Toledo Water issue - Mon, Aug 2014

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2014/08/04/Toledo-releases-72-page-report-on-water-crisis.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/attachment/2014/08/04/72-page-preliminary-study-from-the-City-of-Toledo-on-water-crisis.pdf

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2014/08/04/Tips-on-when-and-how-to-flush-water-systems.html

http://www.toledoblade.com/local/2014/08/04/Hundreds-of-thousands-still-under-water-advisory-across-Toledo-area.html

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https://twitter.com/IgnazioMessina

https://twitter.com/IgnazioMessina/status/496273016079527936

Why haven't specific test results for Toledo water been released. Let's see actually test results. @DMCToledo @toledonews

https://twitter.com/IgnazioMessina/status/496272767793500160

How's possible for city water to be safe but 2 "neighborhoods" unsafe -in system that gets H2O from single source @DMCToledo #emptyglasscity

https://twitter.com/IgnazioMessina/status/496058503841472512

Are these repeated delays of water test result releases irking anyone? Strike anyone as odd? Why haven't we seen results from prior tests?

https://twitter.com/IgnazioMessina/status/496305470643400704

@taylordungjen I'm sensing high skepticism, especially since we've seen no actually tests and anecdotal leak that it was 3 ppb this weekend.

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https://twitter.com/taylordungjen/status/496297804310925313

Remember that @DMCToledo said numbers would be released today at 4 p.m. before meeting on sewer-rate hike.

https://twitter.com/taylordungjen/status/496191008305328128

Also, and perhaps unsurprisingly, officials are not a fan of #emptyglasscity Probs should be least of their worries.

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https://twitter.com/Ryan_Wichman

http://www.toledonewsnow.com/category/286333/toledo-water-crisis

http://www.toledonewsnow.com/story/26195064/ut-to-host-public-forum-on-algae-blooms-in-lake-erie

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http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/08/lake-erie-toledo-toxic-algae

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http://toledoblade.typepad.com/ripple-effect/2014/08/toledo-water-crisis-a-game-changer-for-the-great-lakes-and-global-algae-research.html

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http://www.vox.com/2014/8/4/5967177/why-are-toxic-algae-blooms-making-a-comeback-in-lake-erie?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=bradplumer&utm_content=monday

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http://blog.cleanwateraction.org/2014/08/04/putting-drinking-water-first-on-algal-blooms-the-clean-water-rule-and-playing-games-with-water-protection/

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Mon, Aug 4, 2014 tweets by Ryan Wichman.

7:35 p.m.

Report Info: Tap Water tests over the weekend done by the US EPA found the toxin level to be <.32ppb, drinkable limit is 1ppb (part/billion)

9:01 p.m.

Report Info: It was the city of Toledo that initially looked into a 'no drink advisory' Saturday AM, OH EPA confirmed/recommended.

Excerpts from a Mon, Aug 4, 2014 Vox.com story titled Why toxic algae blooms are taking over Lake Erie - again

Lake Erie had a massive problem with algae blooms in the 1960s and 1970s, with the lake becoming nearly unusable. Decomposing green algae kept washing up on beaches and had to be removed by bulldozers. Blue-green algae was tainting the water supplies of several cities.

So, starting in 1972, the United States and Canada began taking drastic action. The region spent $8 billion upgrading sewage systems around the region, banned certain types of phosphorus-heavy laundry detergents, and pushed to modernize farming practices so as to prevent so much soil and stormwater runoff.

Recently, however, the blooms have been making a comeback. In 1995, blue-green algae (Microcystis aeruginosa) began flaring up in the western part of Lake Erie.

These new blooms are different from the blooms of old: more localized along the shoreline, and with a higher concentration of cyanobacteria (the blue-green algae).

There does seem to be an increase in agricultural runoff of phosphorus — particularly dissolved reactive phosphorus into the Maumee River watershed, which feeds into Lake Erie. That could help feed the algae blooms.

Meanwhile, the Ohio task force report noted that animal feeding operations in the Lake Erie region have become far bigger and denser over the years — with more animals packed into spaces. Cattle and pig manure is another significant source of phosphorus.

Urban runoff isn't nearly as big a factor as farming — especially since 82 percent of the land around the Maumee River is devoted to agriculture. But it's one possible factor.