Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Corn A BILLION-DOLLAR RIVER CLEANUP JOB EDWARD J. CLEARY Ohio Ricer Valley Water Sanitation Commission, Cincinnati, Ohio W H A T IT IS
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N eight-state agi eenient, approved by Congress, for pooling resources and police powers to control pollution of intpr-tate waters, in the 155,000-squnrc-mile Ohio River Valler area. IMPORTAXT FEATURES
Each signatory state pledges cooperation in abatement of e x i d n g and control of future pollution. Board of commissioners to carry out t.his action c,onsists of three representatives from each signatory state, plus an additional three, with no voting power. from the Federal Government. Commissioners define exact means for execution of the broad compact pledge and assert’powers necessary for enforcement. Commission can issue orders to an;r municipality, corporation, or person prohibiting discharge of wastes and can call upon any court to enforce such orders. PRELUDE T O OPERATIO1
State legislation unified and strengthened: Ohio pollution l a a rewitten, 1951 Illinois practice improved by addition of 23 amendments Kentucky completely revised laws, 1950 Virginia control laws amended, 1952 West Virginia removed exemption of coal industry from pollution control laws. 1953 Industry participation furthered by establishment of advisoi v committees in stcel, metal-finishing, distilling, chemical ilalts, coal producing, oil refining, and organic chemical plants. Committee activities designed to: 1. Promote plant recognition of need to minimize waste discharge 2. Assemble facts and make appraisal of industry TI aste-control problems 3. Consult mith the commission in establishment of water quality criteria and application of regulations 4. Encourage ioint research and development on control measures ACCOMPLlSHhIEKTS
Investigations completed leading to regulations for sewage-treatment discharges on half the length of the Ohio River (483 miles). By year end this work ill be finished for entire river. Bacterial-quality yardsticks for wat’er supply and recreational purposes adopted. Unique project under m-ay a t Kettering Laboratory of -4pplied Physiology to determine if unsuspected public health hazards exist as a result of trace chemical constituents from indust,rial wastes. Recommendations being developed for water quality required to maintain aquatic life st,reams. Project completed a t Lehigh University on methods of analysis for substances in metal-plating xnstes, in cooperation rrit,h American Electroplaters Socieby. Cooperated in supporting research at Mellon Institute on mine-acid cont.ro1 methods. Completion of research project in cooperation with hrmco Steel Corp. and three companies x4th proprietary treatment, processes, revealing new information on t,liree methods of chemical oxidation for control of phenol pollut,ion. Manuals of practice and methods for the control of several types of industrial wastes published. Community-action campaign project developed for public education. Commission supplies t o “Citizens Clean Waters Committees” fact sheets, program outlines, exhibits, movies. and the like. Stepby-step procedures for initiating and financing sewage treatment plants outlined in handbook for city officials. The coordinated efforts of t,he eight signatory states have resulted in securing treatment for 42% of the sewered populat,ion of 9,319,000. Another 10% of population is building new facilities and an additional 16% have final plans ready for const>ruction. Installation of municipal sewage facilities is finally catching up with population growth. Of the 1246 industrial plant,s discharging waste directly into the rivers 809 are now operating control facilities. Facilities are under construction by 31, and are being planned by 116 more.
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INDUSTRIAL AND ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
Vol. 45, No. 12
