Water quality to be studied
Canton Repository
Saturday, October 8, 2005
By Robert Wang
BOLIVAR - The local waste district decided Friday it was worth at least $374,000 to see if your tap water is polluted.
The county commissioners who run the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District voted to hire a federal agency to begin a study of the quality of water that flows into the Tuscarawas River.
All commissioners from Stark and Tuscarawas counties voted “yes.” Wayne County commissioners Scott Wiggam and Ann Obrecht voted “no.”
Wayne County Commissioner Cheryl Noah, who as district chairwoman can vote only to break ties, said the study could compromise her county’s stake in the development of the Ridge Landfill in Tuscarawas County. Wayne County released its option to operate a landfill at the Ridge site in 1995 to Norton Environmental in return for $375,000 plus interest and a share of dumping fees if the landfill is approved.
State Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township, said he will introduce legislation that would halt the building of new landfills in the Tuscarawas watershed until the study is completed, but not for more than six years.
“It’s a perfect opportunity for a time-out,” Schuring said.
The senator said the study could determine that existing landfills are contaminating groundwater or aquifers in the watershed, which includes all of Stark and Tuscarawas counties, part of Wayne County and parts of 10 other counties.
The $374,000 will cover only the first phases of a water quality study by the U.S. Geological Survey, which Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula said he had been referred to by anti-landfill activists around February.
Geological Survey hydrologist Ralph J. Haefner said the study, which could cost $1.8 million and take five years, would describe how human activities — such as industrial, agricultural and waste disposal — are affecting water quality in the Tuscarawas watershed.
As part of the first phase, a team of hydrologists will collect information from past studies on the quality and availability of area water as well as the surrounding geology, Haefner said. The team will also figure out the best places to build monitoring wells.
Around August, when water flow and runoff is low, the hydrologists will test 10 water samples from the watershed. The rest of the study involves three years of monitoring of water and collecting samples for testing, then writing a final report, said Haefner.
He said the study involves lab tests costing about $1,200 a sample, extensive re-testing to make sure test results are accurate, building monitoring wells costing up to $2,200 and paying a staff of eight hydrologists.
Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger said he wants to find other governments to help pay the costs, but he felt the district had to put up some money to get the study going.
The Ohio EPA had said that the law may not allow the district to spend money on such a study, especially since it covers water outside of the district and looks at sources of pollution besides landfills. Because of the concerns, the district voted Friday to pay for the study with interest earned off dumping-fee money collected from landfills, not the fees themselves.
State Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-North Canton, said he’s willing to introduce legislation that would allow the district to fund the study.
Separately, the district voted to allow its treasurer, Stephen Tope, to audit communities receiving district recycling grants, after The Repository reported that part of a $150,000 district grant had gone to Canton to buy recycling igloos that were never used.
The commissioners also approved spending $21,700 to buy two detectors to measure levels of hydrogen sulfide gas.
Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327.
Saturday, October 8, 2005
By Robert Wang
BOLIVAR - The local waste district decided Friday it was worth at least $374,000 to see if your tap water is polluted.
The county commissioners who run the Stark-Tuscarawas-Wayne Joint Solid Waste Management District voted to hire a federal agency to begin a study of the quality of water that flows into the Tuscarawas River.
All commissioners from Stark and Tuscarawas counties voted “yes.” Wayne County commissioners Scott Wiggam and Ann Obrecht voted “no.”
Wayne County Commissioner Cheryl Noah, who as district chairwoman can vote only to break ties, said the study could compromise her county’s stake in the development of the Ridge Landfill in Tuscarawas County. Wayne County released its option to operate a landfill at the Ridge site in 1995 to Norton Environmental in return for $375,000 plus interest and a share of dumping fees if the landfill is approved.
State Sen. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township, said he will introduce legislation that would halt the building of new landfills in the Tuscarawas watershed until the study is completed, but not for more than six years.
“It’s a perfect opportunity for a time-out,” Schuring said.
The senator said the study could determine that existing landfills are contaminating groundwater or aquifers in the watershed, which includes all of Stark and Tuscarawas counties, part of Wayne County and parts of 10 other counties.
The $374,000 will cover only the first phases of a water quality study by the U.S. Geological Survey, which Stark County Commissioner Richard Regula said he had been referred to by anti-landfill activists around February.
Geological Survey hydrologist Ralph J. Haefner said the study, which could cost $1.8 million and take five years, would describe how human activities — such as industrial, agricultural and waste disposal — are affecting water quality in the Tuscarawas watershed.
As part of the first phase, a team of hydrologists will collect information from past studies on the quality and availability of area water as well as the surrounding geology, Haefner said. The team will also figure out the best places to build monitoring wells.
Around August, when water flow and runoff is low, the hydrologists will test 10 water samples from the watershed. The rest of the study involves three years of monitoring of water and collecting samples for testing, then writing a final report, said Haefner.
He said the study involves lab tests costing about $1,200 a sample, extensive re-testing to make sure test results are accurate, building monitoring wells costing up to $2,200 and paying a staff of eight hydrologists.
Tuscarawas County Commissioner Kerry Metzger said he wants to find other governments to help pay the costs, but he felt the district had to put up some money to get the study going.
The Ohio EPA had said that the law may not allow the district to spend money on such a study, especially since it covers water outside of the district and looks at sources of pollution besides landfills. Because of the concerns, the district voted Friday to pay for the study with interest earned off dumping-fee money collected from landfills, not the fees themselves.
State Rep. Scott Oelslager, R-North Canton, said he’s willing to introduce legislation that would allow the district to fund the study.
Separately, the district voted to allow its treasurer, Stephen Tope, to audit communities receiving district recycling grants, after The Repository reported that part of a $150,000 district grant had gone to Canton to buy recycling igloos that were never used.
The commissioners also approved spending $21,700 to buy two detectors to measure levels of hydrogen sulfide gas.
Reach Repository writer Robert Wang at (330) 580-8327.
