HE pollution of the Mahoning River in the vicinity of Youngstown, with consequent danger to the health of the several communities bordering on the stream, has given rise to a sanitary problem considered by the State Department of Health to be one of the most momentous with which Ohio has had to deal. After the failure of efforts to remedy the situation by individual action on the part of the several municipalities and industrial concerns involved, the decision has been reached that the only effective means of settling the matter will be by the organization of a sanitary district through which the various political units can act collectively and therefore effectively. Accordingly, it is expected that the General Assembly will be asked this winter to pass a bill making possible the organization of such a district. The proposed bill, which is being drawn up by the Department, is modeled in a general way after the Conservancy

Act.

The Mahoning River, particularly within the Youngstown district, is used as a source of water supply and as a means of disposal of liquid wastes from communities and industries more extensively than any other stream in Ohio. The rapid industrial and urban development along the river during the past few years has intensified the problem which arises from these inconsistent uses of the stream and has made imperative the early achievement of the

improvement which the state has for twenty years been endeavoring to bring about.

As early as 1898 the State Board of Health, anticipating the need of action to eliminate nuisance and protect the quality of the river water where used for public supplies, made an investigation of the river. In 1908 a In 1908 a more thorough study of the stream was made, leading to the conclusion that the river was grossly polluted, particularly below points of maximum population density. At low stages nuisances are observed to exist. It was pointed out that the desired results in cleaning up the river could best be accomplished by the co-operative effort of the cities and villages along the stream. In 1915 the State Board of Health made an investigation of the Mahoning River between Warren and Girard in co-operation with the State Fish and Game Commission. This investigation showed that the river was seriously polluted by the sewage from Warren and Niles, and by industrial wastes from a number of plants.

The most recent investigation was undertaken in 1916, when a general study of the entire district from Warren to the state line was undertaken. In June the principal assistant engineer visited Youngstown for the purpose of obtaining preliminary information on the discharge of industrial wastes and sewage into the river from the Youngstown district. In August a week was spent in making observations of the river over the en