Lake Erie is one of our region’s best assets. It provides our drinking water and supports economic and recreation opportunities. We take our responsibility as a steward of Lake Erie seriously because the health of the Lake affects us all.
Lake Erie is the source of drinking for 11 million people in the U.S. and Canada including our 1.4 million customers.
Cleveland Water draws water from Lake Erie via our four water intakes. Our intakes are located several miles offshore and pull water from deeper in the lake which is less affected by runoff, pollutants, and activities on shore.
Monitoring Lake Erie
Because Lake Erie is so important to so many people, we constantly monitor changing environmental issues that might threaten the health and vitality of this great resource. We do this using four, state-of-the-art water quality buoys. These buoys are like floating laboratories collecting data on lake conditions around the clock and sending it to an online monitoring system where it can be viewed by Cleveland Water staff and the public.
Staff can track parameters such as water temperature, pH, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen in real-time enabling them to anticipate and respond to changes in lake water quality hours in advance of the water being drawn into a treatment plant. Being able to receive advance notice of potential water quality issues is a critically important advantage in ensuring our customers receive the best quality drinking water.
Protecting the Source
Protecting our source of drinking water is an essential part of providing safe, affordable tap water to our customers. Our treatment process produces safe drinking water every day, but it’s easier and less costly if we’re starting with a clean and healthy source. There are simple actions we can all take to help protect our local waterways and Lake Erie.
- Reduce your use of disposable, single-use plastics by replacing items like grocery bags, water bottles, and to-go utensils with reusable options.
- Install a rain barrel to collect and reuse water runoff from your house, which can reduce your water bill and reduces stormwater runoff.
- Pick up litter and pet waste. Not only are you keeping your neighborhood beautiful, you’re also keeping trash out of local waterways and Lake Erie.
- Limit the use of pesticides and fertilizers and always follow the label directions.Find out your soil typeto determine what types of nutrients, if any, your soil needs before applying fertilizer to your lawn or garden.
- Properly use and dispose ofhazardous household chemicalsand medications. Don't pour hazardous waste down the drain, on the ground, or into storm sewers. Follow local guidelines for trash and recycling and look for hazardous waste drop-off or collection events for safe disposal.
- Landscape withnative plants and trees. Native plants are good for local wildlife and are easier and less costly to maintain since they are adapted to the Ohio climate.
- Plant trees, grass, or shrubs to prevent soil erosion and reduce impermeable surfaces. This reduces stormwater runoff and stress on sewer infrastructure.
- Get involved withlocal watershed groupsand organizations working to protect and restore our waterways.
