LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Farmers paid to do what’s right
8/29/2014I find it deplorable that an emergency fund is being created to pay farmers to plant cover crops during the winter in an effort to slow the runoff of fertilizer into Ohio’s rivers and lakes (“U.S. offers $2M in grants to stem growth of algae,” Aug. 19).
Shouldn’t farmers be ethical and responsible? Why do we have to pay them to do the right thing?
Farmers should be held responsible for Lake Erie’s algae blooms, and be required to pay to clean up the region’s water supply. They could start by paying to rebuild Toledo’s overworked and outdated water treatment plant.
These farmers have been letting runoff pour into the Maumee River and Lake Erie for years. The cities of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, have been dumping sewage into the lake for years.
How many people have to become sick from tainted drinking water before these parties do the responsible thing?
MARY PAGELS
Temperance, Mich.
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Ohio EPA should nail polluters
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has always heavily fined suspected polluters. But an appropriate response to the region’s water-quality issue would be for the agency to go after those nasty chemical companies that manufacture phosphorus-rich fertilizers, and to hire more employees to track the farmers who use them.
MIKE SARNS, SR.
Reading, Mich.
Better warning system necessary
Information about the quality of Toledo’s water supply might have been better dispersed. What if you went to bed before the “do not drink” order was issued, or was watching a cable TV channel that had no local news?
Unless you immediately turned on a local news channel upon awakening, or had someone call you, you may have ingested water, made coffee, or taken a shower with unsafe water. I know people who did.
What if in the future — and I hope this will not be necessary — local weather sirens are sounded to alert people to check TV or radio. Perhaps Buckeye Cable-System could put a crawl on every channel it offers.
DON KLEVER
Sylvania
Let’s privatize water system
If Toledo really wants to improve the treatment and delivery of water, it should consider turning over the operation to a private company, as it did with refuse service. I think almost everyone will agree that refuse service has improved since it was privatized.
RONALD MOENING
Barrington Drive
Crisis a reminder of a water song
The water crisis reminds me of a tune: “You Never Miss Your Water (‘Til Your Well Runs Dry).” For those who helped distribute or bring in water during the water emergency, you were water angels.
Great job.
BILL GECKLE
Fostoria