WATCH: "We expected 9. It was actually 10.5," and more facts about Lake Erie algae in 2015

"We expected this year's bloom to be a 9 (out of 10). It was actually a 10.5."

That was how Jeffery Reutter, Ph.D. introduced his November 11 City Club presentation on Lake Erie's hazardous algal blooms, a challenge that has affected water quality in recent years. But a mystery this year is why the toxicity was not as extreme as the off-the-scale metric would have indicated.

Jeffrey Reutter, Ph.D. Image via The City Club

"This was the worst [algal] bloom we've had in our history," he continued, "but it only produced about a quarter of the toxin that we expected. That's a huge challenge for us to understand right now." Reutter is a special adviser to the Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University, and he indicated this will be an important area of research following the 2015 algae season.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, phosphorus from wastewater treatment plants was a key contributor to algae because it is key to the growth of hazardous blooms. But since treatment plants significantly reduced their phosphorus output, the biggest contributor now is fertilizer-laden runoff from agriculture all around the Great Lake.

"If we can take the appropriate actions, we can greatly reduce the amount [of nutrients in stormwater runoff]. The weakness in that argument is climate change; if we keep getting more and more frequent storms and more wet spring periods, we'll see things that are worse."

Ruetter offered recommendations to improve water quality on personal property which would reduce have a beneficial impact on runoff entering streams and storm sewer systems. Listen to or view the complete City Club presentation.

Related stories:

• NEWS: 5 takeaways from Jeffrey Reutter's talk via cleveland.com
• ENVIRONMENT: The facts about phosphorus and Lake Erie
• VIDEO: How wastewater treatment processes manage phosphorus
• LISTEN: Is Lake Erie burning?

SERIES: Follow the flow of h2o in Cleveland with #ValueWater, @neorsd and @ClevelandWater

The Value of Water reports each of us use more than 100 gallons of water in a single day. Where does it come from, and where does it go? and what would it be like if the resources or the systems that make it possible didn't exist?

This month's Imagine A Day Without Water campaign concludes with our tour of the urban water cycle in Cleveland. Our water partners Cleveland Water manage the drinking water side of the cycle while we take care of the wastewater. Through our combined efforts and infrastructure, our agencies deliver and collect hundreds of millions of gallons of water every single day.

Every hour today, we'll focus on a different aspect of the urban water cycle, and bring you the stats and stories that connect our work to your lives. Check some of the updates below.

TIPS: Rain garden resources and stormwater solutions you can use at home

Simple steps around your home can have big benefits in your yard and in our region.

On-site stormwater management helps protect water quality and reduce flooding and erosion, but having a comprehensive list of common best practices can be overwhelming. Many local watershed groups provide tips and resources. Here, we've listed a few of our favorites to give you quick access to the manuals, worksheets, and diagrams that may simplify your search.

PERSPECTIVE: What if a toxic spill the likes of Colorado's #AnimasRiver struck the Cuyahoga?

While the Cuyahoga River has had its share of challenges, none compare to the catastrophe going on in Colorado.

An Environmental Protection Agency project to reduce pollution seeping into the Animas River resulted in a breach that caused an estimated 3 million gallons of gold-mine wastewater to rush into the river, turning the water mustard yellow and leaving officials scrambling to assess the damage while residents seek answers and await test results.

As an agency prepared to respond to HAZMAT situations, I asked our Water Quality & Industrial Surveillance team how we might respond to a disaster like this had anything like it struck the Cuyahoga River.

Scott Broski put it pretty bluntly.

"In terms of control, based on what has been released and the volume, I’m not sure what anyone can do to control a spill of this magnitude." Scott is the Superintendent of Environmental Services, and said a major challenge in this situation is an inability to strategically collect the material.

GREEN: Um yeah, even wastewater's not supposed to look like this. #StPatricksDay

Green is the color of the St. Patrick's Day holiday and the Chicago River that is dyed for celebration, but some colors come with questions.

Especially when they're not supposed to be there.

Southerly Assistant Superintendent Kevin Zebrowski shared that oddly colored green water has come flowing into our Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant several times before, like the time shown here from 2007.

"We isolated it," he said of this example, working with our investigators to determine possible sources of three separate incidents.

"We suspected and installed downstream samplers for a company [within our service area] which manufactures dye for plastics. It stopped with no other events."

"At a similar time [2008], Akron had a similar event where the EPA caught someone dumping powdered green dye in the sanitary sewer," he said.

If all the water at a treatment plant is being treated anyway, does the color coming into the plant matter? Kevin said yes. "We have had in our permit that we cannot discharge effluent [the treated water] with any color." Treatment plant staff and our Water Quality & Industrial Surveillance Team collaborate to track down the cause.

Investigators can use any number of clues coming from the flow to find the source and take necessary action. Our laboratory conducts nearly 200,000 tests on more than 25,000 samples every year to ensure the processes in our plants and the quality of our effluent is safe.

Southerly is not the only plant to face issues of colorful influent, he said. "At Westerly [in Cleveland], there was a printing company that would often clean their process tanks; our operators would see various colors coming into the plant. They would sometimes get red which would interfere with the laboratory running tests."

RELATED STORIES:

• GREEN: 5 stories of green with Cuyahoga River connections

TIPS: 5 common car repairs and replacements to protect the environment

Many Americans are seeking more sustainable alternatives to common household cleaners and chemicals. That's not always easy when it comes to maintaining your car.

Although there are few alternatives to automotive fluids, there are still many things that can be done to lessen the impact our cars have on the environment.

In the course of maintaining automobiles, motorcycles, boats, lawnmowers, and other machines, it is important to dispose of all fluids properly because most are hazardous to human and animal health and the environment.

Here are five common automotive tips, repairs and replacements.

HISTORY: How a dying river saved our lives.

Two men wearing life jackets on a small boat on Lake Erie, 1976. Both the boat and the men are covered in oil polluting Lake Erie. Image courtesy of Cleveland State University Library Division of Special Collections.

When the oozing Cuyahoga River caught fire in 1969, consider that it might not have even made the "Top 10" list of Cleveland river fires at the time.

A spark ignited pollution on the Crooked River on June 22, 1969—but few today realize that it actually was the thirteenth time it had happened.

Thirteen times. Take that in for a moment. The river had once been so polluted and abused since the 1860s that tar-black layers of filth burned on its surface on at least 13 other occasions.

HOME: A healthy environment starts at home, and it might start with these 33 tips.

If this is what it looks like under your kitchen sink, there has to be a better way. Better for you, better for our water, and better for the environment.

From eco-friendly cleaning solutions, to disposal tips for those trash items that don't belong on your curb, we have a handbook full of helpful information to protect our environment and make your home healthier.

Of the more than 30 tips, instructions and resources we highlight as you scroll or download the handbook below, here are just a few:

• Why you shouldn't pour fat or grease down your garbage disposal
• How to get rid of old outdated prescription medications safely
• Why fluorescent bulbs don't belong in your trash
• What do do with old motor oil, car batteries, or tires
• How to control your lawn or yard without chemicals

If you would like to request copies of this handbook for an event or community group, contact us.

Healthy Environment Starts at Home

TIPS: 10 unexpected uses for vinegar for cleaning, unclogging, and cats (Video)

From eliminating garbage-can odors to clearing clogs, vinegar has a lot more uses than just cooking. More importantly, it can eliminate the need for hazardous chemicals that can affect your plumbing and our environment.




For more healthy home tips, check out our "A healthy environment starts at home" handbook, a handy reference for recycling resources, disposal methods, and cleaning alternatives that will keep our water clean and environment safe.

WATER: How many tests in one year? Almost 200,000 help protect our lake.

West Virginia's water-contamination saga is shining the spotlight on water quality, regulations, contaminants and public health.

Clean water is at the heart of our work, but our attention is commonly focused on the wastewater side of the water cycle. How do we monitor our treatment processes and the environment to make sure the water we're releasing to Lake Erie is safe?

Tests. Lots and lots of tests. In 2013, our Analytical Services department—our biologists, chemists and laboratory analysts—conducted nearly 200,000 tests, averaging more than 530 separate tests every day. That includes tests conducted on more than 25,000 samples collected from streams, beaches, and our treatment plants.

Here's a closer look at our lab stats from last year:

OMG! (Oh my! Green!): Eco-friendly dye helps trace sources of pollution

The green you see is not pollution. But it can help identify pollution sources.

When our Water Quality & Industrial Surveillance team is called in to find the source of a hazardous spill or an illegal discharge—like this one in Rocky River last year—the crew conducts dye testing like this. Investigators release an environmentally safe dye into the collection system, most commonly storm sewers in the area, to confirm the flow's source, route, and ultimate destination.

If you ever see a suspicious discharge in a Northeast Ohio waterway, you can contact our Environmental & Maintenance Services Center at (216) 641-6000 or tweet @neorsd.

LINK: What causes that after-the-rain smell? Scientists have a theory.

We open windows after a summer rain. Not only is the air cooler, it has a tangible freshness to it, a certain smell that is unique to the post-storm experience.

And scientists have theorized about where that smell comes from.

io9 says the aroma's basic ingredients are [deep breath] ozone and bacteria spores.

Ozone is made up of three oxygen atoms linked together. io9 goes on:

Ozone is sometimes used to kill off odors, especially smoky and moldy odors. The clean scent after a rainfall is partially caused by ozone cleaning away some of the scents we take for granted. Ozone also has a scent all its own. Some say it's like geraniums, but others compare it to a light bleach scent.

LIST: Back to school jitters? Here are 7 ways we totally get how you feel.

It's a crisp August morning, and that can mean only one thing: Wastewater treatment. Well maybe it means two things: Back to school, and wastewater treatment.

7 ways wastewater treatment is like the first day back to school from Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

NEWS: Don't be shad. Fish die-off is common, natural

In recent weeks, hikers along Metroparks streams or winter-stroll beachgoers may have seen a surge of dead fish washed up on the shore.

Is the die-off of these silvery blue-green fish a sign of environmental turmoil, or a natural occurrence? It’s the latter, and it happens regularly.

Shad can’t stand the change: Known as the eastern gizzard shad, this fish species (Dorosoma cepedianum) is not native to Lake Erie or its tributaries, and is very sensitive to rapid temperature changes. Lake Erie’s and streams' water temperature—because of shallow depth and northerly locations—can change very quickly in early and late winter months, causing die-offs of significant numbers of gizzard shad.

“It can be unsightly, but it’s important to note that in most cases the die-offs are natural,” said John Rhoades, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Supervisor of Environmental Assessment.

Colder temperatures slow the shad’s body’s ability to draw nutrients from surrounding water, which commonly leads to starvation during colder months as well, causing further die-offs in December, January and February.

PUP: Picking up waste, dropping some knowledge

Photo by J. Quinn

Summer days and dog walking go hand in hand. On your walks, have you seen any of our PUP signs? The requests for them continue coming in, but so do the questions about the real motivators behind this successful campaign.

Our Pick Up Poop! (PUP) program comes down to two things: Water quality, and common courtesy.

The bac facts: Bacteria Tallahassee (Florida)'s "Think About Personal Pollution (TAPP)" runs a similar pet campaign, and they offer a helpful comparison between the amounts of bacteria in various animal wastes.

TAPP goes on to explain:

Dogs present a special problem. Built to eat almost anything, dogs have as especially large number of intestinal bacteria to digest that wide variety of food, about 23 million bacteria per gram of waste.

Due to dogs' high-protein diets, their waste is highly acidic. It is not a fertilizer and can contain 10 times as much fecal coliform bacteria as cow manure, and also a whole lot of nasty stuff like e. coli, salmonella, and giardia.

UPDATE: Sewer District assists in fish-kill investigation along Rocky River

"We’ll continue to work on this until we exhaust all our leads. We are working with other entities as well. Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, everyone is working together to try and figure this one out." Sewer District Director of Watershed Programs Frank Greenland spoke to several media outlets this afternoon regarding the ongoing investigation of the possible fish kill along a stretch of Rocky River in the Cleveland Metroparks. The District is collecting water samples to aid in the investigation.

Here are stories that ran this evening on WKYC, WEWS and FOX8. UPDATE 2012 5/1: The Strongville Post featured a story in today's edition.

24/7: Wastewater never takes a holiday

There are no "normal" business hours because, well, people are doing their business at all hours of the day.

Many residents may not realize our three wastewater treatment plants—Southerly in Cuyahoga Heights, and Easterly and Westerly in Cleveland—are operated by staff working around the clock to treat wastewater and protect public health and the environment. Our administrative offices are closed on Federal holidays, but operations, security, lab staff, and maintenance crews are on-hand or on-call at all times. That includes holidays, weekends, snow days, and every other day of the year.

Whatever the weather

On snowy weekends, operations staff also must pay close attention to weather patterns: Snow may not mean an immediate increase in the amount of stormwater flowing into treatment plants from the Cleveland area, but as it begins to melt, flows increase, sometimes significantly.

It was February 2011 when Southerly was overwhelmed by a combination of stormwater, melting snow, and saturated ground which led to a flooding situation endangering plant processes and damaging equipment. Plant personnel responded quickly and professionally to protect each other and the environment.

Whatever the holiday

In the summer, every morning before Cleveland beaches are filled with guests, our staff is out collecting and analyzing water samples to ensure the safety of swimmers. That's true on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and all summer long.

24/7/365. All year round.

Whatever the season, whatever the weather, whatever the holiday, rest assured that the Sewer District's processes and people keep working around the clock to keep our Great Lake great.

Pitch those pills safely: Upcoming collection event and safety tips

A common method of disposing of unwanted medication has been to flush it down the toilet or rinse it down the drain. But wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove these medicines from wastewater, so they may pass through the treatment process unchanged. When the treated water is released into the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, it can still contain traces of these medicines.

We love clean water.

Let it snow, let it flow? Road salt and water quality

Scarves and shovels and salt are all common responses to the snows of winter. But how does the rock salt protecting us on the roadways affect the quality of the water flowing to the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie?