Waste material found near Toledo raw water supply lines
OREGON, Ohio (WTVG) — The plan to provide nearly half a million people in our area with an additional water source has hit a bit of a snag.
Waste material from a hazardous waste landfill in Oregon has now been discovered close to Toledo’s raw water supply. This revelation came as engineers planned to construct an additional water supply.
The water is safe to drink according to the city and has been for quite a while, even though part of the raw water supply flows under the dump.
Lake Erie is the start of the process to get clean drinking water to those homes. Next it goes to the low-service pump station. After that it follows a raw water line to the Collins Park water treatment plant. As the water department designed an additional raw water supply line, an issue popped up at the Envirosafe hazardous landfill in Oregon.
“We couldn’t be totally surprised because we knew about the preexisting conditions. We knew a little bit about the history of the area. We’ve always been looking for it,” said Andy McClure, the Commissioner of Plant Operations.
Soil sampling near the raw water supply line found an oily, greasy substance. It still has not been identified. It was found in the soil, not in the pipe or the water.
“I’m glad we found it the way that we did. No one was harmed by it,” said McClure.
Water officials installed the first raw water line in the 1940s, well before the hazardous waste dump came along but that dump was allowed to be built over the water lines. A second water line was added in the 60s.
The Ohio EPA has been notified and Envirosafe has been working closely with the city of Toledo for years there. More sampling has been ordered and the company said it will pay to remediate the soil.
While it does not sound great to have a hazardous waste dump over a water supply, city leaders say moving the line around it would be hugely expensive, require fixes along the entire system and delay the additional water line project by years.
“I don’t feel like we’re stuck with it. It is a good route. It’s efficient. We know how to maintain it. The safeguards are in place. We have a long history showing they work and the water is safe,” said McClure.
The full additional line is nine miles. This part with the waste is phase two. Phase one is in design now so not many delays to the entire project are expected.
The city does not believe this material ever got into a water supply and has never been detected in its testing or treatment.
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