(Toledo, OH) Toledo voters will decide whether to share the city's water resources with its suburbs.
A unanimous vote by Toledo City Council Tuesday will send a controversial Regional Water Commission Issue to the November ballot. The measure would create a ten-community water network, with Toledo having a final say on water rates and infrastructure, using a panel of utility experts to make recommendations.
But suburban leaders are critical of the plan and are looking at other water sources. Perrysburg is one of several suburbs in the market for a new water source. City Council commissioned a study Tuesday to consider tapping into an aquifer in Williams County. City officials say they're exploring their options amid Toledo's changes to a proposed regional water authority. Perrysburg is also studying the costs of getting water from Bowling Green.
Sylvania's mayor criticizes the lack of a secondary water source, but will keep Toledo's option open as other sources are sought.
The Toledo regional chamber of commerce criticized the vote in a statement as city leaders continuing "to politically manage our region's water system." Chamber leaders backed another proposal giving suburbs more say in how a regional water system would work.