Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced the expansion Monday of H2Ohio, a program aimed at improving water quality across the state, including in the Cuyahoga River.
Samples will be taken from 29 creeks and rivers in the state, including the Cuyahoga, for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances. Often known as “forever chemicals,” these substances are man-made compounds that have been linked to serious health issues such as kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, low birth weights and high cholesterol.
The results of the testing will be used to determine restoration plans and potential sport fish consumption advisories.
“We know that river health in Ohio has improved tremendously in the last several decades, but there is still more work to do,” DeWine said. “Water is one of Ohio’s greatest assets, and my administration is dedicated to protecting this invaluable resource.”
H2Ohio, which launched in 2019, received $270 million from the Ohio General Assembly, $47 million of which is dedicated to river programs.
This sampling comes as phase two of DeWine’s PFAS Action Plan, which initially tested for forever chemicals in public drinking water systems. Ohio will become the first state to survey all its major rivers.
Prior to the expansion, H2Ohio focused on water infrastructure replacement in low-income areas, statewide wetland creation, and the reduction of algal-bloom-causing agricultural runoff into Lake Erie.
In addition to PFAs in the waterways, the expansion focus areas include dam removal, mussel study and land conservation.
