Blogs

As a recreational gold prospector, my friends, family and I spend a great deal of time in the Clear Fork river in the stretch around and below the Cutnaw road bridge between Bellville and Butler, Ohio. I stand in opposition to plans for the Village of Butler water treatment facility as it is proposed. There are plenty of examples of treatment plants built that have failed. It is noteworthy that when spills or over the limit discharges do occur the operators are required to notify the EPA but not the public. Even if a diligent person were to investigate such reports it would be long after people have been exposed to dangerous pathogens before those reports are available to review. I do not trust low bid contractors who may have greased who-knows-who's palm to be awarded a project being undertaken with limited if any public input to build the cheapest type of plant which requires the highest level of maintenance to operate properly. 

On any given summer day dozens of people can be found swimming, trout fishing, or otherwise enjoying the river in this area where the owner of the surrounding land has long allowed users to enjoy. It is a scenic area with an unusual geology that attracts thousands of users each summer season, entire families with their children (including mine) frolic in these waters. The proposed plant includes a discharge point into a small stream that feeds just upstream into this section of the river. This small feeder stream is well known to often dry up in the summer which will allow discharges to build up and during the next heavy rain be deposited in a large volume. The discharge mixing zone (where pollutant concentration levels are typically allowed to be much higher than receiving water) is to be located in this popular recreational area and poses a potential health threat to people and wildlife.

The impact report from the application for this plant claims the area where it is to be built is only agriculturally used. Yes, the land they plan to build it is agricultural but the waters that will be affected are recreational. The report also holds that the existing sewage plant cannot be expanded to accommodate a necessary update but that is also not accurate. I am told there was an offer of property near the old facility that was less expensive than the property where this new sewage plant is proposed. 

Over the years I have seen an improvement in water quality in this area judging by the steady increase in types and quantity of wildlife I have witnessed. I have regularly spotted mink, an increasing population of trout (in both quantity and individual fish size), myriad water fowl, many species of songbirds and even woke one morning to the sight of a river otter. Even in the unlikely event this particular plant operates at peak efficiency and never has an over the limit discharge during maintenance operations, it will eventually age and fail. Once that happens this stretch of river will be fouled for years after another new facility or upgrade is done.
 
The local chapter of the GPAA (Gold Prospectors Association of America) to which I belong has been maintaining and improving the habitat of a mile-long stretch in this portion of the river for more than twenty years by removing litter and heavy metals from the water and the surrounding banks. We hold annual events which bring thousands of people to the area each year and support the local community. Should the river become contaminated it will be impossible for us to continue as we have long-enjoyed. The local trout fishing club condones the prospecting club's use of the river and our efforts of conservation. To the majority of surrounding landowners, the families that frequent the area and 30,000 members of the GPAA, even the slight potential to dump raw or partially processed sewage into this section of the river is an unacceptable risk and the planned SBR-type sewage treatment plant in this location should be reconsidered. 

The Clear Fork river in this area is subject to wide swings in water volume. The modelling results to determine the possibility of violation of water quality standards (especially during times of low river volume when the dilution factor will be at it's minimum), questions concerning the potential for PH alteration, residual chlorine levels and settling solids and their monitoring requirements (especially for peak discharge rates), spill plans and a description of what will be done in certain situations when a matrix effect is encountered need to be addressed in simple terms to the local public. If aware of the potential health hazards and possible degradation of water quality in this recreational area they would surely also raise their voices in opposition.

The current treatment plant discharges into a section of the river downstream from the proposed location where unusual discharge condition, including bypasses, upsets, and maintenance-related conditions affecting effluent quality will not impact the current use of this upstream section of the river by recreational users. Should the current plant require updating to conform to EPA standards that project should be undertaken as opposed to building this new facility as is proposed.

Let your voice be heard by the trustees who have concocted this sewage plant construction plan and request updates on public hearings and status of the project.

Village of Butler 33 W. Elm St. Butler, Ohio 44822

Jefferson Twp. Trustees P.O. Box 356 Bellville, Ohio 44813

Worthington Twp. Trustees P.O. Box 501 Butler, Ohio 44822

The Bellville Star at lswartzwalder@aimmediamidwest.com

Mansfield News Journal Attn. Gere Goble Asst. Editor 70 W. Fourth St. Mansfield, Ohio 44903

Please keep your letters and emails well thought out, We are not trying to make enemies, just letting them know we oppose having the discharge that close to the families who enjoy the waterway..