Portsmouth Daily Times — The City of Portsmouth and the Village of New Boston are among the 83 Ohio communities included in a report by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown that he says are struggling to afford costly renovations for outdated sewer systems. Because of that, he says is he is re-introducing the Clean Water Affordability Act to lower water rates and provide assistance to communities.

“Most consumers may not think about their water systems much beyond paying a water bill,” Brown said. “Water infrastructure is something I hear about all over the state. From economic development directors to mayors, chambers of commerce, and countless others always talk about infrastructure. And they often talk about water infrastructure.”

Brown said it is difficult to maintain companies and manufacturing entities in Ohio without providing a safe, dependable source of water.

“Ohioans deserve access to clean water,” Brown said. “Across Ohio communities are struggling to afford the necessary upgrades to their sewer systems,” Brown said. “Parts of the state with Combined Sewer Systems so-called CSOs (combined sewer overflows), every time there are heavy rains, storm water is dumped straight into our rivers, creeks and lakes.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 850 billion gallons of untreated water and stormwater from CSOs is released every year into the nation’s waterways.

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