Protecting our water resources
2 million + reasons
The watershed area of Lake Erie’s western basin includes almost 6 million acres across northwest Ohio and parts of southern Michigan and eastern Indiana.
The 2 million people who live in the watershed rely on Lake Erie, rivers, and groundwater for sources of drinking water, and people across Ohio and the United States count on our waterways and Lake Erie for fishing, recreation, and agriculture. Businesses along the lakeshore and throughout the watershed depend on these water resources to support a strong economy. Our wetlands, streams, rivers, and Lake Erie are vital to a healthy and diverse ecosystem and are an important part of our regional identity.
The many benefits of our water resources are threatened by modifications to natural drainage systems, historical industrial and agricultural pollution, and ongoing pollution from runoff, underground stormwater infrastructure, and tile drainage. Public utilities in our region use rivers, reservoirs, and Lake Erie to provide safe and reliable drinking water and treat wastewater from our cities and villages in order to return clean water to the environment.
Many local, state, and federal partners are involved in making plans and implementing projects to address water quality issues. The Clean Water Act is the federal law that drives regulation of pollutants and water quality standards for surface waters across the country. State governments apply these laws and determine what the state’s water quality standards should be. Agencies like Ohio EPA and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) are also responsible for creating plans to address water quality impairments in their state. At the local level, communities, nonprofit organizations, businesses, universities, and other stakeholders work together to meet state and federal regulations and develop projects aimed at restoring natural functions to our environment and waterways. Individuals, businesses, and landowners also have an important responsibility to protect water resources in their communities and they have the right to provide feedback to all levels of government as they plan and develop projects to improve water quality.
