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Show The pollution problem has increased continu- ously over the past century or more; its seriousness roughly parallels industrial growth and correspond- ing increases in population. About 2,200 munici- palities and 1,300 industrial establishments have separate waste outfalls which discharge wastes into the rivers. Organic wastes discharged to the streams in July 1950, exceeded a population equiv- alent of 13 million. The greatest progress in municipal waste treat- ment has been made on tributaries where pollution had caused severe local nuisances. On the main stem and major tributaries, treatment plants are notably lacking. Several cities are now starting corrective action. Acid mine drainage constitutes the most serious pollution problem. Acid pollution increases cor- rosiveness, impairing every aspect of water use. It has deterred domestic and industrial organic pollu- tion control, since sewage treatment still would not make streams suitable for use. Some reduction in pollution has occurred in the Kanawha River Basin since 1940, due principally to corrective measures at chemical manufacturing plants near Charleston. This reduction has been brought about by improved plant processes, together with waste water reuse. In spite of these reductions, the Kanawha River is still grossly polluted through- out the lower reaches. Pollution has been reduced in the Wabash River Basin, where cannery wastes now are lagooned to be released during noncritical stream flow periods. On the whole, however, the organic pollution in the streams in the Ohio River Basin has increased during the last 10 years. In addition to the acid drainage from both aban- doned and operating coal mines, coal washeries dis- charge thousands of tons of coal fines and sediment to streams in the coal-producing areas. The Alle- gheny, Monongahela, upper Ohio, Muskingum, Guyandot, and Big Sandy sub-basins are the most seriously affected by coal mining and processing wastes. Methods are known for preventing pollution from coal fines and sediment. Some States have inau- gurated programs to prevent pollution by coal proc- essing plants, but effective control is prevented where specific legislation exempts these operations from control, as in West Virginia. The primary pollution control needs in the Ohio Basin are: a satisfactory method for reducing acid mine drainage, immediate construction of abate- ment works in the most critical areas, adequate State legislation to control all sources of pollution, and close integration of pollution control programs into over-all water use programs. State, interstate, and Federal water pollution control activities are directed toward a cooperative approach to the problem. State water pollution control agencies are urging the construction of remedial works and are attempting to obtain legisla- tion for more adequate control where needed. Many municipalities are planning waste treatment works. Most industries are aware of their responsi- bilities in preventing their wastes from destroying public waters. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission, an interstate agency of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, is develop- ing water quality objectives and is promoting par- ticipation by all interested groups and agencies to improve the water quality of the basin. Under the Water Pollution Control Act of 1948,2 the Federal Government is lending assistance to both State and interstate agencies in their efforts to improve the Nation's waters. The low-water regu- lation function of the reservoir program is helping solve the pollution problem by making more dilution water available during critical dry periods. Public and Industrial Water Supplies In 1940, there were about 1,750 public surface and ground water supplies in the Ohio River Basin serving about 9.5 million people. About 550 of these supplies obtained water from surface sources for approximately 6.5 million persons. Industrial water requirements exceed the quan- tity used for domestic purposes, the major portion being used for cooling water. Repeated reuse of water by industries in the Youngstown area during critical stream flow periods has increased water tem- peratures to the point where plant operations were seriously curtailed. This situation has been alle- viated by flow regulation from the completed Berlin and Mosquito Creek Reservoirs but has not been corrected to the extent desirable. Some industries require a better quality of raw water than is re- quired for domestic use. The cost of removing pollution by treatment for the large quantities of water used in some manufacturing processes im- poses serious economic obstacles on such industries. Increasing demands for water in expanding 2 Act of June 30, 1948, 62 Stat. 1155, 33 U. S. C. 466 et seq. (Supp. III.) 641 |
