lake Erie, Section 4 of
many of these resolutions reads as follows, and I quote:
"The U. S. Secretary of Health and
Welfare, the Governor and Attorney General
of the State of Ohio are hereby respectfully
urged, to immediately enforce the present
laws for the prevention and prohibition of
pollution into the waters of the State of
Ohio."
Some of the groups and city councils that
-------
1068
David Blaushild
had passed this resolution, according to the reports I
have received, were as follows: The City of Cleveland,
Northfield, Bay Village, Wickliffe, Shaker Heights,
Cuyahoga Falls, Maple Heights, Port Clinton, MayfieId
Village, Kellys Island, Madison Township, Lyndhurst,
South Euclid, Ashtabula, Richmond, Brooklyn, Parma
Heights, Sandusky, East Cleveland, Lakewood, Cleveland
Heights, Bratenahl, North Olmstead, Willowick Rocky
Giver, Fairview Park, Mayfield Heights, and Bedford.
Gentlemen, is this apathy, or is it pressure
from indignant citizens to bring this action about from
all of these councils. And what, with all respect,
brought this fine meeting here together, if it wasn't
the prodding and the recognition of an aroused public?
I am submitting, Mr. Chairman, a copy of
this resolution for your record.
In addition to this overwhelming request
from the communities of Northern Ohio, I would like to
submit to you, Mr. Chairman, petitions and letters from
over 200,000 citizens, that read as follows:
"To: James A. Rhodes, Governor of the
State of Ohio, and Anthony Celebrezze,
U. S. Secretary of Health, Education, and
Welfare.
"Honorable Sirs:
-------
1069
David Blaushild
"We, the undersigned, citizens of the
State of Ohio, are appalled at the official
neglect of one of the State's greatest as-
sets, Lake Erie; and are deeply concerned
that through the practices of certain indus-
tries and municipalities, this great lake
rapidly is becoming a modern dead sea.
"We hereby petition you, through a
gubernatorial and Federal dictate, to command
the Attorney General of the State of Ohio
to enforce those laws presently enacted
against pollution by:
"1. Insisting that the law directors
of various communities bring suit against
industries guilty of polluting the waters and
"2. Taking remedial steps forthwith to
see that all municipalities build proper
filtration plants and other means to prevent
the continual pollution of the Lake itself
and streams and rivers feeding into the Lake.
"We urge that this action be taken
without delay, for the benefit of present
and future generations whose health and wel-
fare depend on a clean and wholesome Lake
-------
1070
David Blaushild
Erie."
Mr. Chairman, this collection of these sig-
natures and letters was done without any organization
whatsoever, a purely "grass roots" endeavor. With proper
organization, millions of signatures could have easily
been obtained.
1 give these petitions to you, Mr. Chairman,
with the blessing and hopes of 200,000 people, who want
their God-given heritage of clean waters given back to
them — people who cannot, and will not, accept the
statements that this shameful degradation of our beaches
and lakes and streams is necessary -- people who are
getting very impatient -- people who will support you
in any constructive, positive action this worthy assemblage
may deem necessary — people who want to know by what
right does an industry or community have to haphazardly
endanger their health and pleasures by infecting public
waters — people who want to know the constitutionality
of the right of the State of Ohio to grant licenses to
pollute, in direct violation of the pollution laws —
people who want to know why this deplorable condition
is allowed to persist — people who want to know why
there is such a noticeable lack of statesmen who are
willing to point the finger of guilt at the offenders
-------
1071
David Blaushild
and take punitive action -- people who question the right
of any industry to spill any waste into any public
waterway, and keep the nature, quantity and contents of
materials secret from the public, who own and use these
waters without any knowledge of how these ingredients
affect their health and welfare.
This could very easily be the most important
meeting ever held in Cleveland. Every major city in the
world has been located on water. Unless something is
done now, it can come to pass that the lake that made
Cleveland and Toledo the great cities they are, will,
in its own death, destroy its destroyers.
Gentlemen, we have had our full of reading
of reports and endless meetings — reports that wind up
covered with dust.
Gentlemen, we await you: actions. Let us
pray that you act wisely and speedily.
Thank you very much.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Dave, I would have taken your
word that you didn't have an organization without your
demonstrating your filing system.
(Laughter.)
Well, I guess we are going to have to gather
-------
1072
David Blaushild
some of these up, but I would hope that you would wait
for questions and comments, and not go off.
Are there any questions or comments?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: I might say that I am aware of
the resolutions that you sent to the Secretary, because
I got them all to answer. We were aware of what you
were doing and certainly heard from you and your congres-
sional delegation and City Council.
As Councilman Pilch has pointed out, again
we have to recognize one thing, and I ask the citizens
here to recognize this with us.
It is all well and good to say, "Let's act,
no further studies, no further surveys."
As you know, we want action, but, as far as
I can see, we have to have intelligent action, and in-
telligent action requires a measure of planning, and it
requires as much planning in our field as I suspect is
required in the General Motors factory to get out a new
model of the Chevrolet and determine how to market it.
We can't go ahead willy-nilly.
What I suggest is to think in terms of sur-
veys and studies and plans, and see how they are directed.
I wouldn't have all the citizens' groups reacting against
-------
1073
David Blaushild
all planning and surveys, because as the information here
is developing, 1 suspect in specific details, there will
have to be some data gathered, judgments made, and plans
made, before we can assure that the Lake is cleared up,
that pollution is cleared up, and we are spending the
taxpayer's money wisely.
I would hope we could come to that kind of
agreement.
Are there any further comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, let's see if we can get
those cleared up.
MR. BLAUSHILD: May I give you these for
the record? Can we have all the letters in the record?
MR. STEIN: No. That is a fast ruling.
We will be glad to make the letters available in the
files. We have to keep the record down to a reasonable
size.
I think you have made your point, Mr.
Blaushild. We might be able to get some secondary treat-
ment and chlorination with the money it would cost us
to print these in the record, but we certainly are im-
pressed with the outpouring of sentiment of the people
here.
-------
1074
David Blaushild
Again, as I pointed out, I think we have
recognized in city after city throughout the country
these days, as reflected in bond issues as well as cam-
paigns such as this, that the people are ready for
pollution control, and 1 think in many cases they are
ahead of the public officials.
MR. BLAUSHILD: This is the point I have
tried to make.
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. BLAUSHILD: Thank you very much.
MR. STEIN: Well, thank you very much.
May we move ahead, Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. George Flick, of Cleveland.
(No response.)
DR. ARNOLD: Reverend Andrew W. Smith, of
Cleveland.
-------
1075
Reverend Andrew W. Smith
STATEMENT OF
REVEREND ANDREW W. SMITH
PASTOR, PRIEDENS UNITED
CHURCH OF CHRIST
CLEVELAND, OHIO
August 5, 19S5
REVEREND SMITH:
Mr. Chairman, Conferees, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
My interests in this conference are four-
fold. First, my church is located in close proximity
to the Cuyahoga River Basin, specifically just up the
hill from Republic Steel. Second, many of our men work.
in industries located in the basin area. Third, the
Ohio Conference of the United Church of Christ is part
owner of a Conference Center on Lake Erie near Dunkirk,
N.Y. Fourth, living where I do, I am appalled at the
extent of air and water pollution in our area.
It would appear that most men in policy-
making positions in municipalities and industrial corpo-
rations are also associated with religious institutions.
Many such men are in responsible positions in the life
-------
1076
Reverend Andrew W. Smith
of. their church or synagogue, on the congregational and/or
denominational level. Such men are making significant
contributions - financially and in terms of time and
talent - to religious affairs. This is known today as
Stewardship, the rallying cry of the religious community's
renewed concern over the responsibility of the laity,
both in the religious institution and in the world.
It would also appear, however, from what we
have heard here the past few days, that when municipal
and corporate decisions are made or policy is set (at
least in the area of waste disposal), a different system
of values is applied by such men. The use made in the
past by municipalities and corporations of Lake Erie and
its tributaries can hardly be classified as good steward-
ship.
One major Biblical view of man, applied in
Jewish and Christian Theology, holds that in creation,
God gave man responsibility for the world around him.
Man is given dominion over everything God has created.
In the garden-of-Eden account, Adam is put in the garden
to till it and keep it. The theme continues through the
Bible, as when the people of Israel crossed over into
Jordan into the land which God had given them.
If what we have heard the past few days
-------
1077
Reverend Andrew W. Smith
is correct, here is one more case where man has been
irresponsible, as was Adam, and as man has been ever
since. Apparently, we have turned a great natural re-
source into a disaster area. We have received dominion
and our instinct seems to be to destroy.
What is so tragic about our pollution pre-
dicament is that it could have been avoided. How can
men show such responsibility and stewardship in their
private lives, and yet in their municipal or corporate
lives submerge themselves and their private natures in
organizational self-interest and irresponsibility toward
the world around them?
The fact that today responsibility is felt
and the need to end pollution is seen, gives us a high
sense of relief. The fact that municipalities and
corporations are finally spending the money and taking
the care to clean their wastes is a cause for joy. But
again institutional irresponsibility reasserts itself.
For now we see the state, the cities, and the corpo-
rations involved patting themselves on the back over
their recent gains in pollution control, blissfully
ignoring both the mess they made of the lake and its
tributaries and the high level of pollution which still
exists.
-------
1078
Reverend Andrew W. Smith
The result for a man who privately is a
responsible individual, a good steward, but who publically
participates in this organizational irresponsibility
can be one of two things. Either he is torn apart inside
by such ambivalence, or he must do some fancy pirouetting
around the ethical issues involved in the destruction of
4
a natural resource. We have heard many justifications
of municipal and corporate policy with which we can
sympathize; but the lake is still polluted, and until
now (and hopefully no longer) we have skirted the re-
sponsibilities God gave us for our world.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you.
Are there any comments or questions of Mr.
Smith?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much, sir.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Harriet Roth Parsons, Attorney,
representing a group to preserve Chagrin River and Lake
Erie.
-------
1079
Harriet Roth Parsons
STATEMENT OF
HARRIET ROTH PARSONS
ATTORNEY
WILLOUGHBY, OHIO
MISS PARSONS: Mr. Chairman, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
Our Chagrin River has been left out, and
since we are so polluted, we want to be included in
this meeting, so I will read to you this letter.
"Federal Pollution Conferees
"Dear Sirs:
"The present problem of the Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company's dumping fly ash into
a large flood plain district of the Chagrin River in
Eastlake, Ohio, is a serious one. This material has
a large sulphur content created by pyrites. No tests
have ascertained the potassium or percentage of free
potash. It is a well known fact that fly ash gets
in the gills of the fish and kills them.
The August 1st issue of the Cleveland
Plain Dealer has a full-color picture with the follow-
ing quotes: 'Power plant discharges rust colored
-------
1080
Harriet Roth Parsons
waste water at the mouth of the Chagrin River in East-
lake.'
"There has been no willingness on the part
of the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company or the
present executive officials of Eastlake, Ohio to dis-
cuss this dual discharge with the people interested in
clean water, clean air, clean land, natural beauty,
and above all, the recreational values of boating, fish-
ing, swimming and future park development.
"No amount of coverage in top soil proposed
by Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company could eliminate
the leeching of acids from this fly ash into the river
and lake. This valley is legally termed, 'Flood Dis-
trict,1 and a very deep annual flood with loss of life,
as evidenced by newspaper articles during the past
twenty-five or more years covers it. No percolation
tests have ever been taken, and the area involved is
lower than surrounding areas, and many pockets are
lower than the river itself.
"The damage to fish, boats, hulls, homes,
wildlife and beaches from this contamination could be
calculated in millions of dollars of loss over a not
too long period.
"For the preservation of clean water,
-------
1081
Harriet Roth Parsons
conservation of wildlife and enforcement of present laws,
we ask the State of Ohio, U. S. Federal Government and
executives of Eastlake, Ohio to cause the Cleveland
Electric Illuminating Company to cease and desist from
dumping fly ash in the Chagrin Valley and from polluting
the lake and river from any other causes whatsoever.
"If the Cleveland Electric Illuminating
Company does not desist from polluting the Chagrin River
and Lake Erie, the $3,500,000 Federal proposal of the
United States engineers for flood control in the Chagrin
Valley would waste the taxpayers' money. This area,
then, could not be used for the proposed $3,000,000
boat and marine area.
"We remain a committee for the 'Preservation
of the Chagrin River and Lake Erie.'
"E. D. Connor
"Chairman and Adviser to the Lake County
Metropolitan Park System.
"Harriet Parsons (Attorney)."
I thank you.
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much for your
statement.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
-------
1082
Harriet Roth Parsons
MR. STEIN: I do believe the Chagrin River
was covered in the State report.
MISS PARSONS: I have been here since the
beginning, and I am here at the last, and I haven't heard
it.
MR. STEIN: I believe Mr. Eagle read that.
This is included in the section of the State of Ohio
report on Pages 17 to 19.
As a matter of fact, when you began talking
about that, the name so stuck in my mind, and I was
sitting here with Mr. Oeming, and I knew right where to
turn and see it.
MISS PARSONS: You don't mind this additional
information?
MR. STEIN: No. We love to have it.
MISS PARSONS: Thank you.
MR. STEIN: But you can be assured that the
problems in the Chagrin River will be considered in the
report.
Now, in addition to that, are you talking
about the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company at
Eastlake?
MISS PARSONS: Yes, I am.
MR. STEIN: The Federal report also mentions
-------
1083
Harriet Ruth Parsons
that company, and it also indicates that they have to
have necessary action, which is solids reduction, which
is pretty close to your recommendation.
MISS PARSONS: Good.
MR. STEIN: So you can be assured that this
has been covered in both the Federal and the State re-
ports, and will be given full and due consideration by
the conferees.
MISS PARSONS: All right. When I go home
tonight, I don't want to find the fly ash at my front
door then.
MR. STEIN: You want light when you flick
your switch, don't you?
MISS PARSONS: Yes, but I can tell you
another story too -- not here -- I'll meet you later.
(Laughter.)
MR. STEIN: Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. John Garner, Lake County
Sanitary Engineers.
-------
1084
John J. Garner
STATEMENT OF
JOHN J. GARNER
LAKE COUNTY SANITARY ENGINEERS
PAINESVILLE, OHIO
MR. GARNER: Gentlemen of this conference:
My name is John Garner, and I am County
Sanitary Engineer for the Lake County Sanitary Engineers.
I am not going to take up your time this
afternoon by making any comments on the technical as-
pects of whether Lake Erie is polluted or not, or what
technical measures must be taken to correct or improve
the condition of the Lake. Personally, I am satisfied
that the condition of Lake Erie does leave something
to be desired.
In addition to such items as BOB, dissolved
oxygen, solids, bacteria, soluble phosphates or algae,
1 would suggest that this conference also consider the
relationship between the pollution of Lake Erie and
people, or rather the lack of people.
If Lake Erie is polluted, it is because
people have made it so. It is people who use household
bathroom and kitchen facilities; it is people who manage
-------
1085
John J. Garner
industries, who are employed by these industries, who
purchase the products manufactured by these industries;
and it is people who obtain the profit from this indus-
trial activity. Certainly, it is these people who will
pay for any measures that are taken to control the pol-
lution of Lake Erie.
If the condition of Lake Erie is to be
improved, it will be people who will improve it. It
will be sewer system maintenance personnel, waste water
plant operators, system managers, and State water pol-
lution control personnel that will stop the pollution
of Lake Erie, with the cooperation of the general pub-
lic.
I suggest to this conference that if water
pollution control in the Lake Erie Watershed has been
neglected, it has been because the subject of water
pollution control personnel has been neglected.
In his opening statement to the conference,
Governor Rhodes asked that things be laid on the line.
This conference should lay it on the line to the Governor
and to all other public officials, that if they want to
control water pollution, they must:
1. Eliminate partisan politics in the
employment of water pollution control
-------
1086
John J. Garner
personnel; and
2. They must attract more and better person-
nel to the water pollution control field
through better salaries and other fringe
benefits, and provide the necessary train-
ing for this personnel.
There is a desperate need, at least in Ohio,
at all levels of government, for more engineers, chemists,
biologists, bacteriologists, operators and maintenance
personnel. Yet elected officials refuse to recognize
this need and refuse to provide the budgets and staffs
necessary for an effective water pollution control
program.
It is ridiculous that men responsible for
the operation of waste water treatment plants that easily
cost a million dollars or more should earn less than a
pipe fitter in a factory, a bricklayer, a carpenter, or
almost any other trade that you care to mention.
As you gentlemen know, the effective opera-
tion of a waste water treatment plant requires personnel
that possess more than an 8th grade education, and in
many cases more than a high school education. Yet,
under existing conditions, it is almost impossible to
attract men of the desired caliber to this profession.
-------
1087
John J. Garner
If a recommendation of this conference will
be secondary treatment plants along Lake Erie and more
effective operation of the plants that are in existence,
then more qualified personnel are needed.
As bad as the local government situation is,
I feel that in some respects the State situation is even
worse.
In the past, the crux of water pollution
control has been the State water pollution control organi-
zations. Yet these organizations are so understaffed
that it is nearly impossible for them to perform their
functions of guidance, leadership, and enforcement.
This deficiency is not the fault of the men
in these departments, most of whom are dedicated public
servants and are acutely aware of the problems facing
them.
I suggest that the blame for this deficiency
lies with present and past administrations and legis-
latures who have refused to recognize the problem and
have refused to provide the means by which this problem
might be solved.
Therefore, I suggest to this conference
that one of its conclusions or recommendations be that
a prompt and vigorous program be started on all levels
-------
1088
John J. Garner
of government to provide more effective water pollution
control program, by providing adequate budgets and at-
tracting the personnel necessary to do the job, because,
gentlemen, without the personnel, you have no program.
Gentlemen, thank you for your time and
consideration of this statement.
(Applause.)
MR. STEIN: Thank you very much.
Are there any comments or questions?
(No response.)
MR. STEIN: If not, thank you.
Dr. Arnold?
DR. ARNOLD: Mr. Stein, this concludes our
presentation.
MR. STEIN: We didn't do so badly, did we?
We will have an announcement tomorrow at
eleven o'clock in the Exhibit Room, which is to my right.
We stand recessed until eleven 6'clock
tomorrow morning.
(Whereupon, at 5:35 p<,m., an adjournment
was taken until Friday, August 6, 1965, at 11:00 a.m.)
-------
1089
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 1965
1:40 P.M.
MR. STEIN: May we reconvene?
Someone once said we had the best job in
the world being able to make a living listening to
all kinds of stories.
As you can appreciate, this did take a
little longer than the eleven o'clock we first announced.
We have a very, very complicated problem, but we did
receive unanimity from the three States present, Michigan,
Indiana and Ohio, and the Federal Government. We do not
have the conferees from New York or Pennsylvania. New
York and Pennsylvania did not participate in the de-
liberations, but the conferees who are present here with
the Federal Government have completed a unanimous report,
and I think this is indeed very, very encouraging.
We somewhat underestimated the gestation
of the report, because we didn't recognize perhaps the
size or the complexity or the present views that we had
to overcome.
I personally would like to say, as Chairman
of the conference, that we had a tremendous discussion.
-------
1090
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
There was give and take in the best possible democratic
manner, and the conference recommendations and conclu-
sions represent the best views we can come up with,
consistent with the problems, State by State, and 1 think
in no respect compromising with the principle of clean
waters for the American people.
I would like to read the recommendations
and conclusions of the conferees.
1. The waters of Lake Erie within the United
States are interstate waters within the meaning of section
8 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. The waters
of Lake Erie within the United States and its tributaries
covered by the Cleveland session of this conference are
navigable waters within the meaning of section 8 of
the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
2. Lake Erie and its tributaries are pol-
luted. The main body of the Lake has deteriorated in
quality at a rate many times greater than its normal
aging processes, due to inputs of wastes resulting from
the activities of man.
3. Identified pollutants contributing to
damages to water uses in Lake Erie are sewage and in-
dustrial wastes, oils, silts, sediment, floating solids
and nutrients (phosphates and nitrates). Enrichment
-------
1091
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
of Lake Erie, caused by man-made contributions of nutrient
materials, is proceeding at an alarming rate. Pollution
in Lake Erie and its tributaries causes significant
damage to recreation, commercial fishing, sport fishing,
navigation, water supply, and esthetic values.
4. Eutrophication or over-fertilization of
Lake Erie and the Maumee River is of major concern.
Problems are occurring along the lake shoreline and at
some water intakes from algal growths stimulated by
nutrients. Algal growths can be controlled, and eutro-
phication of Lake Erie can be retarded and perhaps even
reversed by reducing one or more nutrients below the
level required for extensive growth.
5. Many sources of waste discharge in the
area still have inadequate waste treatment facilities.
The delays in controlling the pollution problem of the
area covered by the Cleveland session of the conference
are caused by the lack of such adequate facilities and
the complex municipal, industrial and biological nature
of the problem.
6. Interstate pollution of Lake Erie exists.
Discharges into Lake Erie and its tributaries from various
sources are endangering the health or welfare of persons
in states other than those in which such discharges
-------
1092
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
originate. In large measure this pollution is caused
by nutrients which over-fertilize the Lake. This pol-
lution is subject to abatement under the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act.
7. Pollution of navigable waters subject
to abatement under the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act is occurring in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie and
its tributaries. The discharges causing and contributing
to the pollution come from various municipal and indus-
trial sources, from garbage, debris, and land runoff.
8. Pollution of the Ohio waters of Lake
Erie and its tributaries within the State of Ohio en-
dangers health and welfare.
9. Municipal wastes be given secondary
treatment or treatment of such nature as to effectuate
the maximum reduction of BOD and phosphates as well as
other deleterious substances.
10. Secondary treatment plants be so designed
and operated as to maximize the removal of phosphates.
11. Disinfection of municipal waste effluents
be practiced in a manner that will maintain coliform con-
centrations not to exceed 5,000 organisms per 100 ml at
water supply intakes, and not to exceed 1,000 organisms
per 100 ml where and when the receiving waters in proximity
-------
1093
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
to the discharge point are used for recreational purposes
involving bodily contact.
12. All new sewerage facilities be designed
to prevent the necessity of bypassing untreated wastes.
13. Combined storm and sanitary sewers be
prohibited in all newly-developed urban areas, and
eliminated in existing areas wherever feasible. Existing
combined sewer systems be patrolled and flow-regulating
structures adjusted to convey the maximum practicable
amount of combined flows to and through treatment plants.
14. Program to be developed to prevent
accidental spills of waste materials to Lake Erie and
its tributaries. In-plant surveys with the purpose of
preventing accidents are recommended.
15. Unusual increases in waste output and
accidental spills to be reported immediately to the ap-
propriate State agency.
16. Disposal of garbage, trash, and other
deleterious refuse in Lake Erie or its tributaries be
prohibited and existing dumps along river banks and
shores of the Lake be removed.
17. Industrial plants improve practices
for the segregation and treatment of waste to effect
the maximum reductions of the following:
-------
1094
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
a. Acids and alkalies
b. Oil and tarry substances
c. Phenolic compounds and organic chemicals
that contribute to taste and odor prob-
lems
d. Ammonia and other nitrogenous substances
e. Phosphorus compounds
f. Suspended material
g. Toxic and highly-colored wastes
h. Oxygen-demanding substances
i. Excessive heat
j. Foam-producing discharges
k. Other wastes which detract from recrea-
tional uses, esthetic enjoyment, or other
beneficial uses of the waters.
18. The Michigan Water Resources Commission,
the Indiana Stream Pollution Control Board, and the Ohio
Water Pollution Control Board undertake action to insure
that industrial plants discharging wastes into waters
of Lake Erie and its tributaries within their respective
jurisdictions institute programs of sampling their ef-
fluents to provide necessary information about waste
outputs. Such sampling shall be conducted at such loca-
tions and with such frequency as to yield statistically
-------
1095
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
reliable values of all waste outputs and to show their
variations. Analyses to be so reported are to include
where applicable: pH, oil, tarry residues, phenolics,
ammonia, total nitrogen, cyanide, toxic materials, total
biochemical oxygen demand, and all other substances
listed in the preceding paragraph.
19. Waste results be reported in terms of
both concentrations and load rates. Such information
will be maintained in open files by the State agencies
for all those having a legitimate interest in the in-
formation.
20. The Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare establish water pollution surveillance sta-
tions at appropriate locations on Lake Erie. Surveillance
of the tributaries will be the primary responsibility of
the States. The Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare will assist the States at such times as requested.
21. Within six months after the issuance
of this Summary, the State water pollution control
agencies concerned will present a schedule of remedial
action to the conferees for their consideration and
evaluation.
22. The Federal conferee recommends the
following for the consideration of the State agencies:
-------
1096
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
a. Recommended remedial treatment*
Completion of plans and specifica-
tions August 1966, completion of
financing February 1967, construc-
tion started August 1967, construc-
tion completed January 1, 1969,
chlorination of effluents May 15,
1966, provision of stand-by and
emergency equipment to prevent
interruptions in operation of muni-
cipal treatment plants August 1966,
patrolling of combined sewer systems
immediately
b. Discontinuance of garbage and trash
dumping into waters immediately
c. Industrial waste treatment facilities
to be completed and in operation
by January 1, 1969.
23. Federal installations waste treatment
facilities to be completed ana in operation by August
of 1966.
24. Representatives of the United States
Corps of Engineers meet with the conferees, develop and
put into action a satisfactory program for disposal of
-------
1097
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
dredged material in Lake Erie and its tributaries which
will satisfactorily protect water quality. Such a
program is to be developed within six months after the
issuance of this summary and effectuated as soon as
possible thereafter.
25. The conference may be reconvened on
the call of the Chairman.
26. These conclusions will be re-evaluated
after the material at the Buffalo session of the conference
is presented.
At this time I would like to express my
appreciation to all of the conferees — Mr. Oeming of
Michigan, Mr. Poston of the Public Health Service, Mr.
Poole of Indiana, Dr. Arnold and Mr. Eagle of Ohio.
I would also like to express my appreciation
to all those of you who have stayed with us through the
long days of deliberation. The evaluation of the material
was indeed a difficult and exhausting task, and I hope
we have arrived at conclusions and recommendations which
will move the program forward.
My opinion is that this conference has been
one of the most successful we have held throughout the
country. I believe we have a practical orderly program
for moving ahead with the protection of Lake Erie, towards
-------
1098
Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
preserving a clean water supply, and putting us in a
position to at least arrest the pollution of the Lake,
and hopefully see our way clear to reversing the trend
of degradation.
MR. OEMING: I have a question.
MR. STEIN: Mr. Oeming.
MR. OEMING: Mr. Chairman, when you delivered
Item 22, I believe you, under "a" mentioned "recommended
remedial treatment." Did you misspeak, or wasn't that
supposed to be "recommended municipal treatment"?
MR. STEIN: I hope I said "municipal treat-
ment," but sometimes I make a mistake, because I am al-
ways thinking of remedies, but it should be "recommended
municipal treatment."
MR. OEMING: Yes, sir.
MR. POSTON: On Page 3, No. 11, the third
line, you left out the word "public." It should read
"organisms per 100 ml at public water supply intakes."
MR. STEIN: Yes, that should be "at public
water supply intakes." I left it out because it was
left out of the hectograph copy, but I think all the
conferees will acquiesce that we agreed on that.
I would suggest that anyone here having a
copy make that correction. Item 11, on Page 3, third
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Closing Statement - Mr. Stein
line, should read "at public water supply intakes."
Thank you very much.
MR. OEMING: Mr. Stein, there is one more
point that I want to clarify. In Item 22 a, that is
"construction completed January 1, 1969"; is that correct?
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. OEMING: 1969?
MR. STEIN: Yes.
MR. OEMING: All right.
MR. STEIN: If there are no further comments
or suggestions, for the conferees, thank you again.
We stand adjourned.
(Whereupon, at 2:00 p.m., the conference
was adjourned, to be reconvened at Buffalo, New York,
on Tuesday, August 10, 1965, at 9:30 a.m.)
GPO 900-582
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