FOR WATKR POLLUTION C'ONTROI
U. S. OF THE
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A FOR
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Man is destroying Lake Erie, Although the accelerating destruction process has been inadvertent,
it is as positive as if he had put all his energies into devising and implementing the means, After two gener-
ations the process has gained a momentum which now requires a monumental effort to retard. The effort must
not. only be basin-wide and highly coordinated; it must be immediate. Every moment lost in allowing the
destruction to continue will require a longer, more difficult, and more expensive corrective action.
Fortunately, although Lake Erie is the most sensitive of the Great, Lakes to waste inputs, it is also
the most amenable to corrective measures because of its relatively small volume., rapid ftashout time, and
the high volume input of excellent quality Lake Huron water. Lake Erie's total response to cleanup, begin-
ning now, will thus he measured in years or tens of years while the other lakes might require hundreds of
years.
The cleanup of Lake Erie is less a problem of engineering than it is a problem of diverse, inade-
quate, and unwieldy changing governmental policies, funding, and management. The technical engineering
methods of waste control are known or close at hand with the main requirement being only their coordinated
application. As an international, and an interstate body of water, management involves two national govern-
ments, five state governments,, one provincial government, and a multitude of local governments, Primary
responsibility for pollution control lies at the stale and provincial level.
The overall Great Lakes pollution problem was ackowledged in 1960 when funds mere appropriated,
under authorization of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956, for a comprehensive study of the
Great Lakes, The study was undertaken by the Division of Water Supply and Pollution Control of the U. S,
Public Health Service. 1 he Lake Erie portion of the study began in 1963, The Water Quality Act of 1965
transferred responsibility for the studies to the newly formed Federal Water Pollution Control Administration
which a short time later was transferred to the Department of the Interior,
fr ederal involvement in the Great Lakes pollution control effort led to several significant actions
concerning Lake Erie, In 1962 at the request of the Governor of Michigan, a Federal Enforcement Conference
convened to identify actions needed to abate serious pollution in Michigan's waters of the basin. In 1965, at
the request of the Governor of Ohio, another Federal, Enforcement Conference was held, with all five states
of the basin represented, to make recommendations and adopt schedules for abatement of waste discharges to
the United States portion of the basin, The recommendations were approved by the Secretary of the Interior,
The Water Quality Act of 1965 gave new urgency and support to the cooperative work already under-
way. The establishment of interstate water quality standards was required by the Act, These standards, a
joint effort by the States and the federal government, constitute a focal point for even greater effort. The
1.966 Clean Water Restoration amendments invited the Stales to adopt the same policy of standards to intra-
stale waters and all Lake Erie Stales are doing so, Jhese amendments also called for much larger federal
expenditures in pollution control.
Pollution control programs in the Lake Erie basin must be directed, in the years ahead, to the
achievement of these standards and to the fulfillment of the agreements of the two enforcement conferences,
In addition, programs should be directed to even further measures needed for the cleanup ofintrastate streams,
reduction of nutrients, consolidation of waste water treatment plants, and strengthening of State participation
as outlined in this report. Success in these efforts will require strong public support and continuing overall
direction and coordination of the vast array of pollution abatement machinery by the Federal government.
This report recommends a plan of action, combining immediate and long-range needs. It describes
the pollution problem and the ominous threat of continued pollution. If also describes what must be done to
save Lake Erie, who will fake these actions, and how much it will cost. It remains for the citizens of the
basin to act quickly, decisively, and wholeheartedly.
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FOREWORD
CONCLUSIONS, . . . . I
RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................... 11
CHAPTER I - THE BASIN AND ITS FEATURES .................. 17
General Description. ............................... 17
Hydrology ...................................... 21
CHAPTER 2 - THE DEMAND FOR WATER ...................... 27
Population ..................................... 27
Industry ....................................... 27
Agriculture ..................................... 28
Tourism and Recreation ............................. 28
Fish and Wildlife ................................. 29
Commercial Shipping ............................... 30
CHAPTER 3 - THE POLLUTION PROBLEM. .................... 31
Lake Problems ................................... 31
Tributary Problems ..,.,.....,........,,..,.,.,,,,, 37
Southeast Michigan Area, .................... 37
Maumee River Basin ....................... 40
North Central Ohio Area ..................... 43
Greater Cleveland-Akron Area ................. 45
Northeast Ohio Area ....................... 48
Pennsylvania Area ,..,,,...,.....,.,,,.,,, 48
New York Area ........................... 50
CHAPTER 4 - THE CAUSE OF POLLUTION, .................... 53
Waste Sources ................................... 5.3
Constituents in Wastes. ............................. 59
CHAPTER 5 - WATER POLLUTION CONTROL NEEDS ............. 67
Enforcement. .................................... 67
Water Quality Standards ..,,...,.,,....,,...,.,.,.... 71
Municipal and Industrial Waste Treatment Needs ............. 72
Other Needs .................................... 79
CHAPTER 6 - THE COST OF POLLUTION CONTROL .............. 83
Municipal Waste Treatment Costs, ...................... 83
Industrial Waste Treatment Costs. ...................... 86
APPENDIX ............................................. 87
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LIST OF
Figure Page
1 Population Projection for Lake Erie Basin ................ I
2 Projected Phosphorus Waste Within Lake Erie Basin .......... 2
3 Polluted Beach Areas in Lake Erie ..................... 3
4 Rise in Lake Erie Chloride Content since lc)00 ............. 4
5 Areas of Pr.im.ary Responsibility for Pollution of Lake Erie ..... 4
6 Heavily Polluted Tributaries to Lake Erie ................ 6
7 Ten Largest: Sources of Municipal Wastes in IJ. S. Portion, of
Lake Erie Basin ........................ 7
8 Twenty Major U. S. Industrial Water Users in Lake Erie Basin ... 8
1-1 Lake Erie Basin................................. 18
1-2 Lake Erie Bottom Topography ........................ 1.9
1-3 Bottom Deposits in Lake Erie ........................ 19
1-4 Dominant Summer Surface Flow Pattern in Lake Erie ......... 20
1-5 Dominant Summer Bottom. Flow Pattern in Lake Erie ......... 20
1-6 Precipitation in Lake Erie Basin ....................... 22
1-7 Comparative Water Inputs of Important Tributaries to Lake Erie . . 23
1-8 Monthly Tributary Flows to Lake Erie from St. Clair, Maumee,
and Cuyahoga Rivers ...,,,,.,..,,....,,,,. "24
1-9 Lake Erie Basin Ground Water Availability. ............... 24
1-10 Lake Erie Basin Ground Water Quality. .................. 25
2-1 Population Projection ............................. 27
2-2 Projected Municipal Water Use. ....................... 28
2-3 Projected Industrial Water Use. ........................ 28
2-4 Recreation Areas in Lake Erie Basin ................... 29
3-1 Hypothetical Rates of Aging ......................... 32
3-2 .Aging Indicators.................................. 32
3-3 Phytoplankton Abundance at Cleveland Water Intake ......... 33
3-4 Changes in Chemical Characteristics of Lake Erie. .......... 33
3-5 Decline of Desirable Fish in Lake Erie (5 Year Running Averages) 33
3-6 Sludgeworms-Western Basin Lake Erie. .................. 34
3-7 Lake Erie Dissolved Oxygen Bottom Water — August 1964. ..... 34
3-8 Lake Erie Bathing Beach. Water Quality Situation ........... 36
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Figure Page
3-9 Southeast Michigan Area Water Quality Situation ............. 38
3-10 Maumee River Basin Water Quality Situation ................ 41
3-11 North Central Ohio Area Water Quality Situation ..,,,....,... 44
3-12 Greater Cleveland-Akron Area Water Quality Situation, ......... 46
3-13 Northeastern Ohio Area Water Quality Situation. ............. 49
3-1.4 New York Area Water Quality Situation ................... 51
4-1 I960 Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant Data by Subbasin ....... 54
4-2 I960 Industrial Discharges by Subbasin ................... 54
4-3 Lake Erie Basin Total Projected Daily BOD Load and Effect of
Reduction-Industrial and Municipal Sources ........ 60
4-4 Present and Projected. BOD Load Discharged in the Lake Erie Basin 61
4-5 Present and Projected Chloride Discharges- in the Lake Erie Basin
Without Additional Controls .................. 62
Present and Projected Phosphorus Discharges In the Lake Erie
Basin without Additional Control ............... 64
4-8 Projected Phosphorus Load to Lake Erie by Source-Cumulative ... 64
5-1 Southeast Michigan Area Proposed Interceptors. ............. 7.3
5-2 Southeast Michigan Area. Major Municipal and Industrial Waste
Treatment Needs ......................... 74
5-3 Maumee Rivet Basin and North Central Ohio Area Major Municipal
and Industrial Waste Treatment Needs ............. 76
5-4 Greater Cleveland-Akron and Northeastern Ohio Areas Major
Municipal and Industrial Waste Treatment Needs ...... 78
5-5 Perm sylvan via and New York Areas Major Municipal and
Industrial Waste Treatment Needs. ............... 80
6-1 Noncumulative Annual. 1'reatment Costs through 1989 .......... 84
6-2
6-1
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'Table Page
1 Waste Discharges to Tributaries in Lake Erie Basin ......... 5
1-1 Estimated Water Balance in Lake Erie .................. 22
1-2 Runoff Statistics for Tributaries of the Lake Erie Basin ....... 23
3-1 Water Quality of Lake Erie Bathing Beaches .............. 3?
4-1 Percent Waste Contribution of Major Source Areas
in Lake Erie Basin .......,.,........,..,, 53
4-2
4-3 Municipal Treatment Plant Waste Discharges in Population
Equivalents............................ 55
4-4 Industrial Waste Source Classification. .................. 55
4-5 Twenty Largest U. S, Producers of Industrial Waste Water
in Lake Erie Drainage Basin ................. 56
4-6 Projected BOD in Ibs/day from. Storm Water Overflows
Assuming no Further Control Measures or
Separation of Existing Sewers ................ 57
4-7 Projected BOD Ibs/day Storm Water Overflow Assuming
Separate Sewer Systems Throughout .,....,,,.,, 57
4-8 1967 Estimated Harbor Dredging Spoil Damped in Lake Erie, .... 58
4-9 Waste Loads to Lake Erie Basin Waters, ................. 60
4-10 Present Untreated Municipal and Industrial BOD Loads by
Subbasin.............................. 61
4-11 Present and Projected Phosphorus Discharges to Lake Erie
Exclusive of Lake Huron Input. ............... 63
5-1 Summary of Water Pollution Control Needs ................ 67
A-l Southeast Michigan Area Major Municipal Waste Problems ...... 87
A-2 Southeast Michigan Area Major Industrial Waste Problems ...... 89
A-3
\-4 Maumee River and North Central Ohio Area Major Industrial
Waste Problems ....................
A-5 Greater Cleveland-Akron and Northeast Ohio Areas Major
Municipal Waste Problems. ............
A-6 Greater Cleveland-Akron and Northeast Ohio Areas Major
Industrial Waste Problems. .................. 101
A-7 Pennsylvania and New York Areas Major Municipal Waste Problems 104
A-8 Pennsylvania and New York Areas Major Industrial Waste Problems 106
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1. Lolif- Erie is the economic lifc-blood of over
13 million persons, a priceless national heritage
whose quality must be maintained and enhanced
and passed on to future generations in a condition
of unlimited usefulness,
2. The U.S. population in the Lake Erie basin
stands at 11.5 million. Another 1.5 million persons
live on the Canadian side of the lake. The total
population is expected to swell to 18 million
persons by 1990 (Figure 1), increasing the need for
'"'(!! ! V a .! v ' i'i ,, i', hldli (is " , ', ,i*
Figure 1 — Population Projection
for the Lake Erie
3. The major water uses of Lake Erie are as
follows:
a. Water Supply Municipalities use 1,5
billion gallons per day with 44% being
taken directly from the lake, 38% from
the Detroit River, and 18% from inland
sources. Industries use 9.6 billion
gallons per day withdrawing 46% of this
from the lake, 44% from the Detroit and
St. Clair Rivers, and 10% from inland
sources,
b. Recreation — Recreation in the form of
swimming, water skiing, boating, and
sport fishing is a major industry, and the
lake itself is the main attraction. During
1963, 75 million visits were made to the
170 federal, state, and local parks in the
basin.
c. Commercial. Fishing — The value of
commercial fish caught: in Lake Erie has
rapidly declined because of the absence
of the high quality fish in recent years,
but the total poundage of fish caught has
remained relatively steady, averaging
approximately 50 million pounds annually
through 1966,
d. Commercial Shipping — In 1965 trade at
major ports was 141 million tons of cargo.
omission by the people and the governments in the
Lake Erie basin as guardians of its water resources,
which have placed those resources in their present
condition. It is equally true that Lake Erie can be
restored to its one-time health and usefulness only
Algae produced by Lake Erie's overenrichment with
nutrients clog the basin's benches, produce taste
and odors in domestic water supplies, and deplete
the lake's lower wafers of oxygen.
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"Toledo area beaches, Century
Park, Sheffield Lake Park, Avon
Lake Park, Rocky River Park,
Perkins Beach, Edgewater Park,
White City, Euclid, Wildwood,
and Lloyd Road
1 ii i . ' , ,;que Isle and
6, Phosphorus, because it is the one essential
nutrient for which control measures are best known,
is easily singled out as the key to control of over-
fertilization arid premature aging of Lake Iitie.
The; phosphorus contribution of 137,000 Ibs/day
from sources within the Lake Erie basin is composed
of 72% from municipal wastes, 17% from rural runoff,
4% from industrial wastes, and 7% from urban runoff.
In municipal wastes, 66% comes from detergents.
If the total phosphorus discharges continue un-
checked, the phosphorus load is expected, to in-
crease to 227,000 Ibs/day by 1990 (Figure 2).
' V r t > '< t' 'i, , '' i '
Within the Lake Erie Basin
Many bathing beaches ore now closed temporarily
or permanently. Combined sewers, storm water over*
flows, inadequately treated sewage have
the main source of pollution.
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SLING ST. I
DETR '
CEt> I : l"1
SHI-1 ' ' '
AVC" , '» ' .
ROCKY RIVER PK. ''" /
PERKINS BEACH '* ,„'.,
TOLEDO AREA. BEACHE!
Figure
AH^US in Luke Lilt:
Millions of tons of silt yearly are wasted to the
lake by shore erosion.
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Figure 4 — Rise in Lake Efio Chloride Content
Since 1906
beginning of this century. At that time a noticeable
increase began, and in 60 years the concentration
has more than tripled. Industrial wastes account
for 43% of the chloride load to Lake Erie, the Lake;
Huron input 26%, municipal wastes 7%, and street
deicing 12%. .Another 12% Is derived from undifferen-
tinted Ca.na.dlao sources,
12. Three geographical areas are primarily
responsible for the present polluted condition of
Lake Erie (Figure 5)» These areas in order of
decreasing effect on the overall quality of Lake
Erie water are (1) Detroit, Michigan, and its sur-
.";tuncling municipalities, (2) tht- Gre.iter ClovehuiJ-
Akroo nre.i, and (5) the Muurneo River bas-in .iiea.
" r . . *%
Mouth of Rivei, Oil slicks, iron, and in«
adequately sewage.
13- Host of the tributaries are polluted to the
extent that many uses of the water are inhibited or
nonexistent. The primary pollution problem in the
tributaries is lack of dissolved oxygen caused by
the discharge of inadequately treated municipal
wastes and certain industrial wastes.
The heavily polluted tributaries (Figure 6)
,(«:• listec? in Table' I aton^ with the major sources
Lfi.xt
NCMf: NUMBERS INPSCATC DECREASING ORDER Of
POLLUTION RESPONSIBILITY.
5 — of for Pollution of
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1 - TO IN
TRIBUTARY
MAJOR POLUH I < . •*«(>(,,
Municipal
Industrial
Ml chigan
Clinton R.
Pontiac, Utica, Rochester,
Me. Clemens, Warren, Fraser,
Sterling Twp., Harrison Twp.
Rooge R.
Detroit R.
Detroit
Ford, Scott Paper
Detroit, Wyanclotte, Riverview,
Trenton, Grosse He, Wayne
County
Great Lakes Ste* I, Vic ' >. hemical,
McLouth Steel, Ir-emisak cJuemical,
Wyandotte Chemical, Mobil Oil,
Monsanto Chemical, Firestone
Rubber, Revere Copper & Brass
Huron R.
Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti,
Ypsilanti Twp.. Flat Rock
Ford, General Motors
Raisin R,
Monroe
Consolidated Packaging,'
Time Container, Union Bag-Camp,
Ford
Indiana
Upper Maumee R.
Buffalo R.
Ft, Wayne
Ohio
Lower Maumee R,
Auglaize R.
Portage R.
Sandusky R.
Lower Black R.
Rocky R.
Upper Cuyahoga R,
Lower Cuyahoga R,
Lower Grand R.
Lower Ashtabula R.
Pennsylvania
None
New York
Cattaraugus Cr.
Toledo
Lima, Findlay Soliio
Bowling Green, Fostoria
Bucyrus, Upper Sandusky,
Tiffin, Fremont
Elyria, Lorain U.S. Steel, Republic Steel
Berea, North Olmsted, Lakewood
Akron Goodyear, B.F. Goodrich, Firestone
Cleveland U.S. Steel, Republic Steel,
Jones and Laugh Lin Steel
Paine sville Diamond Shamrock
Cabot Titania, Detrex Chemical,
Olio Mathieson, Reactive Metals
Moendi Tannery, Peter Cooper Glue
Buffalo, West Seneca, Depew,
Lancaster
Allied Chemical, Conner Hanna
Coke, Republic Steel, Mobil Oil
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If,
Figure 6 - Heavily Pollul >' < "t utaries to Lake Erie
14. About 9 million people are served by
sewers and sewage treatment in the U.S. portion of
the Lake Erie basin, discharging wastes amounting
to 1.5 billion gallons per day. Fifty-seven percent
of these are served by only primary treatment while
about 2 million people live in areas which are
unsewered. After treatment the; waste from the
sewered population is reduced to an amount equiva-
lent to the oxygen demand of raw sewage from a
population of 4.7 million, resulting in a. treatment
efficiency of 50% for the five Lake Erie basin
states.
15. The ten largest sources of United Stales
municipal wastes (Figure 7) based upon strength of
waste discharged and in decreasing order are as
follows:
Detroit, Michigan
Cleveland, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Wayne County, Michigan
Akron, Ohio
Euclid, Ohio
Lorain, Ohio
Sandiisky, Ohio
Ene, Pennsylvania.
Ft. Wayne, Indiana
Few of the basin's municipal plants presently pro*
vide adequate treatment.
16. Large 'quant!lies of municipal wastes milk-
out any treatment enter the streams in the Lake
Erie basin via combined sanitary and storm water
sewers. The amount is estimated at 40 billion
gallons yearly, file yearly average strength of the
wastes discharged from these sewer systems is
estimated to be equivalent to the oxygen demand of
raw sewage from a population of 615,000, This raw
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estimated $5 hill ion.
18. The 20 largest producers of industrial
waste water (Figure 8) in decreasing order are as
follows: (Excluding steam-electric generating
plants)
Industry
Location
Combined sewer overflows contribute large qoon*
titles of raw sewage during heavy rainfalls.
17. Approximately 360 industrial concerns dis-
charge direct, to the basin's waters a total of 9.6
billion gallons per day of waste:' water. The steam-
electric generating plants contribute 72% of this
Dearborn and
Monroe, Michigan
Lorain and Cleveland,
Ohio and. Buffalo,
New York
Lackawanna, N.Y.
Ecorse and River
Rouge, Michigan
Jones & Laughlin Steel Cleveland, Ohio
Republic Steel
Bethlehem .Steel
Great Lakes Steel
Wy an do 11 e Ch e m i c a 1.
Pennsalt Chemical
Gulf Oil
,..T . , .... O,,,, t ,
1 " , al
Wyandotte, Michigan
Riverview, Michigan
Toledo, Ohio
Trenton, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan,
and Buffalo, N.Y,
Toledo, Ohio
Detroit, Michigan
Toledo and Lima. Ohio
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Mobil Oil
Hammermill P aper
M o n s an to Ch em I c a 1
Diamond Shamrock
Consolidated Paper
Painesville, Ohio
Cleveland and Lorain,
Ohio
Trenton, Michigan, and
Buffalo, New York
Erie, Pennsylvania
Trenton, Michigan
Painesville, Ohio
Man ro e, MI cfalgan
Aim'ost ten billion gallons of process and cooling
waters containing various pollytanfs are discharged
daily by the area's industries,
waters with both oil and brine.
19. Oil and gas drilling and exploitation "is
expected in the U.S. waters of Lake Erie, It Is
now being done in Canadian waters. A potential
for oil and brine contamination is apparent,
20, Two enforcement conferences have been
called in the Lake Erie basin, one in 1962 covering
just the; Michigan waters and then one in 1965
covering the entire lake, Through this procedure
in the Federal Water Pollution Control Law and
state programs, remedial schedules have been set
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for 146 industrial polluters and 118 municipal
polluters In the basin with construction of all
facilities to be completed by 1972, The; remedial
schedules developed by the Lake Erie Enforcement
Conference are for secondary treatment with an
unspecified level of phosphorus removal for muni-
cipal wastes. Additional remedial schedules are
needed to achieve the necessaryphosphorus control.
for construction of certain remedial works by ll)72.)
If the needs specified in the standards submissions
are fully and rapidly implemented by the five states,
water quality in the interstate tributaries and near*
shore lake waters should greatly improve to the
extent that the intended, uses of these waters will.
be met. The improvement will be rapid once the
facilities are installed and effectively operated.
If similar requirements are; adopted for Intrastate
•waters, then a, commensurate degree of improvement
will be achieved for these; streams;.
Rep, Vanik, Stanley Spisiak, Secretory Uelall, and
former Cleveland Mayor Locher Inspect the Cuyahoga
Ki¥er at the time of the second Lake Erie Enforce-
Conference.
21. Successful and total clean-up of Lake Erie's
present pollution and effective management of its
future water quality will require U.S.—Canadian
agreements and cooperation. Indications that such
will be forthcoming are available in Canadian and
United States assent to arid participation in an
investigation of pollution In Lake Erie now under-
way by the International Joint Commission (IJC).
This investigation, requested jointly by the Govern-
ments of Canada and the '{Jolted States in 1964,
will culminate in a report from the IJC which will
include recommendations for aeeded remedial.
measures in both countries.
Acceptance and adoption of the report,
which is scheduled for completion in 1969 by the
two nations, thus would launch a joint coordinated
and 'unprecedented U.S. and Canadian program to
manage Lake Erie's water quality,
22. The cost of sewerage and treatment for the
next five years sufficient to meet the requirements
for municipal and industrial wastes specified in
this report is estimated at $1.1 billion for muni-
cipalities and $285 million for industry. Of the
municipal costs, $400 million is for treatment and
$700 million is for sewer construction.
23. Under the provisions of the Water Quality
Act of 1965, water quality standards have been set
by the five slates bordering Lake Erie and these
have been approved with a few qualifications by
the Secretary of the Interior, (The standards call
Perhaps most important, the remedial pro-
gram calls for arresting the accelerated eutrophi-
cation which is gradually destroying Lake Erie.
Accordingly the report recommends the drastic
reduction of nutrient: inputs. The input levels are
based upon the best available information relating
inputs, algal, production, and the ability of the lake
to purge itself of nutrients. The goal is to reduce
algal production throughout the western, basin, of the
lake and along all shores to approximately the
productive levels now existing in midlake, central,
.and eastern basin waters. Thus nuisance growths
will be greatly reduced in frequency and extent, and
probably within two or three years after inputs are
under control. It is quite likely, however, that
nuisance algal growths will continue to occur
occasionally with blooms of proportions something
less than at present for some years to come —
perhaps ten or more, Hypolimnetic dissolved
oxygen depletion, directly related to algal produc-
tivity, will continue for at least the same length of
time. This is because of the existing very large
nutrient storage in bottom sediments. These
nutrients are released under naturally occurring
conditions, largely uncontrollable at present.
It is uncertain that Lake Erie can feasibly
be returned to its pre-existing state of aging, that
condition which existed prior to man's appearance,
or even to the condition which existed at the turn of
the century. It can be reliably predicted that the
lake will return to some intermediate state of aging,
but the exact state cannot be predicted. Probably
more important is that the rate of aging, now
accelerating rapidly, can be brought back to near
the natural rate. Most important is that these
changes wild result in a major improvement in water
qu.al.ity and the sustaining of that quality.
9
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The five Lake Erie basin states have agreed to
the recommendations arising from the Detroit and
Lake Erie Enforcement conferences and have
instituted programs designed to achieve the aims
of the conferees. In accordance with the Water
Quality Act of 1965, the five states also established
interstate water quality standards and submitted
plans to implement these standards for the Lake
Erie basin to the Secretary of the Interior for
Federal approval and promulgation. Each of the
States* standards have been approved, subject to a
few conditions, and adopted by the Secretary of the
Interior,
The Federal-State watei quality standards
implementation plans are of primary significance
since they describe in general what must be done
to meet the water quality criteria.
5.
6, General recognition and incorporation of the
recommendations of the Detroit River and
Lake Erie enforcement conferences along
with the results of the evaluation by the
latter's technical committee on nutrients
and their effects,
Some of the elements incorporated in these
plans, and to which the states as a consequence of
the standards*setting process are committed, include:
1, The identification of significant sources of
municipal and industrial waste water and an
estimate of the general level of treatment
now practiced by the principal treatment
facilities.
2. A time schedule for completion of remedial
facilities which will provide for the abate-
ment of substantial existing conventional
municipal and industrial pollution by mid-
1972.
3. The establishment of secondary treatment
as a minimum treatment level for all signi-
ficant municipal wastes and equivalent
treatment as a minimum for industrial wastes,
4. Recognition of the need before 1972 for
treatment greater than secondary at specific
installations. Also provided is an expression
of intent on the part of- the state agencies to
require nutrient removal to the greatest
extent possible consistent with available
technology.
been, affirmatively demonstrated by the state water
pollution control agency and the Department of the
Interior that such change is justifiable as a result
of necessary economic or social development and
will not interfere with or become injurious to any
assigned uses made of, or presently possible in,
such waters. This will require; that any industrial,
public or private project or development which
would constitute a. new source of pollution or an
increased source of pollution to high quality waters
will be required, as part of the initial project de-
sign, to provide the highest and best, degree of
waste treatment available under existing technology;
and since these are also Federal standards, these
waste treatment requirements will be developed
cooperatively," *
As of May 1, 1968, only Michigan has adopted
such, a clause,
In some cases the water quality standards
include requirements in addition to the above or
include other expressions of intent. As an example,
Ohio standards recognize and support the elements
11
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of the Northwest Ohio Water Development Plan
developed by the Ohio Water Commission. This
Ohio plan emphasizes among other requirements
the need within the next decade for establishing
sewer systems and advanced waste treatment
systems in most of the municipalities in Northwest
Ohio.
The water quality standards were not intended
to be the final answer in all phases of water pollution
control for all time to come. By its own nature the
standards setting process precluded certain actions
and discussions necessary for the total task of
saving Lake Erie. This report presents a total
unified water pollution, control program for the lake
which brings together the requirements of each of
the states" individual water quality standards and
outlines additional needs that go beyond those not
specified or intended in. the standards. It is a plan
for control of pollution based upon, the best know-
ledge existing today. It: is expected that as condi-
tions and needs change; that actions to meet these
new needs will change accordingly. Furthermore it
must be kept in mind that detailed, engineering
analyses of individual municipal and industrial
waste treatment needs by state and local units of
government may .indicate alternative but equally
good means of reducing waste loads.
Some of the elements that were not incorporated
in water quality standards that ate incorporated, to
this document on Lake Erie include:
1, The need for defining long-range pollution
control, programs necessary to maintain high
quality water in Lake Erie alter standards
have been iniplera.eo.ted.
2. International cooperation from the Canadian
Province of Ontario and its role in the
remedial pollution, control program for Lake
Erie.
3. Recognition of certain problems such, as oil
and gas well drilling in the lake.
4. Numerous areas where large scale research
and development is needed to aid in the
restoration of the lake.
5. Programs to bring about the centralization
of sewerage systems to control water pollu-
tion on a metropolitan or area-wide basis.
6. Requirements for control of intrastate in
addition to interstate pollution,
In the standards setting process,, a number of
agreements and requirements were specified in
general terms. This document spells out in detail,
these requirements especially in regard to the
following:
1, Those communities needing advanced waste
treatment and certain communitie? needing
secondary treatment that were not named
specifically in. water quality standards
.reports,
2. The specific level of treatment necessary to
limit the discharge of nutrients and oxygen-
demanding substances in municipal and
certain, industrial wastes in order to meet the
established water quality criteria for Lake
Erie and its tributaries,
3, Individual requirements for control of pollution
from combined sewers,
4. Treatment requirements and control methods
needed for certain Federal programs and
installations on Lake Erie.
The recommendations which follow are designed
to achieve the established water quality standards
for the Lake Erie basin.
In regard to the interstate •waters of the basin,
recommendations 1, "j, 6, 8, 9, 10, 1.1, and 17 are
covered in some way or pertain to the remedial
measures specified in the water quality standards
and implementation plans.
1. Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
New York should pursue diligently and expeditiously
fa) the requirements of the enforcement conference,
(b) their plans of implementation designed to achieve
the water quality' standards for Lake Erie, and (c)
the additional recommendations specified in this
report.
2, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania should
adopt water quality standards for intrastate streams
and these should be consistent with those adopted.
for interstate waters. New York and Indiana have
already adopted, intrastate standards; others are
presently holding or have completed hearings pur-
suant to the adoption of intrastate standards.
3. Each of the five Lake Erie basin states
should have the necessary financial support to con-
struct the waste treatment facilities to meet the
established water quality standards for the Lake
Erie basin. The five states either haYe or are ob-
taining legislation and bonding authority to secure
the financial support, but in some; cases the amount
of money is insufficient.
4. Each of the five Lake Erie basin stales
should obtain the necessary public and legislative
support to strengthen its water pollution control,
programs in the areas of operator training, and
optimal maintenance and operation of waste treat-
ment plants. Surveillance, enforcement, and water
quality management activities also should be
increased.
12
-------
Algae (cladophora) along the Ohio shoreline near
Sanelusky,
No cities presently treat to this level in the
Lake Erie watershed although it Is recognized that
the states are; embarking on a program to require
treatment.
authorities to control water pollution on a metro-
politan basis. Such master planning and expanded
arfia-wi.de; control is currently needed in the metro-
politan areas of Detroit, Michigan; Toledo, Akron,
and Cleveland, Ohio; and Buffalo,, New York. It is
recognized that most major cities already provide
some sewer service to other communities arid, that
many areas including the; Detroit, Cleveland, and
.Buffalo metropolitan areas are embarking on pro-
grams to pro¥ide much greater area-wide control.
Those communities in Ohio within the metropolitan
Indiana.
A til) tiro
Decatur
Ohio
Akron
Amherst
.Archbold
Attica
Bellevue
B ere a
Bloomdale
Bloomville
Bowling Green
Brook Park
-------
New York
East Aurora
Eden Twp.
Hamburg Village
Gowanda (if industrial wastes
ate included)
Holland Twp.
North Collins
By 1990, in order to protect the oxygen
resources of the basin, treatment of municipal
wastes at a degree greater than secondary will be
necessary throughout the basin.
Michigan
Ford Motor Co. Rouge Plant, Dearborn
Great Lakes Steel Corp., Detroit, Elver
Rouge, and Ecorse
McLouth Steel Corp., Trenton and
Gibraltar
9. Immediate measures must he instituted by
the states to provide for bathing conditions which
meet health standards. Since the major cause; of
the public health problem, at bathing beaches is the
discharge of fecal matter from combined storm and
sanitary sewers and inadequately treated sewage,
the immediate measures should take the form of
disinfection at the outlets in the vicinity of bathing
areas and diversion of troublesome outlets to
remote areas away from beaches. Existing public
beaches should be opened for bathing as soon as
adequate emergency control measures are taken,
Local water pollution control agencies should
establish surveillance of the sewer outlets that
have been designated as affecting bathing beach
areas to see that all discharges are adequately
disinfected. In addition the beaches themselves
should be continuously monitored to assure maximum
protection to public health,
New York
Republic Steel, Buffalo
Bethlehem Steel Corp., Lackawanna
Donner Hanna Coke, Buffalo
10. The five Lake Erie basin stales should
begin or accelerate programs to devise methods to
cleat with the problems of storm and combined
sewer overflows. By 1980 all cities should have
eliminated pollution (including nutrients) caused by
urban runoff and combined sewer overflows. All
outlets to surface waters should then be disinfected
and directed away from recreational areas.
11. Many industries in. the Lake Erie basin need
treatment facilities to abate pollution and to meet
established water quality standards. It: is recognized
that many of the industries named below may already
have substantial abatement programs underway or
may have completed the necessary treatment
facilities.
rf ti '
he ' " ''
ope; ',' , i
crec
effe, , • I
due:' 'i
acic1 i ' i
that • 'i"
stre '..'i ' ' *
the ' , 11 i i.,' ! •
Erie .«'•<.!
but , • i i . , i ' i
industries:
Oils, iron, solids, phenols, oxygen demanding mo*
terials, etc, discharged by the iron steel
producing industries.
The petroleum industry should install,
operate, and maintain or otherwise in-
crease waste reduction facilities to
reduce phenolic discharges to the extent
that taste and odors ate eliminated, and
to reduce oil wastes to the extent that
no oil films are visible in the receiving
stream. This includes but is not limited
to the following industries:
.Michigan
Mobil Oil, Detroit
Ohio
Sun Oil, Toledo
Pure Oil, Toledo
Standard Oil, Toledo and Lima
Ashland Oil, Findlay
New York
Mobil Oil, Buffalo
14
-------
• ' in ; i
Ohlc
Waste reduction facilities for solids and oxyger
demanding materials are needed for paper and foot
processing plants,
-------
12. State and Federal agricultural agencies
should begin or accelerate programs to control
sediment loss, oxygen-demanding substances, and
fertilizing agents from animal feed lots and farm-
land runoff,
13. Discussions are now underway for gas and
oil exploration in Lake Erie. Should such drilling
proceed, the oil and gas producing industry should
install and operate waste elimination equipment on
rigs to be used in the U.S. waters of Lake Erie to
the extent that oil or other substances do not pollute
the ivaters of the lake.
14. The Corps of Engineers should find suitable
methods of disposal of polluted harbor dredging
spoils other than open lake dumping.
15. Each municipality, port authority, or industry
containing a harbor should establish procedures to
prevent and control oil spillage in harbor waters.
16. Interstate and Federal mobilization machinery
to handle potential large oil spillages in the lake
proper should be strengthened,
17. Recommendations which have been specified
by the states in their plans to implement water
quality stan.da.tds which bear repeating are as follows;
a. Control of 'vessel pollution.
b. Controls prohibiting open dumping of
garbage, trash, and other deleterious
refuse along the shores of Lake Erie and
its tributaries.
c. Disinfection of all municipal treatment
plant wastes,
d. Establishment and im,piem,entation of
soil erosion control programs,
18. Research should be undertaken or continued
on the following aspects:
a. Control of nutrient input to Lake Erie
through better treatment methods, reduc-
tion of nutrient input in agricultural
runoff, and developniei.it of a suitable
product solution for phosphorus contained
in detergents.
b. Effective means to prevent the formation
of oxygen-deficient zones in mid-Lake
Erie,
c. Determination of the exact role of Lake
Erie bottom, sediments in the overall
chemistry of Lake Erie,
d. Effective means to reduce pollution from
rural runoff.
e. Effective means to restore the Lake hrie
f. Determination of the role of pesticides in
Lake Erie pollution.
h. Determination of the effects of potential
increased thermal pollution in Lake Erie,
ItT
Water for all uses is for future generations.
19. The Great Lakes Basin Commission should
utilize the findings of this report as a basis for the
pollution control porticos of their multiple-purpose
planning efforts on Lake Erie. This report should
also provide a base of data and recommendations
for consideration by the International Joint Com-
mission in its "Report on the Pollution of Lake
Erie, Lake Ontario, and the International Section of
the St. Lawrence River", scheduled for completion
in 1969.
20. Municipal and industrial, plant inspection,
data gathering, and monitoring activities of the
Lake Erie states and the FWPCA should he co-
ordinated and expanded to maintain intimate know-
ledge of waste loadings, bypasses, treatment plant
efficiencies, and illegal, discharges in order that
such information may be; used in day-to-day water
quality management.
16
-------
I
The Great Lakes are similar in their origin and
history but Lake Erie stands apart in its physical
characteristics. These characteristics make it more
susceptible to the manifestations of water pollution,
as will be seen in Chapter 3— The Pollution Problem.,
The Lake Erie basin (Figure 1-1) is 40,000
square miles of generally low-level, flat, clay-rich
land, formed by glacial abrasion and deposition,
The topography in the southeastern part of the
basin is hilly and more rocky. Streams throughout
are characteristically sluggish and winding and
carry high silt loads, especially in the western part
of the basin. Most streams also carry huge waste
loads.
Lake Erie proper, occupying 9,940 square miles,
lies for the most part in the east half of the drain-
age basin. The lake deepens toward the east to a
maximum depth of 216 feet, but the average depth
for the entire lake is only 60 feet. The bottom. Is
very flat (Figure 1-2) and is comprised mainly of
dark sludge-like mud (Figure 1-3). The lake Is
divided into three subbasins: the western basin,
central basin, and eastern basin. The rocky island
chain separates the shallow western basin from the
central basin, and a. low, wide, submerged sand and
gravel ridge separates the deep eastern basin from
the central basin. The physical character of each of
these basins has great bearing on their responses
to waste inputs,
The western basin (1,200 square miles) is shal-
low, flat, and sludge-covered with interruptions by
a few reefs and rocky islands. The shores are non-
resistant clays except for rock in the Island area.
The water of the western basin is more turbid
than in the remainder of the lake because of large
silt input, wave stirring, and. high algal productivity.
It is subject to large, short-period changes in water
level. Natural circulation (Figures 1-4 and 1/5) is
controlled by the large Detroit, River inflow and pre-
vailing winds. The Detroit River penetrates far
southward Into the basin and then drains for the
most part through the northern island channels. The
Maumee River, generally silt-laden, is the largest
tributary originating In the Lake Erie watershed,
and flows into the west: eod of the basin. The dis-
persion of its discharge and that of the Michigan
shore streams is retarded somewhat by the Detroit
River flow, resultlo.g in high concentrations "of pol-
lutants along the western, shore.
The water of the western basin is usually uni-
form in temperature, top to bottom, but responds
more quickly (because of its shallowness) to atmos-
pheric temperature changes than the remainder of
the lake. Occa.slona.lly in summer the water strat-
ifies thermally for short periods leading to rapid
oxygen depletion near the bottom, drastically
affecting bottom organisms,
The central basin of Lake Erie is by far the
largest of the three basins;, covering approximately
6,300 square miles. Its average water depth is 60
feet with a maximum of about 80 feet. The shores
are generally high clay banks with narrow beaches.
The bottom is, for the most part, remarkably flat and
comprised of mud- with high organic content. Sand
and gravel with shallower water depths, exist near
shore and In a. broad submerged ridge extending
south-southeastward from Point Pelee, Ontario.
Although the central basin receives more than
90 percent of its water supply from the western
basin drainage, the water is considerably less tur-
bid and less biologically productive. However,
productivity is high along the south shore.
Water temperatures in the central basin are
uniform top to bottom from fall, until late spring. In
winter the entire basin, is occasionally ice-covered.
From June until September it is temperature-
stratified with a thermocline 50 to 60 feet below the
surface. The thermocline is usually so sharp that
75°F water Is essentially floating on 55°F water.
During stratification the relatively thin bottom cold
water layer (hypolimnion) may lose all of its dis-
solved oxygen while the upper warm water (epili'in-
nion) remains at or above saturation. The loss of
dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion is progressive
and the minimum is usually recorded late in the
stratification period, in August or September. The
hypolimnion begins to thin when the lake starts
cooling in August, and disappears in late September
17
-------
*
-.
ft
X if*
•« '•s.c^
1 2L-"5
SCALE IN Ml "
-------
LAKE ERIE
1 OM6ITUDINAI
l OSS SECTIO'
CANADA
DETRCi
' I I . (- I , I
19
-------
•r1
< >~"\ \"<
l».f - Oominaitt &»mm«t Surface Flow Potter in Loke Erie
Figoie l»ri Flow in
20
-------
or early October, Then an oxygen-deficient zone no
longer exists.
and deepening rapidly to 40 to 50 feet below the
surface. The depth to the thermocline increases as
summer progresses and reaches 120 feet or more by
the time it breaks up in November.
Dissolved oxygen content declines in the east-
em basin hypolimnion in summer, but rarely to less
than 50 percent oj saturation mainly because of its
large volume, slow movement, and low temperature".
The eastern basin hypolimnion is effectively sepa-
rated from the central basin hypolimnion by the
sand and gravel bar crossing the lake between Long
Point, Ontario and Erie, Pennsylvania.
Currents in the eastern basin (Figures 1-4 and
1-5) are similar in gross pattern, to those of the
central basin except that those in bottom waters are
always very slow. Near the thermocline they are
confused by thernioclinal waves causing vertical
and horizontal dispersion. The nearshore flow is
similar to that of the central basin, but confined to
a narrower zone because of relatively deep water.
Here again shore inputs are largely confined to this
zone. Materials escaping this zone may disperse
widelv.
Materials suspended in central, basin water
appear to accumulate on, the bottom on the north
side of the lake near the west end of the basin.
This is a result of the westward bottom flow which
both upwells and becomes a large clockwise eddy
in that area. Materials escaping the south shore
eastward flow can actually cross the lake when
caught in this bottom flow.
Water levels generally do not fluctuate greatly
with the wind in the central basin. Wave activity in
the central basin during storms is often violent, a
dancer to boating, and causes rapid shore erosion.
Wave activity also causes faster longshore currents
and more rapid and widespread dispersion of
contaminants.
1ERI
The eastern basin of Lake Erie contains the
deepest water (maximum 216 feet) and the cleanest
water of the three basins. The area of the basin,
2,400 square" miles, is intermediate between that of
the western and the central basins. In genera], the
water is clear and is the least biologically pro-
ductive, although productivity is substantial near
the south shore. This basin is generally considered
less eutrophic than the remainder of the lake.
The eastern basin receives more than 90 percent
of its water supply from the central basin. The
temperature structure of eastern basin water is
similar to that of the deeper Great Lakes, It rarely
freezes over although it maybe covered by drift ice.
In summer it stratifies but the hypolimnion remains
at a low temperature, about 40 F. The thermocline
is thick, 25 feet or more, forming in early summer,
Precipitation averages about 34 inches annually
over the Erie basin, but varies somewhat from place
to place (Figure 1-6). It is fairly evenly distributed
throughout the year. About one-third of the precipi-
tation is lost in runoff.
The water balance in Lake Erie is shown in
Table 1-1. The important tributary inputs to Lake
Erie are shown in Figure 1-7. Only five tributaries
to Lake Erie exceed ae average flow of 1,000 cubic
feet per second (cfs). These; are, in order of de-
creasing contribution, the Detroit-St. Clait: River
system, the Maumee River, the Grand River(C)ntario),
the Thames River, and the Sandusky River. Pertinent
hydrologic factors on tributaries are given in Table
1-2, All tributaries, except the St. Clair River, are
characterized by very low flows in summer (Fig.
1-8).
Ground water in the basin varies considerably
in quantity and quality. These are summarized in
Figures 1-9 and I-10. In general, the basin is a
rather poor producer of ground water.
Basin water resources are for the most part not
managed for flow regulation and flood control. Some
reservoirs mainly lor water supply storage have
been built or are being built on the Maumee, San-
dusky, Cuyahoga, Rocky River, Grand River (Ohio),
and on Canadaway, Silver, Chatauqua, Clear Lake,
and Slippery Rock Creeks. Flow regulation for
waste assimilation is being considered on the
Buffalo, Cuyahoga, Sandusky, Maumee, Huron
(Mich,), and Raisin Rivers,
21
-------
ESTI
AS
January
February
March
-------
SIZE OF SRROWS ARE
PROPORTIONAL TO THE
AMOUNT Of FLOW.
TO
ROCKV R
§90
CUYftHOGA
)inparatl
',1
.Mow, 10 yr.
Recurrence
(cfs
Average Average
Flow Yield
(cfs) (e£s/mi.2) (cfs/mi.^) at mouth) (percent)
1877450" ....... "
Runoff
Precip.
Huron Kiver {(Jti
Vermilion River
Black River
Rocky River
Cuyahoga River
Chagrin River
Grand River (Ohio)
Aslitabula River
(. ion neau.t Creek
Cattaraugu s Cre ek
Buffalo River
Grand River (Ont.)
Big Creek
Otter Creek
Kettle Creek
Thames River
* monthly average
740
467
h.) 890
1,125
6,586
587
1,421
no) 403
272
467
294
8 1 3
267
io) 712
: 137
191
•ek 436
565
it.) 2,614
281
316
2001
2,0001
31
35
19
28
40
33
39
15
15
21
34
34
36
40
34
28
25
25
24
7
13
—
7
21.200
13>000
5,840
12,900
94,000
11,500
28,000
25,800
20,500
24,000
21,400
24,800
28,000
21,100
1 1 ,600
17,000
35,900
35,000
47,800
3,060
4,140
2,4002,
38,5002
-------
Figui" !-8 - Mjo-hiy fributarv Flowt, t
-------
-------
-------
As the population grows in the Lake: Erie basin,
the demand for high quality water for all purposes
will increase; accordingly. As mote and more; leisure
time becom.es available, the demand by the res-
idents of the basin for high quality recreational
water will grow even more. Coupled with the de-
mand for cleaner water and rising with the popula-
tion will be the need for disposal of waste water.
The problem that must be faced will be to change
the mounting waste water to forms and amounts not
detrimental to water quality.
ti
' (
In I960 nearly ten [ i i s lived in the
United. States portion of the Lake Erie basin and
1.2 million in the Canadian portion. The total is
expected to increase to more than 27 million, by
2020, Figure 2-1. The largest increases are ex-
pected to be in those areas which are already
densely populated: Detroit, Cleveland-Akron, Fort
Wayne, Buffalo, Lorain-Elyria, Toledo, and Erie.
The basin population is now 85 percent urban, and
the percentage will increase. Since municipal
wastes are the greatest degradants to water quality1,
the population increase alone is a real threat to
Lake Erie's survival.
Lake Erie and its headwaters, trie Detroit River,
now supply 82 percent or 1,190 million gallons per
day (mgd) of the population's water needs (mun-
icipal water supply). Figure 2-2 shows the present
and projected demand for the entire basin. High
municipal usage is projected to continue to in-
crease with Lake Erie supplying an ever-increasing
percentage. The rate of consumption will increase
faster than the population growth rate. The per
capita consumption will be accompanied by a com-
mensurate increase in waste volume. The existing
interference to water supply by wastes will become
ever more critical.
Industrial growth in. the Lake Erie basin is out-
stripping the population growth arid is expected to
increase by five times by 2020. About 25 percent of
the total production of the five states is within the
basin, Total value added by manufacture is more
than $17 billion annually.
27
-------
e of
ilUSt
i M , i I Erie
r >l, ' ' iQost
. , i i ' i j .»- ,( ' die
i i in ) i' ' I'll1 i ,ti i i 5 of
n 1 n .,,-,., ,)tny.
'. , „ ,nl sky,
. i i i ,i a *• • are
h i i x< , > ,ni'i the
ii I • ' < - i'i! pro-
>l ^c parks and attendance
'•< : the importance of rec-
I • • i-asln. Swimming is the
• , ' recreation, but boating,
"• ,-,',. ire also very important.
i , se but whole-body con-
i , :ted, most: seriously by
-------
The few major bathing beaches on Lake Erie re«
ceivc extensive use.
Recreational activity and the demand for It are
increasing greatly and the increase is far greater
than the population growth rate. This is Illustrated,
for example, by the number of pleasure boats on the
lake now compared to a few years ago, A warm sum-
mer weekend brings over 20,000 boats to Lake Erie.
Commercial fishing in Lake Erie was once a
thriving industry with some of the largest freshwater
fishing ports in the world. Within the last 20 years,
correlative with large increases in waste inputs to
the lake, commercial fishing has suffered an almost
disastrous decline". Prized species such as walleye,
blue pike, and whitefish have essentially disap-
peared, Canadian commercial fishing has offset the
decline, in. volume, of the U. S, industry by adapting
to less desirable species, primarily smelt and
yellow perch.
Total catch in pounds is tenuously holding its
own, but dollar value is decreasing. Price per
pound has been cut in half in the last ten years.
Projecting the economic future in impossible, but
JV
--.......-,
1, f"
.,
I ''
** y
"V«-" * J'v
'•*•' * ": 4 «• 1
»>',.>*. J
01 *
* * *\ >..J ^,
! t
v ,
r - . '
/.".
...*''"\
r-v " "
/ ' ~*' - 5i«lC H Kltt'/
jpqp-jMt ~p?, ;t
2*4 — Recreation in Lake Erie Basin
L F G F: N 0
to rui- N ai »w*
29
-------
the demand will parallel population growth. It
appears that the future is not bright, because? res-
toration of fish populations will take more than
pollution control, although this will be the proper
beginning.
The basin has eleven major U. S. ports: Detroit,
Toledo, Sandusky, Huron, Lorain, Cleveland, Fair-
port, Ashtabula, Conneaut, Erie, and Buffalo, Coal
and iron ore ate the largest: volume commodities,
but foreign package trade is also becoming large in
tonnage.
h «»F.J': <
li'iU! '.>'!il , ! I , i"! II! t..i'l;' •) ', ' l'i',. i.'i •, Hr'i
variety a¥ciiioi>le is limited to a less desirable
type.
Wildlife, especially waterfowl, is water-
dependent. The marshes in the western part of the
basin are important parts of flyways. Most marshes
are dependent on the level of Lake Erie. Water
quality has not been a. serious problem in marshes
but it has been in some tributiiii.es where, for ex-
ample, pollution has killed waterfowl.
Shipping
The Lake Erie basin is near the commercial
center of one of the most, industrially productive
areas in the world. The availability of the lakes
and the St. Lawrence Seaway for waterborne traffic
and the restrictive effect of the lake" on land routes;
have made the basin a major distribution center for
both raw materials and finished products.
Lake Erie accounts for 13 percent of the annual
ton-miles of shipping out of a total of nearly 100
billion on the Great Lakes,
Shipping is dependent upon quantity or lake
depth. Varying water levels have an economic im-
pact by controlling maxiniu.ni cargo tonnage. Ships
use lake water for cooling, ballast, and potable
supply. The potable water use is now equivalent to
that of 1,200 persons for eight months of the year.
Tills usage will increase to perhaps double this
amount by the year 2020, but this Is difficult to
predict because of increasing size and efficiency of
ships,
Pollution is affecting the potable water use of
commercial ships. For example, they have been pro-
hibited by the U. S. Public Health Service from
taking water in several areas of the lake unless
full treatment is provided. Also, problems have
been reported from using highly contaminated
harbor waters for ballast.
30
-------
Lake Erie is noi : •
lerns exist — they c • .
worsening. The evide > '
to everyone, in the st.'" >">
the ground water, Ui!.»., ,
actions to abate this ... H.1
are and have been slow ami
This cfaaj k
which exist r
attempts to j. -.
the situation. '
viding an In: -
continue at 01
water supply,
-------
.>**"''
**»*
&^^ jM>
AWtt^^
t,>. (*#» ! ••„ "¥ IP"
-------
Dissolved solids are building up in the lake at
a very rapid rate (Figure 3~4), having increased by
30 percent In the past 40 years. Chlorides and
sulfates have accounted for most of the increase.
Cleveland Water Intake
Bottom organisms in ever-widening places arc
changing or have changed from a wide variety with
relatively few numbers to a narrow hardy variety
with very high populations. Tremendous numbers of
sludgeworms (up to 30,000 or more per square yard)
now inhabit bottom areas which not long ago were
dominated by mayflies and other pollution-sensitive
invertebrates in numbers two orders of magnitude
lower. In the: western basin the area dominated by
sludgeworms has increased more than 10 tunes
since 1930 (Figure 3-6).
Siltation in Lake Erie is much greater than in
the other Great Lakes, but this is of little con-
sequence; compared to bther'destructive factors,
Studies made 40 years ago of the lake by Buck-
holder recorded no bottom areas seriously depleted
of oxygen but recent investigations reveal that
severe oxygen deficiencies now clearly 'occur.
Nearly one-fourth o£ the total lake area now be-
comes nearly devoid of oxygen in bottom water
>&*«
$WS,»'W^m«W<4»»W« ?
f
««
w
-------
TOLEDO (I1*'
r
during summer thermal stratification and this situa-
tion is increasing both in extent and duration of
occurrence (Figure 3-7). Oxygen deficiencies also
occur intermittently for short periods In the weste.ro
basin bottom waters.
Some of the oxygen loss In. Lake Erie results
from the fact that efforts to reduce pollution, by
means of modern sewage treatment plants have been
ineffective; in alleviating one part of the pollution
problem, another has gone unabated. Sewage treat-
ment plants, by microbial oxidation, convert organic
waste matter to inorganic substance. It has been
assumed that these inorganic products of sewage
ideally relieved of biochemical oxygen demand
(BOD) or organic wastes could be released to Lake
Erie; without causing any drain on the oxygen re-
sources of the lake. Experience? has proven this
assumption to be incorrect. Adequate treatment of
organic wastes, however, does eliminate most of
the immediate oxygen demand which if not removed
would be: even more destructive.
The total mass of organic waste that reaches
Lake Erie each, year requires for its conversion to
inorganic substances the consumption of about 540
million pounds of oxygen. The recent oxygen losses
in the!' laker can only be partially explained by the
action involved in oxidizing organic wastes du.fn.pec3
into the lake. For example, now the oxygen deficit
in the bottom waters of the central basin (only 1/9
of the total lake volume) amounts to some 670
million pounds during the summer months. If the
organic wastes reaching the lake in a year can
34
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account for an
million pounds i
a much larger s
in the lake.
renders ineffective their conversion of waste
organic matter to inorganic products, The fateful
conclusion Is that sewage; treatment plants being
built today which do not remove substantial nut-
rients are accomplishing little to save the lake:,
Phosphorus and other nutrient and organic mat-
ter added to the lake eventually end up on the sedi-
ments. Instead of Lake-? Erie forming a waterway for
sending wastes to the sea, it has become a trap
that is gradually storing much of the material
dumped into it over the years. The nutrients testing
in the sediments are relatively innocuous until
summer stratification and deoxygenation, when they
can come rapidly back into the water to be useful
as a plant nutrient again. Therefore it is possible
that in a relatively short time the overproductivity
of Lake Erie can become self-sustaining because
of this ever-increasing reserve. It is also possible
that if this alarming process grows, Lake Erie may
face a sudden biological cataclysm that will ex-
haust, for a time, most of the oxygen in the greater
part of the lake. Such a. catastrophe would make the
lake's present difficulties seem mild by comparison.
To prevent such a grim fate, it is imperative that
the waste input of phosp.hon.is be controlled im-
mediately. Even the present reserve may cause
problems for several years.
The ramifications of overenrichment are already
well known to most people in the Lake Erie basin.
The important point is that they ate serious and
have the potential of becoming overwhelming with
explosive suddenness, 'Ilie most, critical ramification
is the effect, on, domestic water supply by chemical
and biological taste, odors, and colors along with
The correction of bacterial problems in Lake
Erie is relatively straightforward compared to the
nutrient problem. Disinfection of wastes is the
proper beginning and once this is done, the con-
tamination wjll subside. However, disinfection does
not replace the need for adequate treatment of
sewage and control of storm and combined sewer
overflows.
-------
36
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Cedar Poi
PEl-
Presque Isle State
(Beach No, 11)
Waldameer
'e State
'• 1)
NEW
Westfield
Sliver Creek
Hamburg Town
Ripley
Lake Erie State
Point Gratiot
Wright
Sheridan Bay
Hanover Beach
& Sunset Bay
Beaver Island State
Insufficient data available to evaluate water quality at the following beacli.es: South Bass Island State, Port.
Clinton City, Kelleys Island State, Huron City, Vermilion City, Saybrook Township, Ashtabula Township,
Conneaut Township in Ohio arid Lake City Community in Pennsylvania.
Potential threats to the ' I
waters are the effects of ai> i II i ' i n <
from anticipated power plants i i <
oil from spills and from proposed drilling in the
lake, brine from drilling, and additional exotic chem-
icals and toxic metals from industry.
Last but not least, the very waste treatment
processes themselves have a pollution potential
which must be reckoned with,, and that is the ul-
timate disposal, of the materials removed from
waste wafer.
The-
-------
•\
(':, i'
-------
condition of the waters is mirrored in the adjacent
property with the exclusive mansions located at
the headwaters where the water is cleanest. Masses
of rotting algae wash ashore along with industrial
wastes, further fouling the shoreline,
Lake Huron is quite low in nutrients, but the
Detroit River is the single most important source of
nutrients and other harmful materials causing the
eutrophication of Lake Erie, Two-thirds of all
phosphorus which enters Lake Erie originates from
this area,
The City of Detroit and Wayne County sewerage
systems are the major source of phosphorus and
oxygen-demanding wastes poisoning Lake trie in.
addition to causing local defilement. This area by
t'lf t-mptifs MKh fren.t c Ion*- qinnfifii >f r '>n
t.iininants utfo tht late thif th< -H- d< - na(s;<\ !•>',
iheinsfl v>s if iHiihated \\iiuld >,
-------
UPPER MAUMEE RIVER
TheMaumeeRiver is polluted at its very source,
the confluence of St. Marys and St. Joseph Rivers
In Indiana. Septic tank and raw sewage discharges
from Waynesdale and other suburban Fort Wayne
communities produce bacterial contamination and
oxygen depletion affecting both the St. Marys and
Mauinee Rivers. This defilement is soon compound-
ed by the inadequately treated effluent from Fort
Wayne's sewerage system. In the past, high phenol
concentrations have been discharged by industries
to the river directly and through Fort Wayne's
sewage plant. In winter months these phenols have
persisted for many miles downstream, producing
tastes and odors in municipal water supplies.
Algae are abundant in the St. Marys and Maumee
Rivers throughout the year, and the St. Joseph RiYer
downstream from municipalities. Increasing algal
growth, associated with taste and odor problems,
has beeo recorded throughout this area. Plating
wastes have caused fish kills in Cedar Creek, a
tributary to the St. Joseph River. The Kitchen-Quip
Company at times still discharges toxic concen-
trations of heavy metals. The Tiffin and upper St..
Joseph Rivers generally maintain good water quality
except below several small cities and industries.
AUGLA1ZE
At Wapakoneta, Ohio, the Auglaize River re-
ceives the effluents from the sewage treatment
plant, two packing companies, and a bottling plant.
The stream bottom, scoured clean of silt and organic-
deposits during the spring, is covered with black,
septic, foul-smelling sludge by July. The Auglaize
River is again degraded below its confluence with
the Ottawa and Blanchard Rivers. Low or negligible
oxygen concentrations exist, while large quantities
of ammonia, acrylonitriles, and other oxygen-
demanding wastes are present. Extensive algae,
other nuisance aquatic plants, and oxygen-demand-
ing wastes are present throughout these areas. Sub-
stantial fish kills occur, especially in winter when
wastes are not readily broken down.
During low flow periods the Ottawa River, below
Lima, Ohio, is composed entirely of the effluent
from Lima's sewage plant and Sohio's refinery,
chemical, and petrochemical plants. The entire flow
above these waste discharges is diverted to aug-
ment Lima's water supply. The Ottawa River shows
little signs of recovery after leaving Lima, and
severe chemical and bacterial pollution exists along
the remainder of its course.
On the Blanchard River below Findlay, Ohio
only pollution-tolerant aquatic organisms were found
to exist. Downstream from Ottawa's inadequately
treated sewage discharge, the Buckeye Sugar Com-
pany has in the past discharged large quantities of
oxygen-demanding sugar beet wastes. These wastes
have produced complete anaerobic conditions in the
Blanchard River and caused homes and fences
painted with, lead-based paint to turn black.
„ fltt
Anaerobic conditions in the Auglaize River pro*
sulfide which produced a block
stain on this house,
ID the City of Defiance, Ohio, the Mauniee is
farther degraded by the addition of the highly pol-
luted Aiiglaize River water, the raw sewage dis-
charge of large numbers of unsewered or faulty
sewered areas, and the inadequately treated sewage
from the Defiance plant. Due to faulty design, the
Defiance sewage treatment plant is closed whenever
', *.
Interfake Steel outfall to lower Maumee River,
42
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the river rises above a certain stage, thus bypass-
ing1 raw sewage between 30 and 60 days each year.
In addition, large concentrations of phenols from
industrial sources are continuously discharged by
this plant.
Cities situated on or near ike Mauntee River
draw their raw water supply from the highly polluted
waters of this stream. Taste and. odor problems are
prevalent throughout much of the year In the water
supplies at Defiance, Napoleon, Bowling Green,
and, at times, Toledo. At: Defiance, during periods
of low temperature and Ice cover, taste and odor
problems are encountered due to phenolic com-
pounds. The finished water has a medicinal taste
and odor. During the period of spring runoff, the
water has an intense earthy or musty taste. In late
spring the water has beeo described as musty,
moldy, earthy, fishy, and rotten.
The taste and odor problems at Napoleon are
similar to those at Defiance, however larger doses
of chlorine are required due to ammonia wastes
from the Auglaize River, Campbell Soup Company
ha.s reported excessive taste and odor problems at
times but it is able to remove them with extensive
treatment. Large concentrations of ammonia at the
plant have created peak chlorine demands as high
as 150 mg/1. The company reports that the quality
of its raw water supply has continued to deteriorate
in recent years,
Toledo's sewage treatment plant and partially
combined sewer system are both overloaded. Raw
sewage and settled sewage sludge are frequently
bypassed to the Matimee Rrver. As a result, water-
oriented recreation in. the Toledo area is hazardous,
Adequate recreational facilities are lacking because
of these contaminated waters, Wastes, storm by-
passes, and runoff degrade Toledo's raw water
supply tinder certain adverse conditions ever} though
the intake Is in Lake Erie, several miles from the
City. In addition to the wastes from the City of
Toledo itself, Industrial wastes are discharged
which contain oil, phenols, solids, color, BOD,
and chemical oxygen demand. (COD), The follow-
ing contribute oil or phenols: Standard, Pare, Gulf,
and Sun Oil Companies, and. Interlake Steel, Lake
level flurnmtions nffVct the Maumee Riv^r ft1! fsr as
!'i iiiilfs upstrtMiTr, then f ire, pollution wln> h
Toledo STP effluent.
enters the Matimee River at one point in the lake-
affected area may degra.de the water quality for
some distance upstream as well as downstream,
Nutrients and low dissolved oxygen concen-
trations are the major causes of water quality prob-
lems within the North Central Ohio Area. Phos-
phates, nitrates, and other nutrients cause the
luxuriant growths of floating and attached algae
which in places produce taste and odors In raw
water supplies, combine with debris to choke
streams, and along with sewage form septic sludge
deposits along the water courses aod beaches.
Fish kills are prevalent, and waterfowl kills from
oils continue. Dissolved oxygen depletions are
common below many waste outfalls. Figure 3" 11
shows the present water quality during low flow
periods.
SANDUSKY
With the present inadequate treatment provided
municipal, agricultural., and industrial wastes, and.
the lack of treatment of storm runoff from urban
areas, the Sanduslcy River never completely re-
covers before it is again degraded by further waste
loadings. It suffers from pollution or enrichment
from its headwaters at Crestline to its mouth at
Sandusky Bay. Trash and garbage dumps are common,
along the banks and flood plains, and In places the
channel is completely clogged with logs and debris.
Oil slicks and depressed oxygen levels below
Crestline and Fremont are caused in part by Northern
Ohio Sugar, Pioneer Rubber, aod the Pennsylvania
Railroad. Fish are killed by agricultural arid in-
dustrial toxicants, and a. lack of dissolved oxygen.
An excellent example of control of pollution
from agricultural sources exists in the Celeryville
area on the Sandusky River. In this area where
severe sheet erosion and flooding previously oc-
cured, the waters are now retained for later use in
Irrigation or are conveyed by subsurface drainage to
nearby water courses.
BLACK
Toxic materials such as cyanide and chromium,
in addition to oil, solids, etc. discharged by Gen-
eral. Motors and. Republic Steel divest the Black
River in Elyrla of its life-sustaining properties.
Elyris, Oberlin, arid the numerous surrounding
developing urban areas plague the river with raw or
Inadequately treated sewage. Between Oberlin and
Lorain only the most pollution-tolerant organisms
are found and numerous fish kills occur. Below
Elyria the river is often depleted of oxygen, covered.
with oil slicks, and multi-colored from industrial
and other wastes during low flow. Upstream, the
river is green with algae and covered with the scum
of aquatic plants. In the lower section, the wastes
from the City of Lorain and U. S. Steel's Tubular
Operations add to the already polluted conditions of
the river. In the upper reaches brines from oil well
43
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- ..-
-'
-------
operations produce high dissolved solids concen-
trations and oils have been spilled to the river from
breaks in the Buckeye Pipeline Company's trans-
mission line.
Profuse floating and attached algal growths fed
by phosphorus and nitrates from agricultural runoff,
and municipal treatment plant and septic tank ef-
fluents trouble the Portage River waters. These
nuisance algal conditions and dissolved oxygen
deficits interfere with use of the Portage River as a
raw water supply and for recreation. Duck kills from
oils have been reported. Below I"ostoria the river is
often an oily, turbid white or rust color from wastes
discharged by Seneca Wire, and Swift and Company.
Foster Duck Farm and Hirzel Canning di.scha.rge
high oxygen-eon siitninf wastes. Numerous small
cities a.re loc J 1,1 f.binaries which have virtual-
ly no flow h iK il i i ti. Therefore, little capacity
exists for ass i i <
-------
'- fteL*»«i,¥
•:f'4 i:*;;,- v-" .
46
Figure ^'12 ~ Grratt-r CIcvHond-Akron Arco Waier Qoolity Situation
-------
Highly discolored ore dis*
charged to Lake Erie by the Cuyahoga River.
These domestic wastes are joined by the dis-
charges from the major industrial complex in the
Cleveland area. Republic Steel, U. S. Steel, and
Jones and Laughlin discharge solids, iron, oil,
sulfates, ammonia, acids, and other deleterious
materials. Harshaw Chemical Company discharges
solids, nickel, fluorides, and acids.
In the upper Cuyahoga River, little if any dilu-
tion water is available to assimilate the waste dis-
charged by Akron, Kent, Ravenna, and the Industrial
complex located within this area, since the City of
Akron diverts the entire low flow of the river. The
effluent aed bypassing of Ravenna's sewage treat-
ment plant, and particularly the numerous busi-
nesses, motels, and homes along Breakneck Creek,
pollute this waterway. Below where this creek en-
ters the Cuyahoga River, the river is gray-brown
with an abundance of aquatic plants along the
shoreline and floating algae on the surface. Down-
stream the discharges from Lamson and Sessions
and Soeoco Products yield a reddish tinge, high
oxygen demand, and oils. Gross pollution exists at
all seasoos of the year from this area of the river
to the mouth.
Firestone, B. F. Goodrich, Goodyear Tire
Division, Goodyear Aerospace Division, and Dia-
mond Salt all discharge wastes to the Little Cuya-
hoga River in Akron, seriously degrading its water
quality. During low flow the odor and oxygen demand
imparted to the receiving waters can be detected as
far downstream on the Cuyahoga River as Peninsula,
Ohio. The rubber plants* wastes contain color, odor,
oils, solids, complex organics, high temperatures,
and oxygen-demanding materials. Goodyear Aero-
space effluent contains heavy metals, cyanides, and
other toxic materials. Diamond Salt discharges chlo-
rides to the Ohio Canal and to the Akron treatment
plant which cannot treat this waste.
In its headwaters, the Cuyahoga River is rel-
atively unpolluted and is used as a water supply for
the City of Akron and surrounding areas. Although
this area is now relatively undeveloped, it is pro-
jected that within the next 10 to 20 years this area
will become urbanized. With increased urbanization
water quality degradation will occur unless active
measures are taken to maintain a pure supply. Even
now wastes from the Smallwood Packing Company,
the City of Middlefield, and other developing areas
at times depress the river's oxygen content and.
produce algal growths.
Numerous small inadequate treatment plants dot
Rocky River's watershed and severely degrade its
water quality. There is no area-wide collection or
treatment system within the basin and this relatively
continuous urban area is served by many major
treatment plants which provide inadequate treatment.
The main stem, the East Branch, and the lower West
Branch support prolific algal growths. In the sum-
mer, much of the stream bottom, is covered with
rotting masses of unsightly algae which, at times,
produce foul odors. .Most of this area, with foul
water quality is within the Cleveland Metropolitan
Park system and the offensive state of the waters
interferes with park uses. This Is particularly evid-
dent below Berea. Dumps aloog the stream banks
and flood plains In the Columbia Station and other
areas, as well as numerous septic tank effluents and
misused storm drains, pollute the waters in the un-
sewered areas. Near the yacht clubs and marinas
floating sludge and sewer gas bubbles are evident.
The City of Berea presently depends upon
Baldwin and Coe Reservoirs for its municipal water
supply. These waters are generally highly enriched
and contain high algal, sediment, and iron concen-
trations. At times, during low flow periods, Berea
diverts the total flow of the East Branch.
Sediments also interfere with water uses in this
area. These sediments originate mainly from sub-
division and highway construction. Ordinances to
control sediment from subdivision construction art*
either lacking or not enforced. In new contracts
being let by the Ohio Department of Highways, a
stipulation has been included which requires the
prevention, control, and active abatement of pol-
lution during construction. The Cleveland Metro-
politan Park Board has had to dredge extensively
to maintain adequate depth in several of its recre-
ational reservoirs.
LAKEFRONT
Bacteria, color, debris, suspended solids,
oxygen-consuming materials, dead fish, etc., all are
found along Cleveland's front door — the Lake Erie
shoreline. Unlike many cities, which are able to rid
themselves of garbage and wastes by discharging
them to a oearby river for someone else to worry
about, Cleveland's wastes fester in front of them.
Along with inadequately treated wastes from, all
Cleveland, area, treatment plants, combined sewer
and storm water overflows pour bacterial contam-
ination onto the shore. Even during dry weather,
raw sewage continuously overflows from Cleveland's
47
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overloaded combined sewer system. This raw sew-
age and other wastes all are found in the exces-
sively polluted local bathing beaches. A Cleveland
.resident must travel 60 to 100 miles to fiiid lakefront
beaches unquestionably suitable for swimming.
Severe chemical pollution exists in the lamer
reaches of both the Grand and Ashtabula Rivers and
in places along the lakeshore. Locally the waters
are stained green, yellow, milky white, and brown.
Several »aw or inadequately treated discharges of
mun.ic.ipal wastes also degrade the streams" water
quality. Water quality at most lakefront bathing
areas remains relatively good except after rains.
Figure 3-13 depicts the present water quality In the
Northeast Ohio Area.
The Grand River in its lower reach is one of the
most chemically polluted waterways within the Lake
Erie watershed. The ..Diamond Shamrock Company
discharges over 3,000 tons of dissolved solids
daily to the river which flows to Lake Erie, The
Painesville and Fairport sewerage systems dis-
charge poorly treated .wastes which, .along with
septic tank effluents from Grand River and Paines-
ville Northeast, produce heavy bacterial pollution
within this sector.
At times the lower river is brightly colored,
ranging from bright green to yellow which results
from chemical discharges. Untreated sewage has
also' been observed floating on the surface. Three
other industries, Calhio Chemical, Uniroyal, and
A. E. Staley, discharge significant wastes within
the area.
The upper Grand "River generally maintains good
water quality.
• • •• •- - ••
Algal growths and bacterial, pollution are found
in the vicinities of Conneautville and Springboro,
Pennsylvania from raw untreated discharges in
Conneautville and inadequately operated septic-
tanks in Springboro. The Corps of Engineers, in a
flood control, study, reports the discharge of raw
sewage from sewer pipes in Conneautville. Putrid
sludge deposits are found below Springboro and in
an unnamed creek which receives septic tank ef-
fluents and the treated, wastes of the Albro Packing
Company. Conneaut Creek is of good water quality
as it crosses the Ohio-Pennsylvania state boundary.
In Conneaut the creek receives the poorly treated
wastes from the municipal treatment plant.
The Pennsylvania Fish Commission stocks
Conneaut Creek with trout in several, upper portions
where excellent water quality exists.
Strong chemical and, medicinal odors accompany
the ever-present milky white or brown discoloration
of Fields; Brook, a tributary of the lower Ashtabula
River. These coalitions are caused by a large in-
dustrial complex comprised of Cabot Titania,
Reactive Metals, Detrex Chemical, Olin Mathiesoo.
General Tire, and Diamond Shamrock, Semi-Works,
which discharge organic and inorganic wastes to
the river with Fields Brook as an intermediary
stream,. Within the Ashtabula area bacterial pol-
lution exists from onsewered residential areas and
from raw sewage discharged by dock activities and
vessels.
Above the Ashtabula complex, the river exhibits
good water quality and supports good fishing.
PENNSYLVANIA AiEA
Foam, foul odor, and black-brown discoloration
are much in evidence for ten miles dojvnshore from
Hammermill Paper Company's discharge to Lake
Erie under the prevailing westerly winds. These
wastes inhibit the development of this area. With
prolonged winds from the east, extensive treatment
must be provided to Erie's raw water supply to pre-
vent severe-finished water taste and odor problems
caused by these wastes. Under these same meteor-
ological conditions the color, foam, and objection-
able odors make the beaches at Presque Isle State
Park esthetically offensive.
The water quality at Presque Isle State Park is
generally excellent with mediae coliform concen-
trations -on Beaches 2-10 of under 100 organisms
per 100 ml. However, Beach 11 and occasionally
Bench 1 have water quality problems. Beach 11 is
polluted from sewage treatment plant bypasses,
combined and storm sewer overflows, a bird sanctu-
ary, Hammermill's discharge. Lower coliform
concentrations in the summer of 1967 may have re-
sulted from the increased chlorination of Erie's
effluent. An unsewered area west of Presque Isle
pollutes Beach 1, and Beachcomber-Kelso Beach
area. Algal problems are • prevalent in the shore
areas both east and west of Presque Isle, 'and'to an
extent on Presque Isle itself. Several of the small,
beaches east of Erie are contaminated, and others
axe of unknown quality.
48
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if>U't «rtK»iHH( \AWtf
>
{'
JM
7k
'*>,.
w^^^^^^^^^^^,,,^^,^^^
_J
-------
The Pennsylvania streams within the Lake Erie
watershed are relatively small. The most polluted
of the streams are Cascade Creek, Garrison Run,
and Mill Creek. These streams flow through Erie to
the harbor and receive the combined sewer overflow
and storm water discharges from the Erie collection
system. Bottom deposits In the harbor at the mouth
of these creeks are a brownish-black combination of
mud, silt, and detritus. Sewage and chemical odors
emanate from sediments taken from the bottom in-
side and outside the harbor. The City of Girard
discharges poorly treated wastes to Elk Creek. The
Lake City plant has previously discharged inade-
quately treated wastes to Elk Creek but the Penn-
sylvania Health Department reports that required
improvements have been. made. Gunnison Brothers
Tannery degrades the water quality of Brandy Run
and a section of Elk Creek with its waste discharges.
The remainder of the streams within the Penn-
sylvania area generally are of good water quality.
The waters of this atea vary from essentially
concentrated industrial and municipal wastes in one
river which is devoid of all biological life, to sev-
eral small streams which support stocked trout.
Bathing beaches must be cleaned daily to prevent
masses of rotting, foul smelling algae from accumu-
lating. Bacterial, contamination also exists in a
number of the bathing areas, although several fairly
good swimming beaches exist. Figure 3" 14 depicts
the present water quality of the major streams in
the New York area,
BUFFALO
The Buffalo River is a repulsive holding basin
for industrial and municipal wastes under the pre-
valent sluggish flow conditions. It Is devoid of
oxygen, and almost sterile. Oil, phenols, color,
oxygen-demanding materials, Iron, acid, sewage,
and exotic organic compounds axe present in large
amounts. Residents who live along its backwaters
have vociferously complained of the odors emanat-
ing from the river and of the heavy oil films. In
places the river's surface is a boundless mosaic of
color and patterns resulting from, the mixture of
organic dyes, steel mill and oil refinery wastes, raw
sewage, and garbage. Thick films of oil are present
on the Buffalo River at all times except during flood
conditions. In addition to upstream sources, oil Is
discharged directly to the river by Mobil Oil,
Republic Steel, and Dormer-Banna Coke, During
times of high flow, these oils, along with the other
contaminants are flushed into the Niagara River
where they interfere with water intakes, and recre-
ational and wildlife uses.
The effect of Lake Erie on the level and flow of
the river extends upstream for over six and one-half
miles. As a result, during periods of low flow,
wastes which enter this sector may travel both up-
stream and downstream from the point of discharge.
,. ^ '£/? f »
>* ,U' ',/',: '**' X ( , "•
Waste outfall of Allied Chemical, Buffalo Dye
Division.
Cayuga, and Buffalo Creeks, all
tributary to the Buffalo River, are rapidly defiled as
they enter the metropolitan area. However, In their
upper reaches they retain good water quality, and
support trout and other fish populations. Enrichment
is prevalent in outlying areas as evidenced by the
copious mats of aquatic plant and algal growth.
Resulting decomposing sludge banks, in places,
choke stream flow. Phosphorus and. other nutrients
which promote these growths are provided by septic
tank and small inadequate treatment: plant effluents,
raw sewage discharges, and agricultural runoff.
Stream degradation Is particularly evidenced In and
below East Aurora, West Seneca, Gardenville,
Lancaster, and Depew. Garbage dumps, such as the
Village of Depew's, are abundant along the water-
courses. Oil wastes which originate from the Penn-
sylvania Railroad shops are flushed to Buffalo
Creek during heavy rains. These oils 'contribute to
the major slicks and films which are present on both
the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers.
The five major industries on the Buffalo River
have recently completed a cooling water supply In-
take into Lake Erie which will also provide some-
what increased flow In the lower sector of the
Buffalo River. This additional flow, along with the
many other corrective measures presently underway,
should reduce the gross pollution which now exists.
But much mote will be needed to accomplish ef-
fective abatement.
CATTARAUGUS
Cattaraugus Creek resembles an open sewer
after receiving wastes from Peter Cooper Corpor-
ation and Moench Tanning Company in Gowanda.
Besides containing oils;, toxicants, and solids,
these wastes exert an oxygen demand equal to the
raw sewage from a city of 200,000. In spite of the
high reaeration rate of the stream, only pollution-
tolerant sewage bacteria, blue-green algae, sludge-
worms, and bloodworms are found. At one time these
waters were capable of supporting trout and other
desirable fish as well as having an excellent water
contact sport potential. Now the water is highly
turbid and dirty gray in color. Foul smelling sludge
50
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-------
banks exist throughout the twenty miles to Lake
Erie. These conditions • are further aggravated by
cannery wastes discharged by Gowanda State Hos-
nital and the Silver Creek Preserving Company.
An oil film and rust-red discoloration of two
square miles out into Lake Erie is created by Beth-
lehem Steel as a result of its discharge to Blasdell
and Smoke Creeks. A continuous oil discharge of
over 30,000 pounds per day is held immediately
against the shore by ice during the winter. During
spring thaws the entrapped oil is liberated, and
joins the oils released simultaneously from, the
Buffalo River and other sources to cause the major
oil slicks which occur OD the Niagara River.
wind from the east, the eifhi/'ttt r«>>m Ht>tliMit?t;i
Steel hangs along shoreline *es»f of Smoke Creek.
Eighteenmile Creek becomes anaerobic during
low flow periods below the Tillage of- Hamburg,
Moderate to heavy enrichment Is apparent in up-
stream areas below a number of villages and in
some agricultural areas.
Most other small tributaries suffer from degrada-
tion and enrichment particularly in their lower
sectors. The problems from domestic wastes to
these tributaries ate compounded by grape; pro-
cessing plants and vegetable canneries which dis-
charge high seasonal, loadings to sewage plants or
directly to the stream's. This is particularly notice-
able in Westfield, North Collins, Brocton, Fredonia,
and Silver Creek. Sludge banks, slime, and low dis-
solved oxygen concentrations are commonplace
below these outfalls. Canadaway, Slippery Rock,
Walnut, Silver, and Ca.ttaratt.giis Creeks are particu-
larly affected by these cannery and grape-processing
wastes, in places the waters are turned purple to
black, have; heavy masses of putrid sewage bacteria,
and produce sickening odors,
LAKEFRONT
Unfortunately much of the Ne.'io York shoreline
with, its rocky base is ideally .suited for the pro-
duction of continual crops of attached algae which
are caused by phosphorus carried' to the New }" orlc
shoreline by Lake Erie. An aerial observation of
the shoreline gives view to endless windrows of
decomposing algae which have -been washed upon
the beaches. To a person wading through these
masses toward the cleaner offshore waters, the
slime and stench are almost unmanageable. Several
water recreation areas, such a;; Hvangola State
Park, maintain beaches relatively free of these
decomposing materials and dead'fish only through
twice daily combing the area by machine and hand.
Others, such as Lake Erie State Park, Silver Creek,
and Wright Park beaches have maintained very poor
conditions with rotting algae commonplace.
Defilement of the area's beaches by raw sewage?,
septic tank effluent, sewage treatment plant effluent
and bypassing and storm waters from, municipal
areas is common in places. These wastes are
carried to the beach areas by nearshore currents
a.nd by streams such as Chautauqua, Canadaway,
Silver, Cattaraugus, Big Sister, Kighteenmile, etc,
While some bathing areas are affected continuously,
the* majority are primarily affected, for one or two
days directly after a summer storm. Studies by the
Erie County Health Department have shown that
the storm need not be severe to cause appreciable
contamination by the flushing of raw or inadequately
treated sewage into streams or directly to Lake Erie.
52
-------
4
f Hi OF
WAS1F. SOURCES
Municipal tva&ii. i,,s M>,, principal cause of pollu-
tion in Lake Erie and its tributaries. Another major
cause of pollution, especially in tributaries and
harbors, is industrial wastes. These wastes con-
sist not only of continuous, direct entreated dis-
charges, but also combined sewer overflows and
treatment plant effluents. Agricultural mnoff Is
also a significant, but harder to define, source of
pollution. Other sources of pollution, are wastes
from commercial and pleasure -craft, spoil from har-
bor dredging, urban runoff, and shore erosion. All
of these combined are now potentially disastrous to
Lake Erie water quality.
Three geographical areas are primarily respon-
sible for the present condition of Lake Erie (Table
4-1). These areas, in order of decreasing effect on
the overall quality of Lake Erie water, are: (1)
Detroit, Michigan and its surrounding municipalities,
(2) the Cleveland-Cuyahoga River basin, and (3) the
Matimee River basin. The Buffalo area has high
waste inputs, but these wastes affect the Niagara
River more than Lake Erie. Many other areas have
problems which are primarily local; but cumulatively,
they also have a profound effect on the general water
quality.
TABLE 4- 1 - Percent of
Major Source In Lake Erie Basin
Phosphorus
Biochemical
Detroit and
Southeast
Michigan
40.0 • '
Oxygen Demand 60.3
Chloride 51.0'
Cleveland-
Akron-
Cuyahoga
• 18.6
11.0
10.6
Toleclo-
Maemee
River
15.3
15.5
47
Approximately 9 million people inhabit commu-
nities within the U.S. portion of the Lake Erie
basin, discharging partially treated wastes directly
into Lake Erie or into its tributaries. Nearly 2
million more people are served by septic tanks.
Sixty-three municipal primary treatment plants
serve approximately 5 million people, discharging
879 rngd of wastes; aod 155 municipal secondary
treatment'' plants serve approximately 4 million
people, discharging 591 mgd of wastes. Figure 4-1
shows the municipal treatment plant data by sub-
areas. The ten largest sources of municipal waste
based on strength of waste discharged are shown in
Table 4-2. It is easily seen from the table that
Detroit is the largest municipal polluter in the basin,
and in fact contributes more wastes than, all the
other cities combined.
4-2 - Ten U.S. of
Waste in the Erie
%
U.S.
Location
of Total
Municipal
Waste
BOD
Discharged
Detroit, Michigan
Cleveland, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Wayne County, Michigan
Akron, Ohio
Euclid, Ohio
Lorain, Ohio
San dusky, Ohio
Erie, Pennsylvania
Ft. 'Wayne, Indiana
64,4
9.0
3.5
3.1
1.3
1.3
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.5
% of Total
U.S. Municipal
Waste
Phosphorus
Load
46.5
20.3
5,0
2.8
4.5
1.0
1.2
0.6
2.2
2,6
The remarkably degrading effect which the
Detroit, Cleveland, and Mauniee areas have on Lake
Eric can be shown by subtracting their discharges
of almost any constituent from the total input of
that constituent to the lake.
A settling process which removes about 35% of
organic pollutants from sewage water.
*-A biological process which removes up to 90% of
organic pollutants from sewage water.
53
-------
LAKE
MUR OH
g3O,000 x
\
. -~» /
"•-,_.'' V
' ^
,;
*
\i
_ .,
^ ,--•' 7 ' /
/
NCLK.iffiMMy_PkA!i!!ji2!ijy^
H$^JLIS^.£AfiIJifiiI^^
Figure 4- 1 - 1960 Municipal Sewage Treatment Plant Data by Subbasin
LAKE,
Ht/ROM
x
fftf
S
^
/ "
'
-r !'.-:""r;"^r~"''>k<1'' \ J^"
-^
,
/
^!
LJ.vtL'VJU
flgyre 4-2 - 1960 Industrial Discharges by Subbasin
54
-------
TAFU (" 4 •
(Vl'inieipcil Treatment Plant Waste Discharges in Population Equivalents
Sub are a
Southeast Michigan
Maumee
North Central Ohio
Cleveland-Akron
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Total Lake Erie basin (U.S.)
Before
Tre atm en t
4,750,000
1,100,000
430,000
2,400,000
100,000
360,000
220,000
9,360,000
After
Treatment:
3,420,000
240,000
170,000
630,000
60,000
42,000
90,000
4,652,000
Treatment
Efficiency—"
28
78
60
74
40
88
59
50
-Equivalent to the oxygen demand of raw sewage from that number of people (0.1.7 pounds of BOD per capita
per day).
Almost the entire population of the Southeast
Michigan area is in and around Detroit. The Detroit
primary sewage treatment plant serves about 2.8
million people. While 85 percent of the South-
eastern Michigan population discharges wastes to
sewers, the wastes from only 10 percent of the
total population receive secondary treatment,
Southeast Michigan accounts for 58 percent of the
entire municipal waste flow to the Lake Erie basin.
About 79 percent of the Indiana Lake Erie
basin population is served by secondary sewage
treatment plants, and the rest, which is basically
rural, is served by septic tanks.
About 64 percent of the total population in the
Ohio portion of the Lake Erie basin is served by
secondary treatment. About 16 percent of the popu-
lation is not served by sewer systems. The Greater
Cleveland-Akron area accounts for 25 percent of
the municipal waste flow to the lake.
The wastes from almost 70 percent of the popu-
lation in Pennsylvania portion of the basin receive
secondary treatment. The city of Erie, the largest
city in Pennsylvania whose discharge reaches Lake
Erie, provides secondary treatment.
In the New York area of the Lake Erie basin, the
wastes from only 39 percent of the total population
receive secondary treatment,
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the main
municipal clegrculant discharged to tributary waters.
The most hannjid municipal contribution to the lake
is in the form of nutrients — primarily nitrogen and
phosphorus — although locally bacteria, cause
serious problems,
The total BOD discharged to municipal, sewage
treatment plants in the basin is equivalent to the
raw sewage from a population of 9.4 million. After
treatment, this is reduced to a load, on, the receiving
waters equivalent to the raw sewage from a popula-
tion of 4,7 million, or a treatment efficiency, basin-
wide, of 50 percent.
Municipal waste treatment plant discharges and
treatment plant efficiencies summarized by sub-
basins are shown in Table 4- 3.
Industrial wastes are those; spent process waters
associated with industrial operations which are
discharged separately and not in combination, with
municipal wastes. Industries discharge oxygen-
consuming substances equivalent to the raw sewage
discharge from a population of nearly 3 million.
The major industries are listed below with pollution
substances common to each:
Power — Heat, Solids
Steel - COD, Acids, Iron, Solids, Phenols,
Oils, Color, Heat, Toxicants
Chemical — COD, Solids, Organics, pH, Toxi-
cants, Color
Oil - Oil, COD, Solids, Phenols
Paper - BOD, Solids, Color, Coliform
Rubber - Organics, Oil, COD, Solids
Plating, Machinery, Manufacturing — Cyanide,
Chrome, Cadmium, Copper, and
other heavy metals, pH, Solids;
Food Processing - BOD, Oil, Solids, Color
Lake Erie and its tributaries receive industrial,
wastes from 360 known sources, A summary of
these, by states, is given in Table 4-4, along with
their treatment adequacy. Slightly more than 50
percent of the industries are classified as having
inadequate treatment facilities.
TABLE 4*4 — Industrial Woste Source Classification
State
TREATMENT
Adequate Inadequate
Ohio
Indiana
Michigan
Pennsylvania
New York
Total
119
9
24
15
4
17 1
92
6
68
5
18
189
-------
Industries are responsible for 87 percent of the
total waste flow discharged to Lake Erie and its
tributaries. The total waste; volume from Industry
equals 9,600 rngd with electric power production
accounting for 72 'percent and steel production
accounting for 19 percent of the flow. Figure 4-2
shows the industrial waste flow data by subareas.
The 20 largest Industrial water users based
upon volume of waste discharged exclusive of
electric power production arc* .shown in "fable 4-5.
It is easily seen from, the table that steel, chemical,
oil, and paper industries predominate in the basin.,
These 20 industries discharge 86 percent of the
total industrial waste water if the electric power
industry Is excluded,
About 47 percent of the total industrial waste
discharges in the basin flows directly to the lake
or to lake-affected portions of the tributaries;
another 44 percent is discharged to the Detroit and
St. Clair Rivers,
Industries discharge millions of pounds of
dissolved solids daily to Lake Erie; for example,
they discharge 11 million pounds of chlorides dally
and a similar quantity of sulfates. The chloride
input is expected to double by 1990 unless restric-
tions are placed upon inputs.
4-5 - Twenty largest U \ I'l.-ducers of
Industrial Watei l
In the Lake Erie Drainage Bosin
Name and Location
% of Total
Industrial Waste
Discharge
Ford; Dearborn and Monroe, Mich.
Republic Steel; Lorain and
Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, N.Y.
Bethlehem Steel; Lackawanna, N.Y.
Great Lakes Steel; Ecorse and
River Rouge, Michigan
Jones&Laughlin Steel; Cleveland, Ohio
Wyandotte Chemical; Wyandotte, Mich,
Pennsalt Chemical; Riverview, Mich.
Gulf Oil; Toledo, Ohio
McLouth Steel; Trenton and
Gibraltar, Michigan
Allied Chemical; Detroit, Michigan
and Buffalo, New York
Interlake Steel; Toledo, Ohio
Scott Paper; Detroit, Michigan
Standard Oil; Toledo and Lima, Ohio
Midland Ross; Painesville, Ohio
U.S. Steel; Cleveland and Lorain, Ohio
Mobil Oil; Trenton, Michigan
and Buffalo, New York
Hamniermi.il Paper Co.; Erie, Penn.
Monsanto Chemical; Trenton, Mich.
Diamond Shamrock; Painesville, Ohio
Consolidated Paper; Monroe, Mich.
19.7
14.9
13,0
8.7
4.8
4.1
3.6
2.5
2.4
1.7
1.6
1.6
1.5
1.1
0.9
0.9
0.7
0,7
0.6
0.5
1
Based on volume of waste water discharged.
"Exclusive of electric power production.
Agricultural runoff is a major source of nutrient
and sill pollution to Lake Erie, The pollution
results largely from surface erosion, of sparsely
covered, intensely cultivated, fine-grained soils,
While silt covers much of the bottom of the lake and
this, along with pesticide's, may be influential in
the fisheries problem, the nutrient Input is of
greater immediate concern. Increasingly larger
quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers
are being applied to the land, and these substances
find their way to the lake during runoff. Nutrients
are also contributed in significant quantities from
animal wastes,
If an estimated rate; of 250 pounds of total,
phosphorus per square mile per year is used to
calculate the agricultural contribution, almost six
million pounds are contributed to Lake Erie per
year from this source. The nitrogen input from run-
off is at least ten times this amount.
At least eight million tons of silt are discharged
to Lake Erie from agricultural runoff each year.
Nearly half of this is discharged to the western
basin..
The Matimee River Is the greatest contributor to
rural runoff pollution, in both nutrients and silt, In
the Erie basin. About two million tons per year of
nutrient-laden silt enter the lake from this drainage
basin.
It Is not likely that: the rate of silt input from
rural runoff will increase by any significant amount
in the future because of Improved soil conservation
practices. In fact,, it appears that the present rate
is less than it has been in the past. The Inputs of
nutrients from rural, runoff are likely to Increase
however, because of the rapidly increasing usage of
fertilizers.
Combined sewer systems are recognized as
very significant sources of pollutants both to
tributaries and to Lake Erie. The more important
materials contributed are BOD, bacteria, and the
nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus. Beaches are
closed in many places because of the bacterial
loadings.
Many large cities in the Lake Erie basin have
combined sewer systems carrying both sewage and
surface drainage water. During dry weather the
sewer systems supposedly direct all flow to a
sewage treatment plant. During periods of pre-
cipitation the; excess flow bypasses the treatment
plant and goes directly to the nearest watercourse.
Many of the systems are in such poor condition that
sewage is continuously bypassed; Cleveland's
system is a prime example.
56
-------
At present: the largest contributors to Lake Erie
pollution from combined sewers are the cities of
Detroit, Cleveland, and Toledo, These have an
immediate detrimental effect, particularly at bathing
beaches in the vicinity. Combined sewers are the
main reason that the entire shoreline: in the Cleveland
metropolitan area is unsafe for swimming.
Approximately 40 billion gallons per year flow
from combined sewers directly to the basin's water-
ways. About half of this flow is untreated municipal
waste; i.e., sewage bypassed to the overflow during
rainstorms. Sewer overflows, on an annual average,
contribute wastes equivalent to the oxygen demand
of raw sewage from approximately 600,000 persons,
The. wastes from combined sewer overflows will be
muck greater in the future if controls are not,
instituted now. Tables 4-6 and 4-7, for example,
show the projected contribution of oxygen-demanding
substances from storm water overflows in 2020.
TABLE 4-6 - Projected BOD in Lbs/Day from
Water Overflow Assuming No Further Control
Measures or Separation of Existing Sewers
Subarea
Southeast Michigan
Maumee
North Central Ohio
Greater Cleveland- Akron
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Total
1967
43,000
11,000
4,000
30,000
500
2,000
12,000
102,500
2020
90,000
23,000
8,000
65,000
2,000
8,000
25,000
221,000
4- ' iOD from
W>»»p« Ovjif'uw* Assuming Seporote Sewer
Systems Throughout
Subarea
Southeast Michigan
Maumee
North Central Ohio
Greater Cleveland-Akron
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Total
2020
38,000
9,000
3,000
26,000
2,000
2,900
12,000
92,900
*These tables show that the combined sewer over-
flow in 2020 would amount to 221,000 Ibs/day
BOD — more than twice the present discharge.
But, if sewers are separated this discharge will.
amount to only 92,900 Ibs/day in 2020, less than
the present discharge of 102,500 Ibs/day.
VESSEL WASTES
Vessel discharges are locally damaging,
especially in harbor areas, although they are not a
significant factor in the overall water quality of the
lake. The bacterial, and nutrient pollution load
from commercial vessels on Lake Erie is equivalent
to the raw sewage of 1,200 persons for eight months
of the year or a permanent population of 800. The
pollution contribution from pleasure craft is equi-
valent to the raw sewage of a permanent population
of 5,500. Areas of particular concern from vessel
wastes are around Detroit, Toledo, San dusky,
Vermilion, Rocky River, Cleveland, Ash tabula,
Erie, and Buffalo.
SHCi
-------
1 AliLfc 4-
1967 in Loke
Harbor
Monroe (Raisin River)
Bolles Harbor
Toledo (Maumee River)
Sandusky
Huron
Lorain (Black River)
Rocky River
Cleveland (Cuyahoga River)
Fairport (Grand River)
Ashtabula
Conneant
Erie
Dunkirk
Buffalo
Total
Volume cu. yds.
250,000
186,000
1,000,000
600,000
180,000
500,000
60,000
1,300,000
360,000
350,000
400,000
200,000
26,000
620,000
Principal sludge source
industrial
rural
rural
rural
rural
Industrial, municipal, rural
municipal, rural
industrial, municipal, rural
Industrial, rural, municipal
Industrial, rural
rural
municipal.
industrial
industrial
6,032,000
In many cases dredging wastes harm water
quality by the addition of BOD and nutrients. It has
been the policy to dump the dredged materials in
the lake within a few miles of the dredging sites,
which maybe transferring highly polluted substances
to relatively unpolluted areas.
-
HIGHWAY AND
Pollution from construction sites is mainly silt
and is similar to agricultural runoff, but the rate
per unit area is much higher. The problem is
becoming increasingly serious because of the
recent intensification of highway arid housing
programs in the Erie basin covering large areas of
land. There apparently has been no adequate
program of reseeding, catch-basins, etc. during
construction; and the land is left barren for long
periods, especially over winter.
AND
The waterways of the Lake Erie basin are
being used, in many places, for the disposal of
solid wastes. Municipal and industrial dumps
presently exist along the banks of most major
streams. These dumps are eyesores and contribute
oils, oxygen demand, trash, and other wastes.
Fallen trees and stomps choke rivers and
streams at many places, blocking flow an
-------
Recreation. The persistence of oil, being, for the
most part, nondegradabie naturally, makes this
problem a difficult one to overcome. The possibility
of a major cargo spillage within the lake proper is
real and poses a disastrous threat to the entire lake,
Methods of coping with oil pollution after a
discharge, either locally or basin-wide, are not now
adequate, but efforts are being made; to correct this
situation, especially by the Coast Guard andFWPCA.
POTENTIAL
POLLUTION
Offshore drilling in the lake proper for oil and
gas is now being contemplated by several companies
on bottom land to be leased from the states of Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and New York. This is a potential
source of pollution, mainly from oil spillage, brine,
and drilling muds. If considerable quantities of oil
are encountered in drilling, the risk of oil pollution
will, be of the highest degree and could lead to
disaster,
Reactor plants for power sources seem to be
inevitable. These represent potential sources of
radioactive pollution substances. Their main con-
tribution to the degradation of Lake Erie is and will
be thermal, pollution because of the necessarily
great amount of cooling water used.
Very important potential sources of pollution
are the ultimate disposal, sites of the residue from
waste treatment plants. This is especially important
in regard to nutrients. Nutrients removed at a treat-
ment plant can have little effect on improving Lake
Erie water quality if the nutrients still are dis-
charged to the drainage system.
ACTIVITIES
In the Lake Erie basin there are 15 Federal
installations that discharge directly to public
waters. Of these, five are considered not to have
adequate facilities:
1. The Selfridge Air Force Base in Southeast
Michigan operates a secondary waste water treat-
ment plant which discharges a chlorinated effluent
into the Clinton River. There are some base
facilities served by septic tanks followed by sand
filters that occasionally overflow to the river with-
out disinfection. Plans are underway to connect
the base's system to the Detroit Metro System,
2. The Naval. Air Station at Grosse He, Michigan
has been responsible for significant quantities of
oil in Frenchmen's Creek attributable to aircraft
washings and dumps of engine oil. This can ser-
iously interfere with wildlife and boating recreation.
The Navy plans to move its air facility to Selfridge
Air Force Base by July 1, 1969.
3. The Lewis Research Center (NASA) Plum
Brook Facility, located near San dusky has a
complement of approximately 700. A secondary
treatment plant with trickling filter and final coagu-
lation for phosphorus removal has been constructed
for treating all wastes. Tests are presently being
conducted to establish maximum removal, of all
constituents, including phosphorus.
4. The Michigan Army Missile Plant at Warren,
Michigan provides the equivalent of secondary
treatment for all. domestic and, industrial wastes
which have a combined volume of 0,8 mgd and an
average BOD removal of 94%. Consideration is
presently being given to connecting to the Detroit
Metro System to comply with additional State
requirements.
5. The Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan
presently discharges its municipal wastes to the
Warren Sewerage System, Additional treatment is
required for some industrial and coal storage
drainage waters for the removal of oil and control of
PH.
For these five Federal installations, adequate
treatment facilities (complete secondary treatment
with phosphorus removal for all domestic wastes is
considered the minimum treatment necessary) should
be provided by 1968. It is recognized that programs
are in effect by the Air Force, Navy, and NASA to
correct these inadequacies.
The waste substances that are discharged to the
lake from municipal and industrial outfall, s, tributaries,
and land drainage are many; and their effects on
water uses are varied. Many substances have-
severe effects on water uses in the localities of the
discharges. The more important of these are acid,
oil, cyanide, iron, coliform bacteria, phenol, and
oxygen-consuming materials.
The most damaging substances affecting the
total waters of Lake Erie are nutrients. Nutrients
given the most attention are nitrogen andphosphorus,
because, following carbon., they are required in the
greatest amounts for the production of aquatic
plants. Controlling one of these substances would
control the rate of overenrichment in Lake Erie.
Phosphorus is singled out in the discussion which
follows because it is the one nutrient most amenable
to treatment and control... Oilier substances having
damaging effects on the total waters of the lake are
suspended solids (sediment), and carbonaceous
oxygen-consumingmaterials. Chlorides and dissolved
solids have not reached damaging concentrations,
but their dramatic increases indicate the rate at •
which water quality has been degraded. Summaries
of the major known sources and loads of suspended
find dissolved solids, chlorides, BOD, andphosphorus
to Lake Erie are presented in Table 4-9 •
59
-------
I" mil: 4
Waste Hoods to Lake Erie Waters — (Pounds per day)
Source
Industrial
Municipal
Rural Runoff
Urban Runoff
Lake Huron Outfi
U.S. Und
Canada
Undiff*
Total
BOD
480,000
900,000
f
Outflow 950,000
rentiated
tiated 100,000 est.
2,430,000
Chlorides
10,980,000
1,830,000
| 3,120,000
)
6,500,000
2,900,000
25,330,000
Total
Phosphorus
5,900
86,400
18,220
8,760
< 20, 000
18,000
157,280
Suspended
Solids1
3,800,000
73,000,000
57,100,000
133,900,000
Dissolved
Solids
116,000,000
1
> 84,000,000
1
200,000,000
Over two-thirds of this comes from shore; erosion. Exclusive of solids (9 million tons annually) deposited in
the lake in dredging operations.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Damage to Lake Erie from suspended matter is
dependent on the nature of the material. Suspended
matter from municipal discharges is primarily
organic and oxygen-consuming, and its deposition
results in enriched bottom muds or sludge banks.
Effects of these wastes are largely local and can
be corrected by proper treatment. Suspended matter
from certain, industries and the material from land
erosion are largely inorganic and serve to fill
harbors, embayments, ship channels, arid the Jake,
Over 24 million tons of sediment washes into Lake
Erie annually; two-thirds of this comes from shore?
erosion. Another 9 million tons annually is carried
to the lake in dredging operations,
Principal sources of suspended solids discharged
to Lake Erie are the Detroit, Maumee, Cuyahoga,
and Grand Rivets which represent more than 40
million pounds per day. About 1,5 million pounds
per day of suspended solids of the Detroit River
are from industrial and municipal sources. Ihe
Maumee discharges are largely silt from land runoff.
The greatest quantities are released during periods
of heavy rain and high runoff; therefore, control
must be instituted through improvements of land use
practices ie the watershed. The Cuyahoga and
Grand Rivers" (Ohio) discharges are believed to be
largely from land runoff and from industrial, and
municipal wastes. The load in the Cleveland
harbor results in severe discoloration and the need
for frequent dredging.
CARBONACEOUS
Carbonaceous oxygen-consuming materials,
usually measured by the 5-day biochemical, oxygen
demand (BOD), are pollutants to streams in that
they depress dissolved oxygen levels. This
immediate effect is not as pronounced in lake?;
such as Lake Erie because of its tremendous oxi-
dation capacity. However, BOD is a measure of
wastes that are used by bacteria in cell, growth and
60
reproduction, thereby creating sludge which settles
to the lake bottom. Carbonaceous BOD of wastes
is most effectively removed by secondary or tertiary
treatment.
The present and projected daily BOD loading
for the entire basin is shown in Figure 4-3 along
with the loading after various degrees of reduction.
1 cRIE BASIN
PORTION!
t!'1; ' A1\r< w fTTTC""
tftKE ERIE BASIN
{U.S. PORTION)
TOT/ll PBnir-rrcn PA'"' P"n I o/"1 1*)t> F"rrFCT "F
'a l\ ! II ' ii' f t
Figure 4-3 — Lake Erie Basin Total Projected Daily
BOD Load and Effect of Reduction — industrial
and Municipal Sources
-------
Figure 4-4 shows projected municipal loadings for
each of the subbasins. As this figure indicates,
the Detroit area contributes more BOD to Lake Erie
than all. other known sources combined. Table 4-10
shows present industrial and municipal BOD loads
by subbasins of both the untreated waste and with
treatment levels recommended in this report.
M ( ujseiit Untreated Municipal and
w '<* t ' aadis by Subbosln Lbs/day
Area.
Un t re at e d
BOD
Southeast Michigan
Maiimee — Indiana.
Maumee — Ohio
North Central Ohio
Cleveland- Akron
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
New York
Total
With
R e co m m en tie d
Treatment
CHLORIDES
Lake Huron discharges 6.5 million pounds of
chlorides per day, accounting for 26 percent of the
total, chloride load to Lake Erie, The Detroit-
Windsor area discharges 9.5 million pounds per day
or 38 percent. Thus, nearly two-tliinla of tin:
chloride loud to Lake Erie enters at, llic mouth nf
the Detroit River, The Grand River (Ohio) con-
tributes another 3.9 million pounds, or 15 percent;
and the Cuyahoga and Ma.ii.rnee Rivers contribute
1.5 million pounds per day or about 6 percent of the
total, to Lake; Erie.
Table 4-9 lists the known chloride loads to
Lake Erie from various kinds of contributors. In
addition to the Lake Huron input, contributing 26
percent, industry accounts for 43 percent, municipal
wastes 7 percent, a.nd street deicirig (runoff) 1*2
percent. The remaining 12 percent is derived from
undifferentiated Canadian sources.
Figure 4-5 shows the projected chloride loadings
by subbasin, and Figure 4-6 shows projected total
lake loading and the effects of various degrees of
reduction.
Figure 4-4 - Present Projected Lucid Dc.<'!iiuq>-d in th-- t nk*1 EIM Bo.,ir
61
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.' A * r
iF'1'
"CNN,
LEGEND
DI^GHAFWtO '
BY CMtfRS !
DISCHARGED
BY INOUSTX
THOUSANDS
,",F
IBS /DA>
Figure 4-5 — Present Projected Chloride Discharges in the Lake Erie Bos in Without Additional Controls
Dissolved solids concentrations at the head of
the St. Clair River average 110 tng/1, at the head
of the Detroit River 126 mg/1, and Lake Erie at
Buffalo 180 mg/1. These levels represent daily
inputs of 116 million pounds per day from the water-
shed above Detroit and a discharge of almost 200
million pounds per day to the Niagara River from
Lake Erie. Most of the increase within Lake Erie
actually is derived from the Detroit area.
Figure 4-6 - Projected Chloride Lood to Lake Erie
and Loads with Various tn-Basin Load Reductions
PHOSPHORUS
The principal in-basin sources of phosphorus
are municipal wastes (72 percent), agricultural
runoff (17 percent), urban runoff (7 percent), and
industrial wastes (4 percent), Table 4-11. These
along shore of Kelieys Island.
62
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TABLE 4-11
lvtesent end Projected Phosphorus Discharges to Lake Erie
t > <:lusive of Lake Huron Input — Ibs/day
Subbasins
Municipal
Waste
Southeast Michigan.
Maumee River Basin
North Central Ohio
Greater Clevelsmd-Akron area
Northeast: Ohio
Pennsylvania
Western New York
Ontario
98,200
Industrial
Waste
Urban
Runoff
6,000
9,310
Rural
Runoff
46,000
9,000
3,800
22,000
1,100
.1,400
3,000
11,900
3,000
1,000
500
800
100
100
500
unknown
3,000
1,000
1,600
2,000
500
110
650
450
3,000
10,000
2,600
700
750
220
1,000
5,500
23,770
Total
55,000
21,000
8,500
25,500
2,450
1,830
5,150
17,850
-
Southeast Michigan
Maumee River Basin
North Central Ohio
Greater Cleveland- Akron area
Northeast Ohio
Pennsylvania
Western. New York
Ontario
85,000
12,000
8,000
40,000
3,700
3, 100
6, 100
21,400
179,300
4,500
1,500
750
1,200
200
180
750
- -
9,080
4,500
2,000
2,400
3,000
700
160
1,000
810
14,570
3,000
10,000
2,600
700
700
210
1,000
6,500
24,710
97,000
25,500
13,750
44,900
5,300
3,650
8,850
28,710
inputs total. 137 thousand pounds per day and
exclude the Lake Huron input of somewhat less
than 20 thousand pounds per day. In municipal
wastes about one pound per capita per year is
contributed by human excreta and 2.5 pounds per
capita pet year by detergents. "Phosphorus from
agricultural runoff amounts to about 250 pounds
per square mile per year. Urban runoff contributes
phosphorus at the rate of about 530 pounds per
square mile per year.
Figure 4-7 shows the contributions of phosphorus
for each of the subbasins and the projected contri-
butions for the years 1990 and 2020. Phosphorus
loadings to Lake hrie will increase nearly 2,5
times by 2020 if the present rates continue un-
checked. Figure 4-8 shows total projectedphosphorus
Inputs from various sources,
The Detroit area contributes by far the largest
amount (40 percent) of phosphorus to Lake Erie,
more than twice as much as either the Cleveland or
the Maumee areas, the next two major sources.
The content in Lake Erie of radioactive wastes
is increasing, primarily from atmospheric fallout,
nuclear power plants, and from medical uses. Limits
for discharge are set by the Atomic Energy Com-
mission. The levels in Lake Erie and in tributaries
are low and are not known to be harmful, but the
substances are cumulative and lost only by long
natural decay. Increasing conversion of the energy
for electric power production from fossil to nuclear
fuels indicates that radioactive waste levels will
continue to rise.
Many substances toxic to aquatic life and even
to human life are discharged to the waters of the
Lake Erie basin. Fortunately all are either degraded
or diluted to acceptable levels quickly upon reaching
the lake proper.
Toxic metals such as copper, cadmium, chromium,
lead, nickel, zinc, and iron are discharged In
significant quantities by primary metals and metal-
fabricating industries. Areas of concern are near
the mouths of the Rouge, Black, Cuyahoga, and
Buffalo Rivers.
Some toxic metals, such as copper, may be
accumulated and stored by algae and cause diffi-
culties in the life forms which consume these
organisms.
Many organic chemicals are toxic, or near toxic,
such as the multitude of insecticides, and the
organic compounds discharged by the plastics
industries. Phenols are waste products of the iron
and oil industries. The Detroit-Maumee basin,
Lorain, Cleveland-Akron, and Buffalo areas, produce
large quantities of organic chemical wastes.
ACIDS
Acids, products of many industries, are indirectly
toxic in that they may reduce the pH of the receiving
waters to levels interfering with fish and aquatic
life. Detroit, Cleveland, and 'Buffalo are areas of
large acid discharges,
63
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LEGOiP
f 1 7 -• Present Projected Phosphorus Discharges in the Lake Erie Basin Without Additional Controls
It**
Figure 4-8 — Projected Phosphorus Load
to Lake by Soui-ce-Cymulative
OIL
Oil is persistent and difficult to decompose In
water and has serious effects on all forms of water
uses. Large quantities are discharged continuously
by the steel and oil industries in Detroit, Toledo,
Cleveland, and Buffalo, Oil is also contained in
municipal wastes in significant quantities.
Oil, as a heavy floating scum, is continuously
present in many harbor areas, particularly in the
Rouge at Detroit, the Cuyahoga at Cleveland, and
in the Buffalo River.
HEAT
Heat or thermal pollution is a waste product of
many industries. It is significant ie electric power
production. The increase in temperature may be
20°F or more with one pass through a power plant.
This would be significant in small bodies of water
64
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where the water is recycled. It can affect teaperatnre-
sensitiv-e organisms In the lake in the immediate
vicinity of the discharges, but It does not cause a
measurable temperature increase In the lake as a
whole. It is possible, though Dot likely, that
Increased power production from nuclear energy
will cause a measurable increase.
Steel industries also cause local rises in
temperature with cooling water and slag discharges.
This source of heat is not likely to increase signi-
ficantly except locally in tributaries. It is in
tributaries that temperature problems now of
concern,
*<4
Detroit Edison stecim electric generating plant,
65
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5
This chapter discusses Immediate and long-
range needs for pollution abatement and control,
Needed current actions are based primarily on the
requirements to meet the interstate water quality
standards established by the basin states, similar
requirements on intrastate waters, and the require-
ments of the Lake Erie enforcement conferences.
Needed actions are summarized in Table 5 - !•
The remedy for the problems of Lake Erie must
be gin with the recognition that (ineffective pollution
abatement program or plan must involve action and
cooperation at every level of government — local,
state,, and federal.
The tools are available for doing the job. The
basic legislation, the technical competence;, and
equipment, are now at hand.
The first and second steps to save the lake
have been reached, First the live states have
agreed to a set of requirements established by the
enforcement conferences an Lake Erie; and second,
the five states have submitted interstate water
quality standards to the Secretary of the Interior
which set forth goals and ways to reach them,
Now the work agreed to in the enforcement,
conferences and water quality standards implemen-
tation plans must be carried out.
ENFORCEMENT
In 1961 the Governor of Michigan requested a
State-Federal intrastate enforcement conference on
the Michigan waters of the Lake Erie basin.. At
this conference, binding pollution abatement agree-
ments and remedial schedules were established for
11 units of municipal, government and. 25 industries
in Michigan.
In 1965 the Governor of Ohio requested an inter-
state enforcement conference for all of Lake Erie,
At this conference, a set of requirements was
established and agreed upon by each of the states.
The requirements are contained in the conclusions
of that conference as follows:
TABLE 5-1 — Summary of Water Pollution Control
Category
Implementation of water quality
standards and enforcement
conference requirements
Intrastate Control
Institutions
Surveillance
Need
Responsibility
Sewer construction,
Secondary treatment,
Tertiary treatment,
Phosphorus control,
Equivalent
industrial waste treatment
Area-wide development plans,
Regional authorites,
Intrastate water quality standards
Development of data base in
areas of greatest water
pollution control needs
Municipalities,
Industries, States, and FWPC.A
States and Metropolitan areas
States, FWPCA, IJSGS
-------
TABLE 5 i - Summary of Water Pollution Control Needs (continued)
Category
Need
Responsibility
Evaluation
Dredging Control
Oil and Gas Well Drilling
Research and Development
Erosion Control
Training
Strengthen State Pollution
Control Program
Financial,
Coordination with Garrad'a
A Look Ahead
Review progress of
municipalities and industries'
in abating pollution.
Develop and implement
alternatives to lake disposal
of dredged materials
Prevent any wastes from these
operations from getting into
waters of the ba.sin
Research, into —
1. Methods of tertiary treatment
2. Phosphorus control
3. Sludge disposal
4. Cause of fish mortalities
5. Role of bottom sediments
in lake pollution
6.- Ways to prevent formation
of oxygen deficient zones
in. lake
7c Control of soil runoff
8.. Eutrophication studies
Reduce urban and agricultural
soil erosion
Better and more training for
all phases of water pollution
control'including treatment
plant operation
Increased
1. Enforcement
2. Training
3. Technical, assistance
4. • Research •
5. 'Direction • •
6. Supervision of treatment
performance
7. Planning for water quality
management
Increased financial aid for
areas needing pollution
abatement facilities
Pollution^ abatement for
entire lake
New authorities and water
quality managefnent institutions
for organized and efficient
pollution control
States
U.S. Corps of Engineers, FWPCA
States and drilling industries
Federal Government
States, Industries, Universities,
Local Government
Soil Conservation
Service, Bureau of Public Roads,
U.S. Corps of Engineers, Other
Federal, state, and local
construction agencies
State, Federal Government,
Industry, Institutions, Local
Government
Governors and State legislatures
increase manpower and financing
of state pollution control programs
Federal Government, States, Local
Government, Industry
States, Federal Government, IJC,
Canada
States
Federal Government
68
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REVISED CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE CONFEREES* - AUGUST 12, 1965
1. The waters of Lake Erie within tire United
States are interstate waters within the meaning of
section 8 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act. The waters of Lake Erie and its tributaries
within the United States are navigable waters within
the meaning of section 8 of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act.
2. Lake Erie and many of its tributaries are
polluted. The main bodvof the lake has deteriorated
in quality at a rate many times greater than its
normal aging processes, due to the inputs of wastes
resulting from the activities of man,
3. Identified pollutants contributing to damages
to water uses in Lake Erie are: sewage and industrial
wastes, oils, silts, sediment, floating' solids arid
nutrients (phosphates and nitrates). Enrichment of
Lake Erie, caused by man-made contributions of
nutrient materials, is proceeding at an ala.0n.ing
rate. Pollution in Lake Erie and many of 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 is of major concern. Problems are occurring
along the lake shoreline at- some water intakes and
throughout the lake from algal growths stimulated
by nutrients. Reduction of one or more of such
nutrients will be beneficial, in controlling algal
growths and eutrophication.
5. Many sources of waste discharge reaching
Lake Erie have inadequate waste treatment facilities.
The delays in controlling this pollution 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 ate endangering the health or
welfare of persons in states other than those in
which such discharges originate. In large measure
this pollution is caused by nutrients which over-
fertilize the lake. This pollution is subject to
abatement under the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act.
7. Municipal wastes are to 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.
^Representative of: Indiana, Michigan, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, and U, S. Department of Health,
Education and Welfare.
8. Secondary treatment plants are to be so
designed and operated as to maximize the removal
of phosphates.
9- Disinfection of municipal waste effluents is
to be practiced in a manner that will maintain coli-
form densities not in excess of 5,000 organisms per
100 ml. at water supply intakes, and not in excess
of 1,000 organisms per 100 ml. where and when the
receiving waters in proximity to the discharge point
are used for recreational purposes involving bodily
contact. It is recognized that bathing water quality
standards are established by statute in New York
State.
10. All new sewerage facilities are to be designed
to prevent the necessity of bypassing untreated
waters.
11. Combined storm and sanitary sewers are to
be prohibited in all newly developed urban areas,
and eliminated in existing areas wherever feasible.
Existing combined systems are to be patrolled and
flow-regulating1 structures adjusted to convey the
maximum practicable amount of combined flows to-
arid through treatment plants,
12. Programs are to be developed to prevent
accidental spills of waste materials to Lake Erie
and its tributaries. In-plant surveys with the pur-
pose of preventing accidents are recommended.
13. Unusual increases in waste output and
accidental spills are to be reported immediately to
the appropriate State agency.
14. Disposal of garbage, trash, and. other delete-
rious refuse in Lake Erie or its tributaries is to be
prohibited and existing dumps along river banks
and shores of the lake are to be removed.
15. The conferees are to meet with representa-
tives of Federal, State, .and local officials respon-
sible for agricultural, highway, and community
development programs for the purpose of supporting
satisfactory programs for the control of runoff which
de.leteriou.sly affects water quality in Lake Erie,
.1.6. Industrial plants ate to improve practices for
the segregation and treatment of waste to effect
the maximum reductions of the following:
a. Acids and alkali ens
b. Oil and tarry substances
c. Phenolic compounds and organic chemicals
that contribute to taste and odor problems
d. Ammonia andothernitrogenous compounds
e. Phosphorus compounds
f. Suspended material
g. Toxic and highly-colored wastes
69
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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.
17. The Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
and New York water pollution control agencies are
to undertake action to insure that industrial plants
discharging wastes into the waters of Lake Erie and
its tributaries within their respective jurisdictions
institute programs of sampling their effluents to
provide necessary information about waste outputs.
Such sampling shall be conducted at such locations
and with such frequency as to yield statistically
reliable values of all waste outputs and to show
their variations. Analyses to be so reported are to
include, where applicable: pH, oil, tarty residues,
phenolics, ammonia, total nitrogen, cyanide, toxic
materials, total biochemical oxygen demand, and
all other substances listed in the preceding paragraph.
18. Waste results are to 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
information.
19. The U.S. Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare is to establish water pollution sur-
veillance stations at appropriate locations on Lake
Erie. Surveillance of the tributaries will be the
primary responsibility of the States. The Depart-
ment of Health, Education and Welfare will assist
the States at such times as requested.
20. The U.S. Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare will be responsible for developing up-
to-date information and experience concerning
effective phosphate removal and the control of
combined sewer systems. This information will be
reported to the conferees regularly.
21. Regional planning is often the most logical
and economical approach toward meeting pollution
problems. The water pollution control agencies of
Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New
York, and the Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare will encourage such regional planning
activities,
22. Within six months after the issuance of this
Summary, the State water pollution control agencies
concerned are to present a schedule of remedial
action to the Conferees for their consideration and
evaluation.
23. The Federal Conferee recommends the follow-
ing for the consideration of the State agencies:
a. Recommended municipal treatment: Com-
pletion of plans and specifications,
August, 1966; completion of financing,
February, 196?; construction started,
August, 196"'; construction completed,
January 1, 1969; chlorination of effluents,
May 15, 1966; provision of stand-by and
emergency equipment to prevent inter-
ruptions in operation of municipal treat-
ment plants, August, 1966; patrolling of
combined sewer systems, immediately,
b. Discontinuance of garbage and trash
dumping into waters: Immediately.
c. Industrial waste treatment facilities:
Completed and in operation" by January 1,
1969.
24, Federal installations: Waste treatment
facilities are to be completed, and in operation by
August of 1966.
25. Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers are to meet with the Conferees, develop
and put into action a program, for disposal of 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.
26, The conferees will establish a Technical
Committee as soon as possible which will evaluate
water quality problems in Lake Erie relating to
nutrients and make recommendations to the conferees
within six months afterthe issuance of this Summary.
27. The conference may be reconvened on the
call of the Chairman,
At the conclusion of the Cleveland session of
the conference, the following was included among
the conclusions and recommendations of the
conference:
"Pollution of navigable waters subject to abate-
ment under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act
is occurring in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie and
its tributaries. The discharges causing and con-
tributing to the pollution come from various municipal
and industrial sources, from garbage, debris, and
land runoff.
"Pollution of the Ohio waters of Lake Erie and
its tributaries within the State of Ohio endangers
health and welfare:."
Binding pollution abatement agreements and
remedial schedules were established for 118 units
of municipal government and 146 industries for
compliance by 1971. All municipal schedules called
for a minimum of secondary treatment and disinfec-
tion and in Michigan an additional binding require-
ment for 80 percent phosphate removal was included,
The Lake Erie enforcement conferees also
established a technical committee to delve into the
nutrient problem in Lake Erie, From this committee
70
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came a set of recommendations, summarized below,
which were agreed to by each of the states.
1. Establishment: of nutrient water quality objec-
tives for Lake Erie.
2. Promotion and encouragement of accelerated
research and development of a suitable
product solution to the detergent-phosphate
problem.
3. Control of phosphates in sewage treatment.
4. Standardization of analytical techniques.
5. Research into factors affecting the Lake
Erie fishery, municipal water supplies, and
recreational uses.
Passage In 1965 of the water quality standards
provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act created an effective new force for the control
of water pollution. The standards, once established,
bring into focus the actions needed both to abate
existing pollution and to prevent further pollution.
The plans to implement the water quality
standards are of primary significance, since they
describe what must be done, by whom, and by
what date to meet the quality criteria. These plans
are based on present and anticipated uses of the
waters, and on criteria associated with such uses.
A major consideration in developing and evaluating
the standards is the realistic proposition that what
'is needed is not the highest possible standard but
the highest standard possible at this time. Without
exception, this characterizes the standards proposed
by the five states in the Lake Erie basin.
The implementation plans cover many areas
which are basic to any pollution abatement program,
whether of a long-range blueprint type or a shorter-
range plan for correcting current needs. Some of the
elements incorporated in these plans, and to which
the States as a consequence of the standards-setting
process are committed, include:
1. The identification of significant sources of
municipal and industrial waste water and an
estimate of the general level of treatment
now practiced by the principal, treatment
facilities.
2. A time schedule for completion of remedial
facilities which will provide for the abate-
ment of substantial existing conventional
municipal and industrial pollution by mid-
1972. In some cases, the time schedule is
provided against which compliance can be
measured.
3. The establishment of secondary waste treat-
ment as a minimum treatment level for all,
significant municipal wastes, and equivalent
treatment as the minimum for industrial
wastes.
4. Recognition of the need, before 1977, for
treatment greater than secondary at specific
installations. Also provided is an expression
of intent on the part of the State agencies to
require nutrient removal to the greatest
extent possible, consistent with available
technology.
5. The establishment of more satisfactory
bacteriological quality for body contact
sports — so that this water use within the
basin can expand, consistent with long-range
goals.
6. General recognition and acceptance of the
'recommendations of the Detroit River and
Lake Erie enforcement conferences along
with the results of the evaluation by the
tatter's technical committee on nutrients and
their effects. This evaluation provides the
baseline for determining the total allowable
loading of phosphorus to the lake itself, a
level toward which all efforts must be directed.
In some cases, the water quality standards
proposed by the States include requirements in
addition to the above, or include other expressions
of intent. As an example, the standards proposed
by the Ohio Water Pollution Control Board recognize
and support the elements of the Northwest Ohio
Water Development Plan developed by the Ohio
Water Commission. This Ohio plan, recognizes,
among other requirements, the need within the next
decade for establishing sewer systems and advanced
wastetreatment systems in mostof themunicipalities
in northwest Ohio.
For intrastate waters in the basin, water quality
standards are not a direct requirement tinder the
Federal Water .Pollution Control Act. The Act,
however, does contain provisions which make it
advantageous to the States to also promulgate
standards for these waters. All of the Lake Erie
States recognize these advantages — i.e., the
re stilting larger contributions of Federal construction
grant funds — and are in the process of establishing
enforceable standards for intrastate streams.
New York has had a system of standards for all
of its waters and is now pledged to a continuing
program of upgrading and improving the classification
system and associated criteria,
Pennsylvania, in 1.944 adopted a classification
system for all of its streams. These have been
subjected to periodic review and upgrading, where
necessary. The State has indicated that this up-
dating will continue, with priority on updating
-------
streams which at present are adversely affected by
pollution.
Michigan has adopted Int.rasta.te standards which
are similar to the interstate:? standards and is now
in the process of establishing water .uses for the
streams.
MUl'
To catch up with the backlog of needed, sewage
treatment plants 287 municipalities need to upgrade
treatment. To cope with the expected population
growth, many new, enlarged and consolidated treat-
ment schemes must be devised. The Lake Lrie
basin should be served now by treatment resulting
in a minimum of 80 percent removal of ROD, sub-
stantially complete removal oj suspended solids,
and 92 percent removal of total phosphorus. By
1990 tertiary treatment should be a general basin-
wide requirement.
One hundred eighty-nine industries in, the Lake
Erie basin need to install treatment facilities to
meet water quality standards, the requirements of
the enforcement conferences, and the needs of this
report.
The industries that discharge significant waste
products into the Lake Erie basin are the heavy
chemical, steel, paper, and oil industries, l/niform
industrial pollution control objectives should he
established by each of the basin stales for indus-
tries discharging directly to the lake or to lafce-
affected backwaters. Unlike a flowing stream,, it is
impossible to establish direct cause and. effect
relationships for each waste effluent though the
cumulative effect on the lake is obvious. The lake
and its backwaters should thus be considered as
mixing, but non-flowing, bodies of water with addi-
tive causes and effects throughout,
Furthermore, uniform control requirements will
provide a nor/discriminaf.ory and sound basis for the
designof waste treatment facilities by each industry.
acids, taste and odor producing substances, and
other deleterious materials should be reduced to
the lowest practicable levels.
It is therefore proposed that the Lake Erie
basin states establish uniform effluent objectives
applicable to each industrial waste outfall dis-
charging directly to the lake or lake-affected back-
waters.
4
A^VN
%;•"„ \
ftpM*
;"''.' %i'
1%; •
M my Diuim:ipn! ticot'ieiif pirsnc, jjresitrtfiy pi'.wuic
treatment for industrial process wastes.
Wherever feasible, industries are encouraged to
connect to municipal plants after they have provided
suitable pretreatment of waste. In this way," overall
waste treatment can be improved and financial, gains
will result because the city could, qualify for an,
increased federal, construction grant.
Perhaps the best may to control industrial
discharges is by inplant process changes to prevent
or lessen the original waste products. Industrial
incentives are needed to encourage this type of
abatement.
A process which removes in excess of 95 percent
of the organic pollutants from sewage water.
Dissolved solids are not covered in the preceding
proposal because information is limited on practical,
methods to control them. Their concentrations are
increasing in Lake Erie, however, arid unless
something is done to halt: their increase, the levels
will continue to rise as cities and industries expand.
With this in mind, industries should be required to
maintain the flow of dissolved solids from their
factories at the. present level of discharge, or to
decrease this discharge where practical.
The balance of this subsection will be devoted
to a discussion of the municipal and industrial
waste" treatment needs for various subareas around
the Lake Erie basin. Waste treatment needs for
each city and industry are tabulated in the Appendix,
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
Southeast Mi
entire lake, must: h
sibility for the ;
two-thirds of tlv
whose wastes affect the
>e major share of the respon-
on of Lake Erie, Almost
municipal waste load and
nearly half of the total industrial waste load to
Lake Erie originate in southeast Michigan, Elimina-
tion of both industrial and municipal wastes is of
the utmost importance to the lake's preservation.
-------
oj St.. (.Hair, Sanilac, and Lapcer, with waste
treatment being provided near the City of
Algonac i the St. Clair River, This portion
of the I ..ireeptor system would be needed
by the year 2000,
«
\\ «• ,*'
( ttstr
/I 'watershed nian.ageincnt system, must, exist to
implement this overall program. Such an organiza-
tion does exist in southeast Michigan In the newly
named Southeastern Michigan Council of Govern-
ments—A Regional Planning Commission. This
group has adopted the above plan and is the agency
given primary responsibility for its implementation.
Mt, Clemens and Warren have been given a choice
by the Michigan Water Resources Commission of
connecting to die* metro system or providing
advanced waste treatment.
-------
mm
m
•
*
*
.MANCHESTER
C A N A DA
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74
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Attention must be given to the problem of
combined sewers in providing connections to the
.regional interceptor. The present: policy of the
Michigan regulatory agencies is not to approve
future construction of combined systems, but a
careful evaluation of older systems must also be
made, Where part of a system is combined and the
area is scheduled for redevelopment, separation of
sewers, or other techniques which can be applied to
control this pollution, should be considered as an
immediate need. Extensive existing combined
sewers should not be interconnected with separate
sewer systems. Instead they should be isolated and
their flow should enter the interceptor as an entity
with provision for separate handling and treatment
of overflows. The ever-increasing quantity of
separate sanitary sewage could then be handled
without overflow interference.
The construction of needed additional recrea-
tional areas in the upper reaches of tributaries
should include water .storage for low-flow augmen-
tation. Site selection must be made with multiple
use: in mind, so that, for example, augmentation of
flow does not reduce the reservoir to a level which
prohibits bo ating,
In addition to the massive effort requited for
adequate municipal sewerage systems and treat-
ment, similar efforts are requited of industries in
southeast Michigan. Most of the major industrial
polluters have been cited as a result of the state-
federal enforcement conference in Michigan and
have agreed to necessary remedial measures. Con-
struction of facilities is already underway and some
have completed remedial facilities.
Table A-2 on page 89 is a summary of the
industrial waste treatment needs for southeast
Michigan. The cost of construction of these facili-
ties is estimated at $110 million.
AND
Wastes from this area, particularly those from
the Mauniee River basin, also affect the entire
lake. Although, the quantity is somewhat less than.
from southeast Michigan, the effect on the lake,
especially from nutrients, is serious.
Expansion to secondary waste treatment facil-
ities, plus installation of tertiary treatment at 47
locations, including Toledo, Ft. Wayne, Lima, and
Elyria, are the major needs for this portion of the
Lake Erie watershed.
The Toledo area and, to a certain extent, the
Lorain-Elyria and Sandusky areas need master
planning and consolidation and integration of muni-
cipal treatment plants and interceptor systems,. The
remainder of the area is predominantly rural, negating
a need for basin-wide interceptor systems.
Since this area presently needs no farther
development plans, the States of Ohio and Indiana
now have sufficient programs to implement the
suggested controls. .Already Ohio has taken steps
to implement recommendations in the Northwest
Ohio Water Development Plan,
Industrial wastes require a very high degree of
treatment in this region. Most industries are aware
of the acute problems caused by their wastes and
have programs which, when put into effect, will
nearly eliminate; their waste problems. For example,
Sohio at Lima is spending more than a million dollars
a year for operating costs of its treatment facilities.
The industrial problems are caused mainly by
BOD, oils, phenols, ammonia, and solids. The
waste discharge loadings from several industries
are small, but due to the extremely low stream.
flows in many areas, these loadings may be detri-
mental.
The cost of industrial waste abatement is
estimated at |15 million for each basin. Table A-4
on page 96 lists the immediate industrial waste:
treatment needs for the area.
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The intensity of pollution from the Greater
Cleveland-Akron area ranks second only to that
from Southeast Michigan — heavily populated and
industrialized and in great need of a master, area-
wide plan for pollution abatement. However, unlike
Southeast Michigan, this area has no such plan nor
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does any local agency exist to implement a regional
plan.
The State of Ohio should develop a plan for
this area using the approach taken In the develop-
ment of the plan for Northwest Ohio. In addition,
the following immediate steps should be taken to
control pollution;
1. The Cleveland and Akron areas should form
metropolitan authorities and by 1990, when
the areas merge, the two authorities should
consolidate.
2. Proliferous construction of small sewage
plants should be halted. With this in mind
all sewage plants in the Rocky and Chagrin
Rivers should be phased out and the munici-
palities connected to metropolitan treatment
plants and regional Interceptors in accordance
with the treatment needs shown graphically
in Figure 5-4, and listed In Table A-5 on
page 99. As an alternate but less desirable
approach, the cities on the Rocky and
Chagrin Rivers could expand to tertiary
treatment.
3. To control pollution from overloaded combined-
sewers, treatment methods must be devised
that will fit within the financial, means of
the area. At this time construction of large?
offshore retention basins to store and treat
the urban runoff seems to be the most feasible
approach. A study is underway, financed by
the FWPCA, to determine precisely the
engineering and economic feasibility of
such a proposal. .Precise costs of such a
proposal are not known but are believed to
be over $100 million for Cleveland,
4. Sewer discharges, especially those directly
to Lake Erie, should be disinfected, beginning
immediately, to reduce the bacterial hazard
to recreational uses,
5. Cleveland also needs extensive repairs and
maintenance of its sewer system to prevent
bypassing of raw sewage, even during dry
weather, especially in the Do an Brook and
Dugway Creek areas. To partially relieve
the overloaded sewers, the city's consultants
have proposed the construction of express
sewers (estimated cost |20 million) directly
to the treatment plants from areas served by
separate sewers.
Major pollution in Northeast Ohio occurs at the
mouths of the tributaries when1; Industry and munici-
palities are located. Chemical pollution from
industry is part.tcula.rly severe at Fairport, Paines-
viile, and Ashtabula. There are also small isolated
problems upstream in the larger tributaries.
Sewer systems and treatment plants should be
consolidated into one collection system with secon-
dary treatment discharging directly to the lake, for
the cities of Fairport, Painesville, Painesville
East, and Grand River. An alternate but less
desirable approach would, be for each city to con-
struct its own secondary treatment facilities. Treat-
ment needs in other areas primarily include ex-
panding to secondary treatment, providing collection
systems, and disinfecting municipal plant effluents.
The immediate municipal pollution control needs
for the Greater Cleveland-Akron arid Northeast Ohio
Areas are given in Table A-5, page 99, and are;
shown graphically in Figure 5-4. The cost to meet
these needs is estimated to be $220 million for the
Greater Cleveland-Akron area and $22 million for
Northeast Ohio.
The Northeast: Ohio area does not need, in the
near future, metropolitan aotl.iorltl.es or master plans
such as those for Southeast Michigan and the
Greater Cleveland-Akron area.
The principal areas of industrial pollution are
the Cuyahoga River in the. vicinity of Akron caused
by the rubber industry and the lower Cuyahoga
River at Cleveland caused by ike steel industry,
The waste discharges from, several, of the industries
ate small, but are Important due to extremely low
stream flows. The major Industrial pollution
materials which enter the area's waters are: solids,
toxic materials, nitrogen compounds, refractory
organic compounds, iron, acid, oil, heat, and color.
The principal industrial waste problem of North-
east Ohio is the disposition of soluble chemicals
from the chemical industries at Fairport, Paines-
ville, and Ashtabula. These chemicals are not
removed by the usual biological waste treatment
methods. The most logical methods for their
removal include evaporation, recovery and utilization
in the form of some marketable product, deep-well
disposal, and in-plant control through process
change, conservation of materials, good house-
keeping, and source control. Other industrial
waste problems involve settleable materials and.
organic waste loads, and are amenable to treatment
by established methods using equipment and proce-
dures that are readily available.
Industrial waste treatment needs for the Greater
Cleveland-Akron and Northeast Ohio Areas are
given in Table A-6 on page 101. Expenditures
necessary to abate industrial pollution in Northeast
Ohio will depend upon control measures adopted by
the industries. The cost of construction for Indus-
trial facilities in the Greater Clevelan.d-A.kron area.
is estimated at |90 million and $15 million for
Northeast Ohio,
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The greatest need is in the Buj > <
lone-range, area-wide fnastsr sewer > > >
plan. This plan should cover the \, n> s ,
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stration and other Federal agencies share respon-
sibilities with the states for surveillance on the
lake,
Review of Progress and Updating. To give
meaning to surveillance action, the Federal Water
Pollution Control Administration and the affected
interstate, State, and local agencies must review
progress, assess its adequacy, and make necessary
revisions in the implementation plans. In particular,
attention must be directed toward progress in South-
east Michigan, the fireater Cleveland-Akron area,
and the Maumee River basin where problems are
most significant. A continuously updated plan is
necessary for attaining the goal, of a clean Lake
Erie basin.
Dredged Spoils and Erosion Control, The dredging
of ports and waterways for the maintenance of navi-
gation requires the disposal of large quantities of
dredged spoils. Current disposal practices in Lake
Erie result in pollution of large areas of the lake by
redistribution of dredged sludges and silt. The
Corps of Engineers and the Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration should continue joint efforts
in determining ways and means for curbing this
pollution. The solution to this problem may require
huge lakefront developments.
Control of soil erosion would aid measurably in
reducing the need for dredging. The Soil Conser-
vation Service should concentrate and expand its
activities in this field and support research directed
to preventing silt deposits in the lake and its
tributaries. A tool for areas such as the Maumee
basin with soil erosion problems is the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act, Public Law
566. .For the purpose of this act the Maumee basin
has been divided into 27 small watersheds, each
with needs for controlling soil runoff. To only
one of the drainage areas, the Little Auglaize River
basin, has been project-funded by Congress, There
is an urgent need to accelerate the funding of
these projects to minimize silt pollution .from the
Maumee and to extend these projects to other areas
of need. The cost of the 27 small watershed pro-
tection projects in the Maumee basin is estimated at
$180 million. These projects would reduce the silt
load by 80 percent. Similarly all agencies — Federal,
State, and local — involved in construction should
invoke measures to prevent erosion at construction
projects. This problem has recently been recognized
by the Bureau of Public Roads in connection with
highway construction in the Cleveland metropolitan
area.
Oil and Gas Well Drilling in Lake Erie, The
States of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York are
currently considering leasing underwater lands in
Lake Erie for oil and gas exploration. No deleterious
wastes from these operations should be allowed in
the lake. All wastes should be barged ashore for
disposal using State-approved sites and procedures.
If considerable quantities of-oil are encountered in
drilling, the risk of oil polltitioa will be of the
highest degree with the potential existing for a
disaster. The guaranteed protection from such
happenings is absolutely mandatory. Therefore,
the States and drilling companies should provide
controls that guarantee the complete absence of oil
from the lake.
Research and Development. Research and
development programs on more efficient, and more
economical methods of tertiary treatment and nutrient
removal, especially phosphorus, are needed now.
The water quality standards implementation plans
call for maximum practicable phosphorus removal
consistent "with available technology. Although
some advances through modifications of secondary
treatment plants and use of chemicals to achieve
better phosphorus removal have been made in recent
years, much more attention needs to be focused on
this problem if the aging of Lake Erie is to be
substantially slowed. The Federal responsibility
for this work rests with the Federal Water Pollution
Control Administration. In the private sector,
industry in concert with government must accelerate
the search for a solution to the phosphorus problem
associated with detergents.
A research responsibility of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Administration is to define more
clearly the relationship of bottom sediments to the
lake pollution problem.
Research should be carried out to define more
exactly the causes of fish mortalities in Lake Erie
manifested in both sudden and dramatic fish kills
and in the slow unperceived disappearance of
desirable species. The Federal responsibility for
this rests with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Research is needed to find methods to eliminate
pollution from storm and combined sewer overflows.
The Federal. Water Pollution Control Adminis-
tration should consider in its research needs a final,
solution to the disposal of sewage and industrial
sludges that will result from the more refined and
advanced treatment systems.
Another is to find effective
means to prevent the formation of oxygen-deficient
zones in mid-Lake Erie,
Training, The construction of waste treatment
facilities alone does not insure the elimination of
pollution. Satisfactory operation of these sophis-
ticated plants consistent with design specifications
requires trained personnel. Failure to provide the
required manpower could delay the entire pollution
control, effort in the basin,
The Federal Water Pollution Control Adminis-
tration recently reported to Congress on the "Man-
power find Training Needs in Water Pollution
81
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Control," This report outlines the assistance
available from the Federal government for training
personnel. This assistance ranges; from, utilization
of on-going training programs at various locations
throughout the country to utilization of state program
grant foods for training purposes. The States are
encouraged to participate in these training programs
to the maximum extent possible.
Strengthening of Stale Regulatory Programs. The
high stakes at issue in Lake Erie, the .requirements
of the water quality standards program, and the
growing Federal and State rn.oneta.iy investment in
local, waste treatment facilities (and in private
facilities, through tax write-offs and other financial
inducements) all combine to underscore the urgent
need for increased enforcement, operator training,
technical assistance, research, direction, closer
supervision of the performance of waste treatment
at the local level, and better planning for overall
water quality management. This will come only if
the States greatly strengthen their own will and.
ability to cany out these functions.
To do so, the staff and monetary resources of
the State water pollii.ti.on control agency in each
State must be greatly expanded.. Ohio particularly
must strengthen the support given its water pollution
control agency.
Coordination with Canada, Successful, clean-up
of Lake Erie's present pollution and effective
management of its future water quality will require
U.S.—Canadian agreements and cooperation. Indi-
cations that such will be forthcoming axe available
in Canadian and United States assent to and partici-
pation in an investigation of pollution in Lake Erie
now underway by the International Joint Commission,
This investigation, requested jointly by the Govern-
ment of Canada and the Government of the United
States in 1964, will culminate in a report from the
IJC which will include recommendations for needed
remedial measures in pollution control in both
countries.
Acceptance" and adoption of the report, which is
scheduled for completion in 1969» by ^e two
countries, thus would launch a joint coordinated
U.S. and Canadian program to manage Lake Erie's
water quality.
To further improve coordination with Canada in
controlling pollution in Lake Erie, the Federal.
Water Pollution Control'Administ.ta.tion suggests to
the Department of State that the present report be
transmitted as soon as possible to the International
Joint Commission and Canadian water pollution
control agencies for information and appropriate
consideration,
The Future® Beyond the urgent steps previously
mentioned awaits an equally important challenge —
that is to devise the new institutions and new
technical controls which an emerging eta of more
intensive and complex water quality management
will require. The states have the responsibility
and the authority now to accomplish the job, but
they lack manpower and finances. However, a look
ahead is needed to develop a single sophisticated
water quality management and technological entity
to replace the; present division' among five U.S.
states, a. Canadian- province, several. Federal
agencies, and literally hundreds of local govern-
mental agencies and private interests.
Dredging Lake Erie. A possible step to the
immediate improvement of Lake Erie, in addition to
the previous recommendations, .is the dredging of
the lake bottom. This; would be the ultimate in
refinement of water quality in the lake,
The cost, to dredge the top 'three feel of sedi-
ments would be many billions of dollars and would
take many decades to accomplish. Because of the
complete absence of knowledge about actual bene-
fits of such an undertaking and the great expense,
this is considered impractical. The FWPCA does
not believe that it will be necessary to remove
bottom sediments in order to restore Lake Erie
water quality. Even if such a project were under-
taken, the disposition of the dredged material
would be a major problem.
82
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The price of water pollution control Is high —
very high. The; more treatment required and the
more sewers that are: needed, the higher the cost,
The cost for controlling water pollution Is Indirectly
associated with desired water quality and directly
associated with the treatment required to obtain this
quality,
In addition to the capital expenditures for
present treatment facilities, some $40 million are
spent annually to maintain and operate these
sewerage; systems. With increase; in. population and
per capita water use and the corresponding increase
in nutrient and oxygen-demanding loads, the. present
plants, sneers and associated operating costs will
soon become grossly inadequate to maintain even
the existing water quality. Without improvern.en.ts
arid expansions, Lake Erie would quickly become a
'virtual cesspool and its tributaries something
worse. It should be noted at the start that, due to
increasing costs, the longer such construction is
delayed the greater the expense will be,
The Lake Erie Enforcement Conference in 1965
required that secondary treatment be provided at all
municipalities. This requirement, necessitates
marked improvements in present treatment facilities
and requires the construction of many new treatment
plants and sewer systems. The cost for llris in-
creased treatment 'will be the minimum expenditure
that will bring at least temporary improvement to
the lake, and. tributary water c/iutlit.j.
Figure 6-1 and the explanations that follow
indicate water quality improvements and costs that
can be expected for increasing levels of treatment
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too
1970
Figure 6- I — Noncumolative Annual Treatment Costs
Through 1989
A, SECONDARY TREATMENT AT ALL
As mentioned earlier secondary treatment at all
plants is the minimum program that would show
improvement in water quality in the. Lake brie basin,
Construction cost for providing adequate secon-
dary treatment and sewers at all municipalities in
the Lake Erie basin is $1 billion. Another $1.41
billion will be required to expand the facilities in
1990, After initial construction is completed, the
capital expenditures paid over thirty years and
operating cost will increase present annual per
capita expenditures by $5-6, which includes up to
$1 per capita per year to maximize phosphorus
removal.
With secondary treatment and ptiospharus removal
at all plants, most tributaries and certainly Lake
Erie will have improved water quality. The per-
sisting problems will be the oxygen demand from
organic discharges near the headwaters of tributaries
and. in those streams which have low flow during
the summer. Under these circumstances there; is
very little water in the stream to dilute the waste
discharge and, as a result, otherwise insignificant
loads may cause degraded conditions. Higher
removal rates must be required to minimize these
loads as much as possible. To alleviate these
problems, tertiary treatment (advanced waste treat-
ment) should be provided at some locations,
B.
The FWPCA recommendation is basically
secondary treatment with the addition of advanced
waste treatment at 67 treatment plants. The addition
of advanced waste treatment (which can remove in
excess of 95 percent of the BOD and phosphorus)
is recommended bv the FWPCA at those locations
where greater removal ofoxygen-demandingmaterials
is immediately necessary. The FWPCA further
recommends that by 1990 in order to meet population
growth, all municipalities in the Lake Erie basin
should provide advanced waste treatment, The
individual immediate recommendations are discussed
in the recommendations chapter of this report,
1 his program in providing control for increasing
waste loads as population, grows will provide sub-
stantial improvements to both lake and tributary
w-at.crs. With this, swimming and fishing which
are now restricted activities will increase to
near their full potential. More important, however,
is that the destructive pollution pace will, be greatly
diminished, giving the natural self-purification
phenomena a chance to bring Lake Erie to a much
more desirable state.
The immediate construction costs for carrying
out this program will be $1.10 billion, with an
additional $1.70 billion for the improvements and
expansion required by 1990. This represents an
approximate increase in present annual per capita
expenditures of $7, Figure 6-2 shows the construc-
tion cost by state for the immediate treatment and
sewer needs of municipalities in the Lake Erie
basin,
C, ADVANCED WASTE TREATMENT
AT ALL PLANTS
This would be the same as the FWPCA recommen-
dations with the addition of advanced waste treat-
ment at the remaining treatment: plants. The approxi-
mate cost for advanced waste treatment throughout
the basin would be $1.24 billion for present needs
and $L>6 billion additional for expansions by 1990«
This will provide basically the same benefits
as in B since the additional treatment will remove
more oxygen-demanding material in areas where this
is not an immediate need.
Since the end result for both />' and C is the
same, namely advanced waste treatment basin-wide,
the total construction cost will be essentially
equal. However, average per capita costs will be
lower in R because the increased operation cost for
advanced waste treatment will not be needed until
1990. Advanced waste treatment at all plants will
increase the present expenditures by $10 per capita
per year (compared to $.7 increase per capita per
year for FWPCA recommendation).
D, TREATMENT,
OF AGRICULTURAL RUNOFF AND
OF TO
SEPARATE
In addition to C, this program will increase
construction costs to $5 billion. On the whole this
project is more idealistic than practical. However,
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One such recommendation is the control of
agricultural runoff. In order to control silt loads
from agricultural lands, It is estimated that some
$400 million must be; spent on projects such as
underdrains, check dams, channel improvements,
and grassing slopes; of waterways. Such a long-term
project will have an annual per capita cost: of $2-."5
(similar to present per capita expenditures for
operation of sewage treatment plants,}
This investment for agricultural ninofj control
is probably as necessary as any of the municipal
and industrial treatment recommendations since such
runoff contains large amounts of nutrients, oxygen-
demanding material and possibly toxic substances
such as pesticides, insetcticid.es, and herbicides.
It should be noted that maximum control of
agricultural runoff is not solely a need for improve-
ments through construction, but also a need for
improvements through education. Improved prac-
tices in fertilizer application, ground cover, contour
fanning and other erosion controls should be
implemented through this educational program,
It is estimated that some $3 billion would have
to be spent to convert present combined systems to
separate systems, which is equivalent to an increase
of $10*20 per capita per year. This cost does not
reflect the time and inconvenience involved in
detouring traffic away from downtown areas where
most larger cities have combined sewers,
recommended by PWPC.A in area;; where feasible,
such as in redevelopment projects. It is further
recommended for areas where it is not feasible to
remove combined sewers; that, for the present,
effluents from, overflows should be at least dis-
infected before discharging to a watercourse and,
in the future some form of storage and treatment
should be; provided.
The cost for this recommended project has not
been determined but it would, be substantially less
than the billions of dollars required for basin-wide
separation. The cost of such a project will depend
on the method which each municipality determines
is best suited for its specific problems and location.
The estimate of construction costs for control.
of industrial waste discharge is difficult to deter-
mine due to the many processes involved with
such a diversity of industries located within the
Lake Erie basin. Treatment needs may vary from
improving in-plant operations to the addition of
complex and elaborate equipment. The solution to
many industrial pollution problems may be the
connection to municipal treatment plants which may
or may not require pretreatment.
It has been found in some instances that indus-
tries can recover a portion of the cost for improved
control due to the economic value of some of the
by-products of the treatment process and/or improved
efficiency.
Based on area-wide industrial waste pollution
problems and industrial activity, it is estimated
that the immediate needs for control of industrial
waste discharges will cost $285 million (Figure 6*3«)
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K* I04
KEV 7Y.) TABLES
Status of "Control Measures Needed" and "Abatement Schedule" as of January 1, 1968, Waste data may not
reflect recent additions to treatment facilities. The data were obtained during the period 1964-1966. In a few
cases the data were obtained in 1967. In all cases the data are the most recent that has been supplied by the
state water pollution control agency.
Silica Dioxide
Sul fate
Total Solids
Type Sewerage System
S = Separate sewer system
C :-~ Combined sewer system
S—C = Separate and combined sewer system
SO
W a s t e Con s ti tu en t s
In pounds per day except tenipe.rat.ure
Fahrenheit and pH
AI Aluminum
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand
Ca Calcium.
Cd Cadmium
C.I Chlorides
CN Cyanide
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
C.r Chrome
Cu Copper
D Total Dissolved Solids
F Fluoride
Fe Iron
Mg Magnesium
Mn Manganese
NH^ Ammonia
Ni " Nickel
Pb Lead
pH Hydrogen Ion Concentration
8 Total Suspended Solids
T
Temp Te nipe ra tu re
X Insufficent data
Zn Zinc
Control Measures Needed
in degrees j = Covered by interstate water quality standards
and plan of implementation of State,
E ~ Covered by Federal-State enforcement confer-
ence for secondary treatment only,
L -" May substitute secondary treatment if dis-
charged to Lake Erie,
Abatement Schedule Established by State
NS = Unaware of any schedule
UN '- Schedule under negotiation
A = For secondary treatment only
B = For additional treatment only
December,
H = Contains Pure Oil Company*;-, effluent until
January 1, 1970, when Pure Oil will discon-
tinue refining operations in Toledo,
j = Cubic feet per day
A-l
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
St. Clait River
Yale
Peck
Deckerville
Port Huron
Port Huton Twp.
Marysville
St. Clait
St. Glair Twp,
Kimball Twp,
Emmett
East China Twp,
Imlay City
Marine City
Cottrelville Twp.
Clay Twp.
Type Sewerage
System.
Lagoons— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Primary— S
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary
Secondary— S
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Flow
(mgd)
0,24
11.70
1,14
0.48
0,15
0.14
0,65
BOD (Ibs./day) r~ , „ M , ,
^_ — '„ —2-i- Control Measures Needed
Raw Final
x x. Improvements
Sewers and lagoon
Sewers and lagoon
x. x Secondary (I)
Connect to Port: Huron sewer
system (1)
x x Secondary (I)
x x Secondary (I)
Sewers and Secondary (I)
Sewers and Secondary (I)
Sewers and lagoon
x x Secondary
x x Additional sewers
x x Secondary (I)
Additional sewers & Secondary (I)
Additional, sewers & Secondary (I)
Abatement
Schedule
NS
NS
NS
MS
UN
MS
NS
UN
UN
NS
NS
.NS
NS
UN
UN
loci tiding Algonac
87
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UbU A 1
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Lake St. Clair
Harrison Twp.
Ira Twp,
Clinton River Basin
Mt, Clemens
Clinton Twp, #1
Clinton Twp, #2
Fraser
Warren
Sterling Twp. si
Utica
Rochester
Pontiac si
Poritiac #2
Washington
Oxford Village
Leonard
Detroit River Basin
Detroit
Wayne County
(2 plants)
Riverview
Trenton
Grosse He Twp.
Huron River Basin
Rockwood
South Rockwood
Flat Rock
Ypsilanti Twp.
Superior Twp,
Pittsfield Twp.
Huron Twp.
Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor Twp.
Dexter
Pinckney
Stockbridge
Wixom
River Raisin Basin
Monroe
Ash Twp.
Dundee
Petersburg
Deerfield
Blissfield
Palmyra Twp.
Madison Twp.
Type Sewerage
System
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary— C
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Secondary— C
Secondary— S
Secondary— C
Secondary— S
Secondary— C
Secondary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary— C
Primary— C
Primary— C
Primary— C
Primary— C
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Primary— C
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Primary— S
Septic Tanks
Lagoons
Septic Tanks
Primary— S
Septic Tanks
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary — C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
F low
(mgd)
3.72
2.34
2,03
23.70
2,20
0.39
0.5)7
9.8
11.4
686.9
49.3
1.6
4.1
0.4
0.32
0.34
3.65
10.31
0.12
0.13
2.93
0,20
0.49
BOD (Ibs./day) _ ... M , , Abatement
„ " ' — ~7.~ : -~* Control Measures .Needed ^ . , .
Raw Final Schedule
Connect to Metro (I)
Stabilization lagoon. (I)
x x Connect to Metro.
x .x Connect to Metro,
.x x Connect to Metro.
Sewers & connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
x x Connect to Metro.
Sewers and Secondary
Sewers and Secondary
Sewers and lagoon
603,600 501,000 Secondary (IE)
36,660 23,880 Secondary (IE)
x x Secondary (IE)
x x Secondary (IE)
150 100 Secondary (IE)
x x Additional sewers & Secondary (I)
Sewers & Secondary or connect to
Wayne County (I)
x x Additional sewers & Secondary (I)
x x Connect to Metro.
Additional sewers & Connect
to Metro
Additional sewers & Connect
to Metro.
Additional sewers & Connect
to Metro. (I)
x x Expansion (Metropolitan System)
Additional sewers & Connect to M€*tro,
x x Secondary
Sewers and lagoon.
x x Additional sewers and improvements
Sewers and Secondary
3,365 1,380 Secondary (IE)
Additional sewers & connect to Metro.
x x Secondary
Sewers and lagoon
Sewers and lagoon
x x Secondary
Additional sewers & Secondary
Additional sewers & Secondary
UN
UN
UN
UN
UN
UN
UN
TIN
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
11/70
11/70
11/70
11/70
1.1/70
UN
6/69
UN
NS
NS
NS
6/69
NS
, NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
5769
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
88
-------
A-l
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Type Sewerage Flow
System (mgd)
River Raisin Bjasin^Cont'cL)
Clayton Septic Tanks
Ousted Septic Tanks
Tecumseh Secondary—S
Britton Septic Tanks
Brooklyn Septic Tanks
Cement City Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
S_m a 1 ,-
Maybee
Bedford Twp.
Erie Twp.
Direct_to jLak_eJErie_
Luna Pier
Estral Beach
Berlin Twp.
Frenchtown Twp.
Monroe Twp.
BOD (Ibs./day)
Raw Final
Control Measures Needed
0,71
Sewers and lagoon
Sewers and-lagoon
Additional sewers and expansion
Sewers and lagoon
Sewers and lagoon
Sewers and. lagoon
Sewers and lagoon (1)
Additional sewers & lagoon (I)
Additional sewers & lagoon (I)
Sewers and Secondary (IE)
Sewers and Secondary (IE)
Sewers and Secondary (IE)
Sewers and Secondary (IE)
Sewers and Secondary (IE)
Abatement
Schedule
MS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
UN
UN
UN
A-2
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
Michigan Milk
Producers Assn.
(Peck1 )
Port Huron Paper
Via sic Food Products
Croswell Pickle Co.
Ray Weeks Packing Co,
(Richmond)
Detroit Edison Co.
(Port Huron)
RW4fichigan Div.
Superior Metal Products
(Auburn Hts.)
Ford Motor
Chrysler—Michigan
Missile
Flow
(mgd)
Waste Constituents
(IBs/day)
Control Measures Needed
0,01
7.10
0.10
X
x
BOD x
Establish Treatment
Abatement
Schedule
Solids xS; BOD x Establish adequacy of treatment MS
BOD x; Chlorides x Establish adequacy of treatment NS
BOD x; Chlorides x Establish adequacy of treatment NS
BOD x Additional Treatment NS
Establish adequacy of treatment NS
0,10 Oil x Improve reliability of treatment NS
of oil wastes - establish
adequacy of treatment
(sanitary wastes)
x x Establish adequacy of treatment NS
1.5 Solids xS; Oil x Establish adequacy of treatment NS
(oil and sanitary waste)
0,55 Oil x; CN x; Heavy
metals x Establish adequacy of treatment NS
(lagoons)
-------
SOUTHEAST iv«l» iiiujix, n,\.LA (Continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
Clinton River Basin (G
Flow
(ingd)
orit'cl)
W a s t e C o n s t i t u e n t s
(Ibs./day)
Control Measures Needed
Abatement
Schedule
Brlggs Manufacturing
National Machine
Products Co.
(Utica)
National Twist Drill &Tool Co.
(Rochester)
Establi sh adequacy of treatment NS
Establish adequacy of treatment NS
Establish adequacy of treatment NS
Detroit_River_ jJastri
Revere Copper & Brass
Great Lakes Steel-
Blast Furnace Div.
Great Lakes Steel-
Not Strip Mill
Great Lakes Steel-
Ecorse Mill
Wyandotte Chemicals
North Side Works
Wyandotte Chemicals
South Side Works
Pennsalt Chemical
East Plant
Pennsalt Chemical
West Plant
Firestone Tire and Rubber
Chrysler Corp,
(Trenton)
Dana Corp.
E. I, duPont
McLouth Steel
(Trenton)
90,0
72,0
72,0
57,0
P
97,0
6,8
1,0
x
65.7
Solids 2,1665; BOD
570; Oil 2,628; Fe
3.5; Cu 100; Ni 0,4;
Zn 66; Pb 0,9; Chro-
mium 29
Solids 100,0005;
BOD 3,700; Oil
2,482; Phenols 370;
Fe 5,146;NH 2,900;
CN 10; Cu 108; Zn
750; Pb 123; Chlor-
ides 17,959
Phenols 1.65; Fe 1,
500; Oil 2,738; NH3
86; Zn 42; BOD 350;
Pb 280; Chlorides
1,000
Solids 8,4008; Oil
7,884; Phenols 1,67;
Fe 49,000; Acid 158,
000; Cu 137; Ni 4; Zn
12; Pb 34; Chromium
8; Chlorides 1,800
Solids 300,0005; BOD
2,200; Phenols 34.13;
Cu. 59; Zn 7 P 14;
Chlorides 1,300,300
Solids 69,7455; BOD
3,000; Cu 35; Ni 1;
Zn 10; Pb 7; Chro-
mium 6; Chlorides
550,000
Solids 93,3705;
Chlorides 500,000
Solids 6,500S;
Chlorides 8,779;
Oil 290; Phenols 60
Solids 296S; BOD 70;
Phenols 0,19
Suspended solids, Oil (IE)
Suspended solids, Oil,
Phenols (IE)
Suspended solids, Oil (IE)
Suspended solids, Fe, Oil
pH (IE)
Suspended solids, Chlorides,
Oil (IE)
Suspended solids, Chlorides
Oil (IE)
4/68
4/68
Suspended solids, Chlorides (IE) 4/68
Suspended solids, Chlorides, 4/68
Oil (IE)
Iron (IE) ii'/67
Establi sh adequacy of treatment MS
Establish adequacy of treatment NS '
90
Solids xS;Oil x;
Phenols x; pH x
pH x Additional treatment
Solids 15,588S; BOD Suspended solids, Iron., Oil (IE)
5,000; Oil 270; Phenols
9.04; Fel,990;NH3250;
CN 119; Cu 63; NI
-------
SOUTH I
MAJOR
(Continued)
PROBLEMS
Industry
Control Measures Needed
Abatement
Schedule
.—
MoblT'OlT
Monsanto Chemical
Plastic Products & Resins
M o a s a n t o Ch e m 1 c a 1
Inorganic Chemicals
Scott Paper
American Cement Corp.
Associated Spring Corp,
.Ha Her Corp.
Ford Motor-Rouge
(Rouge and Wayne Auto
Assembly Plant)
Darling & Co.
Seaway Cartage
Trilex
Evans Products
Burroughs Corp.
--
Huron Valley Steel
General Motors
Moynaban-Stearns
Peninsular P ap e r
Longworth Plating
1.1 Solids 1,588S; BOD Suspended solids, Oil (IE)
1,000; Oil 719: Phenols
117; Fe 2; Cu 0,7; Zn
0,5; Pb 3; Chromium
0.8; Chlorides 12,989
18.0 Solids 6,500S; Fe6; Oxygen consuming substances
Div. Cu3.5;Ni 0.8;Zn0.4; (IK)
P 10.000
x Solids xS; p x Soluble Phosphate (IE)
15.2 Solids 10,QOOS; Phenols Suspended solids, Chlorides
•17.6;Cu3.6;Zn2.8;Pb (IE)
• ' 1.5; Chromium 0.4; Chlor-
ides 2,800,000
43,8 Solids 31,3005; BOD Suspended solids, Oxygen.
135,000; Phenols 26; consuming substances (IE)
Cu 114;Zn 230;
Chlorides 33,600
x x Establish adequacy of treatment
0,17 BOD 60; Solids I50S; Establish adequacy of treatment
Oil 37
0,09 Solids 15S; Chlorides Establish adequacy of treatment
33; Oil
400.C Solids 62,OOOS; BOD • Suspended solids, Iron,
2,930; Oil 6,570; Phenols, Oil (IE)
Phenols 750; Fel9,000;
NH3 5,000; CN 900; Ac id
50,000; Cu 1,500; Ni 36;
Zn 275; Pb 50; Chromium
260; Chlorides 32,000
1.1 Solids 168S; BOD7.100; Oxygen consuming substances.
Oil 158; Phenols 0.24; Coliform (IK)
NH3 135; pb i.O; P5.5;
Chlorides 14
x Solids; pH Additional Treatment
x Heavy Metals; Oil Additional Treatment
x Oil Establish adequacy of treatment
x Oil; Solids; Chlorides Establish adequacy of treatment
51.1 Sol ids xS Solids
0.7 Solids xS; BOD x; Establish adequacy of treatment
Chromium x (Coagulation & Lagoon)
-x Aluminum x; Chromate Additional treatment
x
1.6 Solids xS Improvements
0,1 pH x; Toxic metals x; Establish adequacy of treatment
Oil x
.0,9 Temp x Additional Treatment
x x Additional Treatment
11769
Oil
.Establish adequacy.of treatment INS
-------
A-2
SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN AREA (Continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
Flow Waste Constituents
,(mgd)__ ^ jibs./day)
Control Measures Needed
Abatement
Schedule
_-
Federal Screw Works
(Chelsea)
Ford (Ypsilanti)
Lithocrafters
Ford Motor
Union Bag —
Camp Paper
Consolidated Packaging
South Side Div.
Consolidated Packaging
North Side Div.
Time Container
Monroe Div,
Home Canning
Hoover Ball & Bearing
Universal Die Casting Div,
Revco
Tecumseh Products
Buckeye Products
Simplex Paper
Stauffer Chemical
Oil
x
x Oil
x Toxicants; pH
Establish adequacy of
treatment
Additional treatment
Establish adequacy of
treatment
130 Solids 8S; 48; Oil
6,351; Phenols 3.8; NH3
160; CN 1,075; Cu 700; "
Ni 120; Zn 125; Chrom-
ium 136; P 1,046; Chlor-
ides 1.6,000
4.57 Solids 3,5875;BOD 11,770
Oil 672; Phenols 5.9; Fe
20; NH3 12
7.0 Solids 10,6008; BOD7.000; Suspended Solids, Oxygen
Oil 263; Phenols 0,5; NH.3 consuming substances,
2; Zn 15; P9 Coliform (IE)
7.50Solids 7,823S; BOD 17,204;Suspended Solids, Oxygen
Cyanide, Soluble Phosphate,
Oil, Coliferra (IE)
; Suspended Solids, Oxygen
consuming substances,
Coliform (IE)
2,21
X
0.57
0,3
1,44
Oil 898; Phenols 11,0
Solids 1,4755; BOD 1,900;
Oil 36,5; Phenols 0,6;
Fe 15; NH,3; Cu 3; Zn
93; Chlorides 120
BOD x
Temp x
Heavy Metals; pH
BOD; Solids; Color
Chlorides
consuming substances
Coliform (IE)
Suspended Solids, Oxygen
consuming substances
Coliform (IE)
Addi tional Treatment
Additional Treatment
Additional Treatment
Additional Treatment
Additional Treatment
Additional Treatment
Establish adequacy of
treatment
NS
NS
NS
12/68
1/69
1/69
1/69
1/69
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
A-3
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE
., . . ,. Type Sewerage Flow BOD(lbs/day) .- , ,. A1 , , Abatement
Municipality i/i:v- ^ e _ <• . J Control rvteasutes Needed
System (mgd) Raw Final Schedule
MAUMEE AREA - St. Joseph River
Garrett, Ind.
Auburn, Ind.
Waterloo, Ind.
Grabill, Ind.
St. Joe, Ind.
Avilla, Ind.
Secondary
Secondary
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Lagoon
0.3 225 22 Provisions of adequate dilu-
tion water or installation of
advanced waste treatment (I)
2,0 915 100 Provision of adequate dilu-
tion water or installation of
advanced waste treatment (I)
0.13 95 10 Disinfection (IE)
Sewers & treatment facilities(IE)
Sewers & treatment .facilities (I)
0.05 x x Disinfection (IE)
1977
1977
1968
1977
1977
1968
92
-------
UKLE A ''•
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
St. Joseph Riv« s i > o
Butler, Ind.
Edgerton, 0.
Montpelier, O.
Reading, Mich,
Camden, Mich.
St. Marys River
Decatur, Ind.
Berne, Ind.
Rockford, 0.
St. Marys, 0.
New Bremen, 0.
Upper Maumee River
Sherwood, (3.
Hicksville, O.
Antwerp, O.
Woodburn, Ind,
New Haven, Ind.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Diversified
Utilities, Inc.
Tiffin River
Archbold, O.
Bryan, O,
Stryker, O.
West Unity, 0.
Fayette, O,
Hudson, Mich.
Addison, Mich.
Auglaize River
Paulding, O.
Payne, O.
Continental, O.
Van Weft, 0.
Ohio City, O.
Ottawa, O.
Bluffton, O.
Typf? Sewerage
System
nt'd.)
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Primary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Lagoon
Primary— C
Secondary— S
Secondary— C
Septic Tanks
Secondary— C
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary
Secondary— S—C
Secondary
S e co n d a ry — C
Secondary— C
Lagoons— S
Septic Tanks
.Lagoon— S—C
Secondary
Septic Tanks
Lagoon— C
Septic Tanks
Secondary— C
Secondary— S—C
Septic Tanks
Secondary— C
Seconda ry — C
Flow
(mgd)
0.25
1.28
0,97
0.15
0.18
0.91
0.18
0.35
0.34
21.29
0.50
1,13
0.92
0.07
X
X
0.23
0.11
1.63
0.51
0,57
BOD
Raw
187
1,870
445
112
160
1,460
170
420
257
35,400
530
4,935
2,390
X
X
X
X
155
3,250
840
190
(Ibs./day)
Final.
37
1,590
65
16
125
160
12
35
52
3,540
107
145
70
X
X
X
X
15
380
440
15
Abatement
Control Measures Needed Schedule
Advanced waste treatment
(IE)
Sewers and Secondary
Secondary (IE)
Sewers and Secondary
Sewers & Stabilization
lagoon (I)
Provision of adequate
dilution or installation of
advanced waste treatment
_(I)
Disinfection (IE)
Secondary (IE)
Advanced waste treatment
(IE)
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers & Secondary (IE)
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers & Secondary (IE)
Sewers & Treatment
facilities (I)
Additional sewers (E)
Disinfection (IE)
Provision of adequate dilu-
tion water or installation of
advanced waste treatment (I)
Expansion (IE)
1968(B)
NS
12/69
NS
UN
1968
8/69
6/69(B)
NS
6/69
NS
12/69
1977
UN
1968
1977
UN
Advanced waste treatment NS
Advanced waste treatment MS
Disinfection NS
Sewers & Advanced waste 12/69/(A)
treatment (IE)
Disinfection NS
Expansion NS
Sewers & Stabilization UN
lagoon (I)
Disinfection NS
Sewers and Secondary (IE) 1968
Advanced waste treatment NS
Advanced waste treatment 12/69(B)
(IE)
Sewers & Advanced waste 12/68(A)
treatment (IE)
Expansion (IE) UN
Advanced waste treatment NS
93
-------
A-3
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Auglaize River (Cent
Pandora, O.
Findlay, O,
Dunkirk, O.
Columbus Grove, O,
Cridersville, O.
Lima, O.
Ada, 0.
Delphos, O.
Spencerville, O.
Wapakoneta, O.
Lower Maiiiiiee River
Trilby, 0.
Sylvania, O.
Toledo, O.
Oregon, O,
Northwood, O.
Walbridge, O.
Metropolitan SI)
(Holland Sub, O.)
Swan ton, O.
Perrysburg, O,
Haskins, O.
Waterville, O.
Western, O.
Lelpslc, O.
West Leipsic, O.
Delta, O.
Liberty Center, O.
Hamler, O.
Holgate, O.
Wauseon, O,
Defiance, O.
Direct to Lake Erie
Harbor View, O.
Type Sewerage Flow
System (mgd)
'
-------
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Type Sewerage
System
Flow BOD (Ibs./day)
(tngd) Raw Final
Basin (Cont'd.)
Septic Tanks
Woodville
Pemberville
Bowling Green
Fostoria
North Baltimore
McCoirib
Bloom dale
Control Measures Needed
Abatement
Schedule
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment-
Sewers & Secondary (E)
Sewers & Secondary (E)
Advanced waste treatment:
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treattnent(E)
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment (E)
ii ' I or Basin
i i m ii Secondary—C
Bellville Septic Tanks
Sandusky Co. SD 1 Septic Tanks
Clinton Twp. Septic Tanks
Tiffin Primary—C
Bloomville None
Sycamore Septic Tanks
Carey Secondary—S
UpperSandusky Secondary—S
3.09 5,580
Nevada
Bucyrus
Crestline
Attica
Septic Tanks-
Secondary—C
Secondary -S—C
None
2,18 3,015
0,41 780
0,77 1,700
2,34 3,180
0,48 710
1,780
88
450
350
30'
New Washington Septic Tanks
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers & Advanced waste*
treatment
Sewers & Connect to
Fremont(E)
Sewers &: Connect to Tiffin (E)
Advanced waste treatment (It)
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment (E)
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment (E)
Sewers &. Advanced waste
treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment (E)
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment
Huron !' p • i
-------
A-3
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Type Sewerage
System
Flow
(mgd)
BOD (Ibs./day)
Raw Final.
,-. , », », j j Abatement
Control Measures .Needed
Schedule
Black River Basin (Cont'd.)
North Ridgeville
Elyria
Oberlin
Graf ton
Lagrange
Wellington
Lodi
Small Tributaries
Green Springs
Clyde
Castalia
Bellevue
Ohio Soldiers &
Secondary— S
S e c o ndary— S— C
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Primary— S— C
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
None
Secondary
0,09
6,28
0. 70
0.14
X
0.18
0.17
X
0.59
X
130
9,260
1,535
310
X
280
620
X
1,215
X
10
1,200
100
16
X
32
90
X
125
X
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment
Advanced waste treatment (IE)
Advanced waste treatment
Sewers & Advanced waste
treatment
Advanced waste treatment (IE)
Connect to San dusky
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
12/68(A)
NS
NS
9/69CA)
3/68
Sailors Home
Perkins — Margaretta
Amherst Secondary—S
South Amherst Septic Tanks
Direct to Lake Erie
0.34
590
Port Clinton.
Lakeside
Marblehead
Kelleys Island
Put-in-Bay
Bay View
Sandusky
E. Erie Co. SD
Ruggles Beach —
MIttiwanga
L. drain
Sheffield Lake
Avon Lake
Intermediate— S-
Intermediate
Septic Tanks
None
None
Septic Tanks
Primary— S— C
Primary— S
Primary— S
Septic Tanks
Intermediate— C
•C 1,45 2,435
5.2
0.03
11,270
65
975
x
?,450
X
10,95 16,430
1.9 3,300
Sandusky Metro. (IE)
Advanced waste treatment (IE) 6/70(B)
Sewers & Connect to Amherst NS
Secondary (IE) 4/69
Secondary NS
Sewers & Connect to La.kesi.de NS
Sewers and Secondary NS
Sewers and Secondary NS
Sewers and Secondary NS
Secondary (IE) 11/70
Secondary (IE) 12/69
Secondary (IE) 12/70
Sewers & Connect to Metro (I) UN
Secondary (IE) ' 1970
A-4
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREA.
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
St. Joseph River
Kitchen Quip
Upper Maumee River
Weatherhead
Flow
(mgd.)
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
Control Measures Needed
Abatement
Schedule
0.14 Solids xS; BOD 12.1; Phenols x; Suspended Solids, Heavy 12/68
Oil x; Ni 7.2; Zn 1.5 metals (IE)
0.28 Solids x.S; BOD 33; COD 31; Metals, Solids (IE) 9/68
Phenols x;CN 2.6; Heavy metals x
96
-------
I ABU A -I
MAUMEE RIVER AND NORTH CENTRAL OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
Upper Maumee River
Parrot Packing
International
Harvester
Franke Plating
Flow
(ingd)
(Cont'd.)
0.09
X
0,12
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
Solids xS; BOD 884; COD 730;
Oil 136
Solids xS; BOD x; Cyanide x
Solids xS; BOD 7.1; -CN 38,0
Control Measures Needed
BOD, Grease, Suspended
Solids (IE)
BOD, Suspended Solids (IE)
Cyanide, Heavy metals
Abatement
Schedule
12/68
12/68
1968
General Plating x
Universal Tool x
COD 117; Zn 0,7; Cu 1.7;
Ni 2,0; Cd 4.6
Solids xS; Heavy metals x;
Cyanide x
Zn. x
Suspended Solids (IE)
Cyanide, Heavy metals
Suspended Solids (IE)
Zn (IE)
Hudson Plating x
Rinia Mfg. x
M & S Mfg. x
Hudson Metal Products x
Auglalze River
~Rusco ~ ' 0,06
Sohio Chemical Co. 1,93
(Now Vistron)
Sohio Chemical — 0,85
Petrochemicals
Republic Creosote 0.01
Pepsi-Cola Bottling x
Walter & Son x
Lower Maumee River
Interlake Steel
Libby -Owens-Ford 0.25
Doehler-Jarvis — x
Div. National Lead
Toledo Scale x
Hirzel Canning x
Standard Oil (H) 39.8
Gulf Oil 68.4
Sun Oil 1.8
Clevite, Harris Div. x
Napoleon
Elite Plating Div. x
Dynavest
Campbell Soup 0.3
x
X
X
Solids xS; Oil 16.8; COD 30.9;
Mg 13.5; Si 36.8; pH x
Solids 14,6001'; BOD 140;
NH3 400; COD 1,300;
Solids xT; BOD 70; Phenols
440; KB 3 1,800; COD 1,050;
CN 75
BOD 26; Phenols 7.7; Oil 19;
COD 12.7
BOD x
BOD x
Solids xS; BOD x; COD x;
Phenols x; Temp, x
Solids xS
Solids xS; Heavy metals x:;
Cyanide x
Solids xS; Heavy metals x;
Oilx
BOD x
Solids 184,0001; pH 6.9-9.1;
Solids 151,GOOD; BOD 8,810;
COD 25,000; Phenols 270; NH3
1,100; Oil 10,600; Temp. 78
COD 8,200; BOD 4,300; Phenols
35; Oil 1,260
COD 4,400; BOD 1,000; Oil 440
Oil x; Solids xS; pH x; Heavy
Metals x
Oil x; Solids xS; CN x; Heavy
Metals x
Solids 180S; COD 1,600;
Boron 280; BOD 1,230; Oil x;
Temp, x
Additional treatment NS
BOD NS
Additional, treatment NS
Establish adequacy of treatment NS
Neutralization, Solids (IE)
Nitrogen compounds (IE)
Nitrogen compounds, Oxygen
Demand (IE)
1/69
1/68
UN
Phenols, Oil
Oxygen Demand (IE)
Evaluate existing facilities
(IE)
Solids (IE)
Solids (IE)
Metals, Solids, Cyanide (IE)
Connect to city sewers (IE) 7/68
BOD
Oil, Solids, Phenols, Oxygen
Demand (IE)
COD, Oils, Phenols
COD, Oils
Solids, Metals, pH (IE)
Metals, Cyanide, pH (E)
Solids, Oxygen. Demand (IE)
97
-------
MAUMEE RIVER AND
MAJOR
.- i . OHIO AREAS (Continued)
\ -"I PROBLEMS
Industry
Lower Maumee River (Cc
Central Foundry — GM(
S. K. Wayne Tool
NORTH CENTRAL OBIC
Portage River Basin
Hirzel Canning
Foster Duck Farm
Swift
Seneca Wire
Sandusky River Basin
Northern Ohio Sugar
Pioneer Rubber
Pennsylvania RR.
Huron River Basin
Clevite — Harris Div.
Baltimore & Ohio RR
Black River Basin
U. S. Steel -
Tubular Operations
General Motors —
Tprnstedt Div.
Republic Steel —
Steel & Tubes Div.
Baldwin Producing
Berea Oil
C & B Oil
Chatham Operating
Dymo Oil
Preston Oil
Small Tributaries
Norfolk & Western RR
Bechtel-McLaughlin
G. E. Lamp Plant #242
Central Soya
Direct to Lake Erie
U. S, Gypsum
Ohio Edison • ' ••.
Cleveland Electric
Flow
(ingd)
jnt'd.)
:; 4.0
• ' x
) AREA
X
X
' X
I
X
:,(B
(est)
X
X
X
170
2
5.
(est) •
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
,06
X
X
0.9
121
350
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
BODx; COD x; Phenols x;Oil x;-
Temp, x
Oil x; pH x; Heavy metals'x
BODx; Solids xS
BOD x
BOD x; Solids xS; Oil x
Fe l,470;pH 2.0-7.0;
Solids xS
BOD 870; pH 7.3-8.5
COD x
Oil x
Solids ' >)»,,- i *
Oil x
Oil 11 01' I !>,] "! (hid-
,. Phenol ni, , C ' •"•
Chrorn " '']> ^ 1 < i i !<
pH x
Oil x
Oil x
Oil x
Oil x
-Oilx
."01,1 x
Oil x
pH 3.1-5.6; Cu 5; Zn 6;
Cr 27; CN 2; Solids x
BODx
Oilx
BOD x; pH 4,1-7,9; Temp, x;
Solids 3300S
pH 6.3-8.6; Solids xS - :
Solids 17,0005
f
Control Measures Needed
Solids
Metals, neutralization (IE)
Improve operations (IE)
BOD
Oil, Color, BOD (E) . .
Iron, Acids, Solids (E)
BOD (E)
COD
Oil
Chrome, Solids (E)
Oil (E)
Solids, Oil, Phenols, Fe (E)
Metals (E)
.Acid (E)
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil
Oil (IE)
Acid, Chrome, Solids (IE)
BOD (IE)
Oil (IE)
Solids and BOD (IE)
Solids (I)
Solids (IE) ;
ibatement
Schedule
7/67
1/68
8/67
NS
6/67
' 1/69
12/69
UN
NS
7/68
' 7/68
12769
11/67
12/69
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
6/68
2/68
9769
6/68
12/69
UN
7/68
111 urn. in at ing
-------
'lit, '
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
GREATER CLEVEI
Rocky River Basin
Lakewood
Westlake
Brook Park
North 0 1ms ted
Olmsted Falls
I3crc2
Westvlew
Sttongsville
North Royalton
County Dists.
Breezewood
Middleburg Hts.
Brunswick SD 100
Medina Sd 5
Medina SD 100
Medina
Type Sewerage
System
Flow BOD (Ibs./day)
(mgd) Raw Final
, Abatement
Schedule
.AND-AKRON AREA
Secondary— S—C
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Seconds ty~S
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary
Secondary
Se co ndary— S
15.0 14,500
0,86 1,430
2.69 6,270
2.40 2,740
X X
X X
X X
0.4 550- .
0.80 x
0.13 230
0.92 1,380
1.25 2,900
1,500
140
520
620
X
X
X
430
53
20
40
380
.
.'.
1 \
> , ' anced NS
1 i • i !' '. • i anced NS
" ! ' ' ietro UN(A)
' > ' , i ' .- ' itment-
>, , 'iixi..~ ",,- , j.'-i.anred 6/69CB)
Waste Treatment (E)
Sewers and connect to Metro 12/68(A)
or Advanced Waste Treatment
(E)
Connect to Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced UN(B)
Waste Treatment (E)
Connect to Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced 12/68(B)
Waste Treatment (E)
Advanced Waste Treatment . NS
Advanced Waste Treatment NS
Advanced Waste Treatment MS
Advanced Waste Treatment NS
Cuyahoga River Baslo
Cleveland
Southerly
Maple Heights
Independence
Valley View
Bedford
Bedford Heights
Solon
Oakwood
Broadview
Heights
Twinsburg
Northfield
Secondary— S—C
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S—C
Secondary— S—C .
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
62.6 49,600
0,7 2,800
2.17 3,040
1.50 1,690
0.71 1,400
X X
0,39 670
0.37 790
4,000
1,050
560
710
120
X
50
60
Advanced Waste Treatment (IE) 12/69(13)
Connect to Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment
Sewers & connect to Metro or I2/69(A)
Advanced "Waste Treatment (E) • ;
Sewers and connect to Metro NS
or Advanced Waste Treatment
Connect to .Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment;
Connect to Metro or Advanced NS
Waste Treatment
Additional sewers and connect NS
to Metro or Advanced .
Waste Treatment • • •
Sewers and connect to Metro or NS
Advanced Waste Treatment ' '
Connect to Metro or Advanced -NS
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced .. NS
Waste Treatment
-------
A-5
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE
Municipality
Type Sewerage
System
Flow
(mgd)
BOD (Ibs./day)
Raw Final
_ ... „ , , Abatement
Control Measures weeded ._ , , .
Schedule
•Cuyahoga River Basin (Cont'd.)
Sagamore Hills
Akroo
Hudson
Cuyahoga Falls
Sawyerwood
Munroe Falls
Tallmadge
Kent
Ravenna
Middiefleld
County Districts
Seven Hills
SD 2
Walton Hills
SD 20
Brecksville
SD 13
Northeast SD 1
Northeast SD 6
Northeast SD 15
Stow Twp. SD 4
•Chagrin River Basio
Gates Mills-
Pepper Pike
Aurora
Chagrin Falls
County Districts
Chester Twp.
SD 1 & 2
Direct to Lake Erie
Rocky River SD 6
Cleveland Westerly
Cleveland Easterly
Euclid
Willoughby —
Eastlake
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S—C
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Primary— C
Secondary
Secondary— S
Secondary— S—C
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Primary— S
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary
Intermediate— S
Primary— S—C
Secondary— S—C
Intermediate— S
.Intermediate— S
68.6
0.45
0,04
0.13
1.30
1.03
0.33
0.03
0.24
0.7?
0.07
0.43
1.04
1.10
X
0.32
0.42
X
4,76
34.1
122.0
14.60
2.90
75,700
980
140
X
2,960
1,450
X
354
250
1,450
120
630
890
1,870
500
330
590
100
6,190
46,830
109,000
23,900
2,290
27,500
1.90
4
14
180
200
180
20
40
130
10
150
140
1,360
50
30
70
10
4,080
38,330
23,400
10,100
1,535
Sewers and connect to Metro
or Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment (E)
including nitrogen removal
Advanced ¥/aste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Sewers & connect to Metro or
Advanced Waste Treatment
Sewers & conaect to Metro (E)
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Secondary (E)
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Ad¥anced
Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
WaSte Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Additional Sewers and Connect
to Metro or Advanced Waste
Treatment (E)
Sewers & Advanced Waste
Treatment
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment (E)
Advanced Waste Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Secondary (IE)
Secondary (IE)
Expansion (IE)
Secondary (IE)
Secondary (IE)
NS
1970CB)
NS
NS
NS
UN
NS
NS
NS
8/68
NS
NS
'UN
NS
NS
NS
'UN(A)
NS
NS
10/69(8)
NS
NS
9/69
12/71
9/70
6/70
7/70
100
-------
A-5
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR riJNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
Type Sewerage
System
Flow BOD (Ibs./day)
, ,,. _ ,, - , Control Measures Needed
(mgd) Raw i- lira I
Abatement
Schedule
NORTHEAST OHIO AREA
Grand River Basin
Fairport Harbor
Grand River
Painesville
Chardon
Jefferson
Orwell
Conneaut Creek Basin
Conneaut
Springboro, Pa.
Conneautville, Pa.
Small Tributaries
North Kingsvllle
Direct to Lake Erie-
Lake County SD
Willoughby—
Mentor
Lake County SD 1
Madison
Geneva-on-the-Lake
Ashtabula
Intermediate— S
Septic Tanks
Primary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Intermediate— S
None
None
Septic Tanks
Intermediate— S
Primary— S
Primary— S
Intermediate— S
GREATER CLEVEL
Industry
Rocky River Basin
Farm Packt Pickle
jQurjwihojjaJRiver Basin
MAJOR
Flow
(mgd)
x BOD
0,32 450
2.51 4,320 2
0.49 510
0.5? 600
2.4 2,360 1
1.82 2,520
1.14 540
X X
5.0 5,845 4
A-6
AND-AKRON AND
INDUSTRIAL WAS!
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
x; Cl x; Solids xS
320 Secondary (IE)
Sewers & Connect to Metro
(IE)
,050 Connect to Metro (IE)
100 Expansion Si. Disinfection
130 Expansion & Disinfection
Sewers & Secondary (E)
,640 Secondary & additional
sewers (in area formerly
known as Lakeville) (IE)
Sewers and Secondary (I)
Sewers and Secondary (I)
Sewers and Secondary
810 Secondary (IE)
540 Secondary (IE)
x Secondary (IE)
,010 Secondary (IE)
NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS
'E PROBLEMS
Control Measures Needed
Solids, BOD, Chlorides
10/70
12/69CA)
12/70(A)
NS
NS
11/68
10/69
UN
UN
NS
1/71
1/71
12/69
10/70
Abatement
Schedule
UN
Republic Steel
290 Solids xT; Solids 180,0005;
S04 120,000(G); Cl 32,000
(G); Phenol 280; CN 400; NH3
4,100; Mg 1,000; Fe 12,000;
Temp. 10° F; pH x; COD x;
Oil x; Heavy metals x
Solids, Iron, Oil, Ammonia
Acid, Phenols, Cyanides,
Heavy metals (E)
12/69
101
-------
A-6
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS (Continued )
.MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
T , F low
Industry . , ,,
(nigd) ,
Cuy_ahoga River Basin (Cont'd.)
U, S, Steel 23.5
Jones & Laughlin 130
Harsh aw Chemical 1,4
Research Refining x
Astoria Plating x
Cuyahoga Meat x:
Ford Motor - 0.9
Engine Plant
Modern Tool <& Die x
Bedford Gear x
Morce x
Tecumseh Corrugated x
Box, Jaite Mill Div.
Ohio Edison x
Gorge Plant
Consolidated x
Freight-ways
Lerkis Asphalt x
B. F. Goodrich x
Firestone Tire & x
Rubber
Diamond Crystal. Salt x
Goodyear Tire x
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
Solids 84,OOOT; Solids 30,0005;
Oil 510; Temp, x; SO 4 50,000;
Cl 1,000; Fe 15,000, pH x
Solids xT; Solids 10,400S; pH x;
COD x; Oil 1,200; Temp, x;
SO 4 12,200; Fe 6,600; C1'4, 900
pH 1,0-8,7; F 5 50; Nil 60; Ca x;
SO 4 x; Cl 3,100; .Mo 30; Solids x
Oil x
Oil x; CN x; Cu x; C..T x; Cd x;
Ni x; Solids xT; pH x; COD x
Solids xS; BOD x
Solids xT; Solids 6.2S; pH 6.5-
9.5; Oil 62; Teinp, x
Oil x; Grease x
Oil x
Oil x
Solids x; BOD x
Solids xS; Temp x
Solids x.S; pH x; Oil x;
Organics x
Solids xS; pH x; Fe x
Solids xT; COD x; Temp, x;
Organics; Oil x
Solids xT; COD x; Temp, x;
Organics; Oil x
Temp, x; Cl x; Solids: xT
Solids xT; COD x; Oil x;
_ , , , Abatement
Control Measures Needed _ . , .
Schedule
Solids, Iron., Oil, Acids (E)
So lids, 'Iron, Oil (E)
Solids, Fluorides, Nickel (E)
Oil
Cyanides, Oil, pH,
Heavy metals, Color (E)
BOD (E)
Oil
Oil, Grease
Oil
Oil
Solids, BOD
Temperature
Solids, Oils, Organics
Solids, Acid, Iron
Solids, Organics, COD, Oil (E)
Solids, Organics, COD,
Oil (E)
Solids, Chlorides (E)
Solids, Organics, COD,
12/69
12/69
12/68
NS
1/68
6/68
NS
9/69
UN
10/69
7/68
NS
UN
4/63
1/69
1/69
1/68
1/69
Goodyear Aerospace x
Organics x; Temp, x
Solids xT; CN x; Cr x; Cu, x;
Zn x; SO4 x; Cd x; pH x;
COD x; Oil x
Oil (E)
Solids, heavy metals,
Cyanides (E)
6/68
102
-------
A-6
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
T j Flow
Industry
(mgd)
C liyahoga River Basin (Cont'd.)
M & M Sand & Grave] x
Cornwell Tools .01
Sonoco Products ,57
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
Solids xS
Solids xT; Cr x; Zn x
Solids 300S; BOD 782; Temp.
Control Measures Needed
Solids
Heavy metals
Solids, BOD (E)
Abatement
Schedule
UN
NS
1/69
Larnson & Sessions
Chagrin River Basin
Chase Bag
Custom Beverage Packers 2
Mulberry Sand & Gravel x
Direct to Lake Erie
F
.03 Solids 8.5CJ); Oil x; S04 x
Solids, Oil
Solids xT; Solids 770S; pH Color, Solids, BOD (E)
5.9-7.6; BOD x; COD x; Temp,
62° F
Solids x- BOD x BOD
Cleveland Electric
Illuminating Co,
Eastlake Plant
Lake shore Plant
TRW
520
450
Solids xS
Solids 35,0008; Temp, x
Solids 5,300S; Temp, x
Solids x; Metals x
Solids
Solids (IE)
Solids (IE)
Improve treatment facilities
for all constituents (IE)
HIE AST OHIO AREA
0.2
A. E. Staley
Diamond Shamrock (dis- 5.3
charging also direct
to Lake Erie)
U. S. Rubber-Uniroyal 0.3
Allied Chemical
• Plastics Div.
Pamesville Plant
Chardon Rubber, Div.
Ball Bros. Co. Inc.
Solids 36,OOOT; Solids xD; Solids, Chlorides
Cl 11,000; pH x
Solids xT; Solids xD; pH x; Connect to Metro
BOD x- Oil x
Solids 6,500,GOOD; Cl 3,900,000; Chlorides, Solids (IE)
Solids 160,0005; NH3 3,400;
Phenols 21
Solids I.880T; Solids 518S; Solids, pB, COD (IE)
COD x; pH x; Cl x
Solids xS; COD x
Oil x; Solids xS
Solids
Oil, Solids
NS
NS
Glenn Sand & Gravel
Welded Tubes, Inc.
k§l? I'll*? 1§ JLiyj^Lfifllill
Detrex Chemical —
Chlorinated Solvents
Div.
Solids xS
BOD x
Solids 1,8001; Solids 1,700D
Chlorides 2,400; Fe 41
Solids
Connect to Metro
Odor, Color (IE)
UN
NS
UN
103
-------
A-6
GREATER CLEVELAND-AKRON AND NORTHEAST OHIO AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Industry
Flow
(mgd )
Waste Constituents
(ibs./day)
Control Measures Needed
Ashtabula River Basin (Cont'd.)
General Tire & Rubber- 0.1 Solids 680T; Solids .125; Improved neutralization and
Chemical Div,
Olln Mathieson —
TDI Plant
Reactive Metals -
Metals Reduction
Diamond Alkali —
Semi-Works
Chlorides 250; pH 6.9—8.3 solids removel; control of
spills (IE)
4 Data not available for public Improved neutralization and
release solids control; in-plant
controls arid acid recovery;
Color (IE)
1.3 Data not available for public Suspended and dissolved
release solids (IE)
0,6
COD 425; Solids xT; Organics Needs evaluation
Abatement
Schedule
1/69
UN
12/68
NS
In addition to the above individual needs, all Industries in the Ashtabula complex that discharge to Fields
Brook should jointly develop a solution to treat the combined wastes after discharge.
IDhrect to
Diamond Shamrock
(discharge also
to Grand River)
Midland Ross —
IRC Fibers
Cleveland Electric
Illuminating
Ashtabula Plant
10 Solids 37,GOOD; Solids 6,2005 Settling (IE)
Chlorides 26,000; Ammonia 710;
Phenols 17
29 Solids 274,OOOT; Chlorides Terminal treatment (IE)
40,000; Solids 254,00011;
pH 2.8-3.8; 8,700;
Oil 4,300; Zn 6,700
3 Solids 1,2005; Temp, x Solids (IE)
6/68
1/69
12/68
A /
PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW YORK AREAS
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality Type Sewerage" Flow BOD (Ibs./day)
System (mgd) Raw
Small Tributaries
Lake City
Giratd
Direct to Lake Erie
Secondary—S 0.4
Intermediate — S 0.5
Final
, „ . ,
Control Measures .Needed
Abatement
Schedule
868 227 Extend outfall to Lake Erie NS
1,135 138 Secondary (E) 8/68
Secondary-S-C 40 57,450 6,680 Expansion
12/70
104
-------
A-7
PENNSYLVANIA AND YORK AREAS (Continued)
MAJOR MUNICIPAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Municipality
YORK AREA
Buffalo River Basin
West Seneca SD 6
Cheektowaga SD 3
Depew (V) SD 1
Lancaster
East Aurora (V)
Holland (T)
Eighteenmile Creek
Erie Co. SD 2
North Plant
Eden
Hamburg (V)
Gowanda State
Hospital
Gowanda
Springville
Arcade
Small Tributaries
Lackawanna
Blasdell
Woodlawn
Derby
Angola
Erie Co. SD 2
South Plant
North Collins (V)
Silver Creek
Fredooia (V)
B roc ton
Westfield
Direct to 'Lake Erie
Mt. Vernon
Wariakafa
Hamburg (T)
Dunkirk
Ripley SD
Type Sewerage
System
Primary — S
Secondary — S
Primary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Flow (Ibs./day)
(mgd) Raw Final
0,2
1.4
1.8
0.9
1.1
and Cattaraugus Creek
Primary— S
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Primary— S
Primary— S
Primary— S
Secondary— S
Primary— S—C
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Septic Tanks
Septic Tanks
Primary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S
Secondary— S—C
Septic Tanks
Secondary— S
Primary— S
Primary— S
Primary— S
Primary— S—C
Primary— S
0.3
1.0
0.4
0.7
0,5
0.3
3.1
0.8
0,4
0.6
0.2
X
2,0
0.9
0.3
0,25
1.9
4,3
0,1
194
2,770
2,880
X
1,180
Basins
100
1,320
X
690
745
443
4,500
2,040
X
140
242
X
3,870
1,800
390
475
1,490
8,070
3,100
137
864
720
X
220
60
275
X
560
370
60
2,450
160
X
90
117
X
1,000
1 ,090
247
258
411
4,520
940
, ,. ._ , , Abatement
Control Measures .Needed
Schedule
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment (I)
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment (I)
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment (IE)
Connect to Metro or Advanced
Waste Treatment (E)
„ w
Advanced Waste Treatment
Sewers and Advanced Waste
Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Sewers & Advanced Waste
Treatment
Advanced Waste Treatment
Secondary
Advanced Waste Treatment
Secondary
Advanced Waste Treatment
Connect to Metro or Secondary
'Connect to .Metro
Connect to Metro (1)
Sewers & Secondary with
Outfall to Lake Erie
Sewers & Advanced Waste
Treatment (L)
Secondary
Advanced Waste Treatment (E]
Extend Outfall to Lake Erie
8/7 1 (A)
4/7 2(B)
1/1/70CA)
6"/l/68(B)
6/l/69(B)
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
(1)4/72(A)
NS
4/72(A)
NS
%
NS
NS
) 3/70(8)
NS
Connect to Dunkirk or Advanced
Waste Treatment (IE)
Sewers & Advanced Waste
Treatment (L) (IE)
Advanced Waste Treatment
(L) (IE)
Secondary (I)
Secondary (I)
Secondary (I)
Secondary (IE)
Secondary (IE)
1/71(B)
6/69CA)
12/69(8)
1/71
4/72
4/72
12/69
4/72
105
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A-8
Flow
(mgd)
1REA
0.002
Brown Slaughter x
-Specialty Valve ao.d x
Control
PENNSYLVANIA AND AREAS
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Waste Constituents
(Ibs./day)
Control Measures Needed
BOD 6; Solids 100T; Secondary
Solids 20S
BOD x; Grease x; Solids xS Secondary
Oil x Oil
Abatement
Schedule
5/68
NS
NS
Ha in me mill 20
Erie Reduction 0.2
NEW/YORK AREA
Buffalo Rivet tiasin
General Mil!.1- x
Pillsbury Mills x
Perot Malting x
Allied Chemical 14.8
Buffalo Dye
Republic Steel 26.5
Donner Hanna Coke: 6.0
Mobil Oil 22.5
Symington Wayne x
Pennsylvania x
Railroad Shops
•CattaraugusCreek Basin
Silver Creek
' • Preserving
Peter Cooper 3.6
Eastern Tanners
and Glue
Moencfa Tannery 1.7
Small Tributaries
Welch Grape Juice
(Westfield)
• Growers Coop. Grape
(Westfield)
0,5
BOD 62,000; Solids 530,0001';
Solids 84,0005; SO4 51,000
BOD 10; Solids x
BOD, Color, Odor (IE)
BOD (E)
BOD x; Solids xS
BOD x; Solids xS
BOD x; Solids x
BOD 31,500; Solids 14,0005;
pH 2.5-4.0; COD 80,000;
Chlorides 96,000; Cyanide 12;
Iron 7,400; Phenol 150
Solids 16,OOOS; pH 3.7-9-5;
•COD 73,000; Oil 9,900;
Iron 16,000
COD 2,300; Oil 780; Phenols
120
BOD 3,700; Solids 25,0001,
Solids 2,6005; pH 7,4-8.0;
COD 4,700; Oil 1,500; Chloride
2,500; Phenol 380
x; pH x; Oil x
Oils x; pH x
Connect: to Metro or Secondary
Connect to Metro or Secondary
Connect to Metro or Secondary
Color, Solids, BOD, Acid,
Phenols (IE)
Oils, Solids, Color, Acid,
Iron (IE)
Oil, Phenols, BOD (IE)
Oil, Phenols (IE)
Oil BOD, Color
Oil
12/70
3/68
NS
NS
NS
1/71
7/71
12/69
12/69
Plans to;
discontinue
refinery 6/68
NS
1/68
Solids, Color, Oil & Connect
to Silver Creek (E)
BOD 26,000; Solids 131.000X, Advanced Waste Treatment,
Solids 9,600S Ammonia, Grease, Chrome (IE)
8,700; Solids 90.000T,
Solid's 7,600S
x; Solids xS
BOD x; Solids xS
Advanced Waste Treatment,
Ammonia, Grease, Chrome
UN
1/70
1/71
'Connect to city sewers (IE) 12/69
Connect to city sewers (IE) . 12/69
Direct to_ jLake_Erie_
Hanna Furnace 26
Bethlehem Steel 350
Solids xS; Oil x
5,200; Solids 350,0005;
pH 4.0-7.0; COD 11,000; Oil
31,000; Phenols 680; Cyanide
950
Solids (IE) . 4/72
Oil, Phenols, Solids, Color,
Cyanides, Ammonia, Acid,
Iron (IE) 1/70
106
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MlHLtr 4-8
PENNSYLVANIA AND NEW YORK AREAS (Concluded)
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL WASTE PROBLEMS
Flow Waste; Constituents Abatement
Industrv / ,-, /,, /, •, Control Measures .Needed , , ,
(ingd) ( IDS./day) Schedule
Direct to Lake Erie (Cont'd.)
Allegheny-Ludlum 1.3 Solids xS; pH x; Oil x; Temp. Solids, Oil, Acid (IE) 1/69
x; Iron x
Seneca Westfield 0,5 BOD x; Solids xS Connect to city sewers (IE) 12/69
Maid
107
.S.Government Printing Office: 1972— 750-894
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Mother deca1 may I go out to swim.
Yes my darling daughter.
Hang your clothes on a, hickory "linibt
But don't go neap the water.
Anonymous
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