Five Regional Organizations Highlight Importance of Protecting the Ohio River

Sep 28, 2026

ORSANCO, NKWD, SD1, GCWW, and MSD emphasize shared responsibility

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28,2026 ​​

CINCINNATI, OH — As communities across the nation recognize American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Source Water Protection Week, Sept. 27–Oct. 3, 2026, five regional water organizations are highlighting the importance of protecting the Ohio River and the watersheds that support the region’s drinking water and wastewater systems.

The Ohio River is a shared resource that connects communities across state lines, and protecting it takes a community. Drinking water providers, wastewater utilities, regulatory agencies, businesses, residents, and other partners all play an important role in protecting water quality throughout the watershed. This year’s Source Water Protection Week theme, “Protect the Source. Protect Your Health. We All Have a Role,” reinforces a simple but important message: protecting the water we rely on is a shared responsibility.

For communities throughout the Ohio River Basin, that responsibility extends across state lines and brings together drinking water utilities, state and federal agencies, local partners, and an interstate agency. The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD), Sanitation District No. 1 (SD1), Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW), and the Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD), work in different areas of the water cycle but share a common goal: protecting water resources for the communities they serve.

ORSANCO’s Role in Source Water Protection

For nearly 80 years, ORSANCO has worked across state lines to protect the Ohio River as a vital shared water resource. Through extensive water quality monitoring, interstate coordination, spill response and notification, and partnerships with drinking water utilities and state and federal agencies, ORSANCO helps provide the information and communication needed to protect the river and the communities that depend on it.

A key component of that work is ORSANCO’s Organics Detection System, a network of monitoring stations located at drinking water utilities and other strategic locations along the Ohio River. Over the last fiscal year, the system analyzed 18,026 samples, providing ongoing surveillance for selected organic compounds and helping identify potential contamination events.

ORSANCO also received 420 spill reports through the National Response Center during the year, including 246 water-related incidents, underscoring the importance of timely communication and coordination among agencies and downstream water users.

“Protecting source water on a river like the Ohio is inherently a collaborative effort,” said Sam Dinkins, ORSANCO Executive Director. “The river crosses political boundaries, and protecting it requires strong communication and coordination across those same boundaries. ORSANCO works closely with our member states, drinking water utilities, wastewater agencies, and federal and local partners to monitor conditions, share critical information, and coordinate when potential threats arise.”

Source water protection focuses on safeguarding rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and groundwater from pollution before it reaches drinking water intakes. Protecting these resources supports the ability of water utilities to provide safe, reliable drinking water to their communities.

Lindsey Rechtin, President/CEO of Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD), said: “Protecting our drinking water starts with protecting the rivers we all rely on. The Ohio River is a shared resource, and ensuring its water remains safe and reliable requires the commitment of everyone, from water and wastewater utilities to businesses, regulatory agencies, and residents. At NKWD, we recognize that source water protection is essential to providing safe, reliable, and affordable drinking water, and we all have a role to play in protecting this resource for generations to come.”

“Protecting our drinking water starts long before it reaches the tap,” said GCWW Executive Director Andrea Yang. “Our employees work every day to provide clean, safe, reliable water, but everyone has a role to play in preventing pollution from entering our source water. Simple actions like properly disposing of chemicals, planting trees, picking up pet waste, and keeping litter out of storm drains can all help protect the aquifers, rivers and streams that supply our drinking water.”

Source water protection also includes the work performed by wastewater utilities to protect receiving waters. Wastewater treatment helps remove pollutants from used water before it is returned to the environment, supporting the health of rivers and streams.

Brian Ellerman, General Counsel at SD1, added: “As SD1 celebrates 80 years of serving Northern Kentucky, protecting the Ohio River remains a core part of our mission. Our treatment facilities protect public health by removing waste and reducing disease-causing germs in wastewater, preventing more than 105,000 pounds of waste from entering the Ohio River each day. Through our stormwater program, we also monitor local streams and work with residents, businesses and local governments to reduce runoff pollution in the creeks and streams that flow to the Ohio River.”

Source water protection extends across the entire water cycle. While drinking water utilities work to protect water before it reaches the tap, wastewater utilities play an equally important role.

Deb Leonard, Communications Manager for MSD, said: “MSD collects and treats wastewater from across Hamilton County, Ohio, protecting the environment and public health by returning clean water to local rivers and streams.” This work is an essential part of our shared responsibility to safeguard the Ohio River and the waterways that connect our communities.

The five organizations encourage residents, businesses, and policymakers to join them in recognizing the importance of source water protection, not only during Source Water Protection Week, but every day.

For more information about Source Water Protection Week, visit www.awwa.org.

About ORSANCO
The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) is an interstate commission established in 1948 by eight member states with the approval of Congress to protect and improve water quality in the Ohio River Basin. ORSANCO provides interstate coordination, monitoring and assessment to support the shared stewardship of the Ohio River and its tributaries. For more information, visit orsanco.org.

About Northern Kentucky Water District
The Northern Kentucky Water District serves nearly 300,000 people in Campbell, Kenton and portions of Boone, Grant and Pendleton Counties. With a service area of nearly 300 square miles with approximately 1,330 miles of water main, NKWD is the largest water district in Kentucky and is the Commonwealth's third largest water provider. For more information, visit: nkywater.org.

About Sanitation District No. 1 of Northern Kentucky
Serving Northern Kentucky since 1946, Sanitation District No. 1 (SD1) collects and treats wastewater and provides regional stormwater management in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties. Kentucky’s second-largest public sewer utility, SD1 serves approximately 348,000 residents and is committed to reliable and efficient services that protect public health, property and the environment while supporting the community’s economic vitality. Learn more at SD1.org.

About Greater Cincinnati Water Works
Greater Cincinnati Water Works delivers high-quality drinking water to nearly 1.1 million people in the Greater Cincinnati region, advancing innovation, public health, and environmental stewardship. For more information, visit: cincinnati-oh.gov/water.

About Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati 

MSD provides sewer service to about 232,000 households and businesses in the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio. We operate and maintain 3,000 miles of sewers (combined sanitary/stormwater and sanitary only), nine wastewater treatment plants, remote wet weather facilities within the sewer system including three high-rate treatment facilities, and the Lick Run Greenway in South Fairmount.  For more information, visit msdgc.org.

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