Will Ohio voters OK $1B to clean up algae?

COLUMBUS - After toxic algae contaminated Ohio's largest water sources, some lawmakers want voters to approve a $1 billion bond issue as early as March.

The proposal, which has bipartisan support, would distribute $100 million annually over 10 years to fix sewer problems that can lead to toxic algae that contaminates drinking water, Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, told the Lake Erie Legislative Caucus Tuesday.

"Water quality issues have been well documented in every corner of our state from Lake Erie to the Ohio River," Schiavoni said. "These threats to our drinking water are often the result of antiquated and insufficient sewer and water systems."

In August 2014, toxins from harmful algae on Lake Erie contaminated drinking water in Toledo, leaving more than 400,000 customers in Ohio and Michigan without drinkable water. In September, the Ohio River was polluted with a 500-mile-long toxic algal boom — the worst in the history of the river.

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Phosphorous and nitrogen, which contributes to the blooms, come from fertilizer in farm runoff, sewer systems and septic tanks.

But will voters approve a measure to improve water quality, especially if their drinking water is fine?

"Unless the public was having a problem with their specific drinking water, then water-related issues are not on the forefront of their minds," said Adam Sharp, vice president of public policy for the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation.

A recent survey said six of 10 people said they would pay a $5 annual fee for safe drinking water, according to a survey from Healthy Water Ohio, a coalition of groups from the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation to Ohio State University and Anheuser-Busch. Fifty-five percent believed the cost of their water is reasonable, while 23 percent said it's expensive. The survey's margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

One strength of the proposal is cities across the state could apply for the money to fix sewer problems, said Sen. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville. "People don't want to vote for something if their community is not going to benefit."

There's a demand for this money because cities tend to prioritize bond money for roads and bridges, which residents can see, over sewer projects below ground. Last year, about $73 million in bond money went toward underground projects — compared to $190 million spent on roads and bridges, Schiavoni estimated.

No more than 5 percent of state and lottery revenue can be spent on bond principal and interest, according to state constitutional limits on borrowing power. Currently, the cap is at 3.2 percent; a $1 billion bond issue could raise it to 3.4 percent, still well under the limit, Schiavoni said.

A $1 billion ask might sound like a lot of money, but threats to the health of Lake Erie and the Ohio River are worth the investment, Sen. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, said

"We know that this amount of money is relatively small versus the challenge and the economic importance, not to mention the environmental importance of the challenge before us," Gardner said.