Next time you are spending the weekend out on the Ohio River, you may want to consider this.  Eyewitness News recently reported that according to the EPA, the Ohio River is the most contaminated body of water in the country.

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According to the article posted by Eyewitness News, "23 million pounds of chemicals were discharged into the river in 2013. More than 70% of them, reportedly coming from a Tri-State company, AK Steel in Rockport." That is a lot of chemicals that we expose our bodies to every time we go swimming/boating in the river. It makes a person wonder if any of these chemicals have the possibility for any serious effects on our bodies.

Then there is the Evansville water supply concern. The city of Evansville only uses one water treatment plant. That plant is the only thing keeping our water supply clean and drinkable. If something were to go wrong at that plant, it could lead to some serious issues in regards to Evansville's water supply.

"If something really serious happened, we don't have the ability to shut down bringing in water from the Ohio River for very long, maybe three to four hours and that could be detrimental to the city," said Evansville Water and Sewer Utility Director Allen Mounts.

 

A second plant is currently being considered, but that could take years to come into fruition. Until then, we are assured that our drinking water (that comes from the Ohio River) will be safe to use. Now, Evansville is not the only city that relies on the river for their water supply. This is something that every city lying along the Ohio River should take into consideration. How well is your water treatment? Is there a back-up plan? Should some changes need to be made as a result of these findings?

What are possible solutions to lower the contamination in the Ohio River? Of course, that starts with businesses being more environmentally sound. This means finding other ways to create their products without harming the river in any way. Stricter regulations would help lead to a safer river. Upon the results of the EPA's reports, it's a safe bet to say that it's very likely that we will see a change in the way the river is being used by companies in regards to their waste, chemicals, and other contaminates that are dumped into the river.

 

To read the full article posted on Tri-State Home Page, click here.


 

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