Residents who live or work near the St John’s dam in Tiffin, Ohio, US are gearing up to save it. After a meeting that drew 100 people, a group formed to help save the dam on the Sandusky river. At issue is the condition of the old structure, owned by Ohio-American Water Company, which supplies drinking water to the city of Tiffin.
The company wants to decommission the leaking dam rather than pay US$300,000 to repair it. If no other owner is found, Ohio-American has said it will remove the dam at a cost of about US$50,000. Most state and environmental agencies favour removing the dam and opening up a 14-mile stretch of the river to its natural state. Residents and other people in the area who depend on the deep water in the reservoir for recreation and business do not want the dam removed.