How healthy are our local waterways and what’s being done to protect them? Ismail Turay Jr.
Runoffs carrying contaminants from agricultural and urban development throughout Southwest Ohio are flowing into the region’s waterways, and experts say that threatens the aquatic ecosystem, drinking water, human life and infrastructure.
The problem will hit taxpayers and property owners in the pocketbooks to the tune of millions of dollars if more is not done to reduce those storm water runoffs, experts say.
“One way or another, we’re going to pay for having unhealthy streams, because if you show me an area where the streams are not doing well, then I’m going to show you an area that has probably a lot of bank erosion problems, or possibly having to deal with going in and fixing roads that are washing out and people’s backyards eroding,” said hydrologist Mike Ekberg, manager for water resource monitoring and analysis at the Miami Conservancy District.