Greater Cincinnati's Water Technology Innovation Cluster Confluenceis putting on a private summit Wednesday to address ways of keeping harmful algae blooms out of the local water supply.
Just this August a toxic algal bloom in Lake Erie near the Toledo water intake prevented nearly 500,000 residents from getting their drinking water for three days.
Clermont County's Harsha Lake had its problems with harmful algae blooms last summer. Harsha Lake is just one of many water sources that provide drinking water to the area. Other sources include the Ohio River, and a Dayton aquifer.
Experts say what happened in Toledo is just a preview of similar problems to come in the U.S. and around the world, according to this National Geographic article.
Confluence Executive Director Melinda Kruyer says, "It's such a broad, complex issue and we do feel we have the breadth and depth of expertise in this area to find solutions. So the first thing we'll really do is with the U.S. EPA and the Ohio EPA, some of those who are really on the front line, they will be discussing the scope of the problem."
She says they will also determine the state of local water quality and try to find solutions. Kruyer stresses this is only the first of what will likely be many meetings.
The summit at TechSolve is closed to the public, but people can gather at Madtree Brewing following the meeting. That public event on Wednesday starts at 5:00.
