Public Comment Opportunity: Amending the Regional Water Quality Management Plan
OKI has prepared an amendment to the Regional Water Quality Management Plan to update information about onsite sewer treatment systems and areas with centralized sewer service and wastewater treatment facilities in southwest Ohio.
OKI published the original Regional Water Quality Management (WQM) Plan in 1977, and has periodically made updates to the plan since it was adopted. Such planning is required under Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 to assess sources of water pollution and recommend strategies to control them.
Some of the plan recommendations identify planning areas for wastewater treatment facilities, referred to as facility planning areas, along with the management agencies designated to be responsible for the facilities, referred to as designated management agencies. In recognition of ever changing circumstances, OKI has amended the plan many times over the ensuing years.
The update includes current regulations for onsite treatment systems, new sewer service area maps and information such as design capacity, average daily flow, current number of sewer connections and the number anticipated by 2040, management agencies and summaries of planned improvements. This information was gathered from county health departments, the state health department website, and publicly owned sewage treatment works and has been incorporated within updated Chapters 4 & 7.
Public comment on the proposed amendment is being gathered via email, social media or by U.S. mail. Written/emailed comments should be directed to David Rutter (drutter@oki.org) of OKI staff and will be accepted until 4 p.m. September 4. Comments sent via U.S. mail must be postmarked by September 4, 2020 and mailed to: OKI, Attn: David Rutter, 720 East Pete Rose Way, Suite 420, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.