Reporting Environmental Concerns

Have you ever wondered who to contact if you come across a concerning environmental issue, such as a weird odor or discoloration coming from a stream? Environmental concerns can include a variety of issues from air quality to drinking water to open dumping. Butler County has the ability to handle a few of these complaints, but a majority of them can be reported to the Ohio EPA.  We will take you through possible environmental concerns you may encounter and how to report them correctly.

Storm drains flow directly to local streams, rivers, and ponds. Many of the storm drains across the county are labeled (see below), reminding people to not dump down storm drains. It is illegal to dump any material that is not rainwater down the drain; this includes oils, paints, trash, and dog poop bags. These materials can pollute local waterways. If you see anybody actively dumping non-hazardous materials down storm drains in Butler County, call the Butler County Storm Water District at (513) 785-4120. If you believe the dumped material was hazardous, like oils or household chemicals, then you can contact Ohio EPA’s Emergency Spill Hotline at (800) 282-9378. If you believe it is a threat to human health and safety, call 911 as well.

While you may not see any direct evidence of storm drain dumping, you may notice some indirect signs that illegal dumping may have occurred. For instance, some signs include strange odors, odd residues, discoloration of waters, and materials present such as toilet paper or sanitary products. All are indications that there may be storm drain dumping occurring illegally and needs to be reported.

Other complaints that can be handled by county agencies include complaints with septic systems and manure. If you have an issue with a septic system, you can first start with the Butler County General Health District at (513) 863-1770. If this involves a complaint within Hamilton or Middletown city limits, you can contact the respective city Health Departments; contact the City of Hamilton at 513-785-7080 and the City of Middletown at (513) 425-7851. For any concerns about water main breaks, contact your local water provider.

Under the Ohio Department of Agriculture, you can submit a complaint about manure concerns or other agricultural complaints to the Division of Soil and Water Conservation at (614) 265-6610. If you live within Butler County, you can contact our office directly at (513) 887-3720. These complaints can include manure contaminated runoff following application, manure in streams, discharge from animal manure collections or storage facilities, silage leachate, and others. To read more about agricultural pollution, you can visit our website or visit https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/soil-and-water-conservation/agricultural-pollution-abatement.

If you have concerns about air quality or complaints about air pollution, you can contact Southwest Ohio Air Quality Agency at (513) 946-7777 or (800) 889-0474. You can also submit an online complaint here: https://www.hcdoes.org/260/Complaints. The majority of other environmental complaints in Butler County can be addressed to Ohio EPA, who will then designate that complaint to the correct agency. For large spills of oil, gas, any petroleum or other harmful contaminant, contact the Ohio EPA Spill Hotline at (800) 282-9378. You should also contact the Butler County LEPC Spill Reporting at (513) 785-5810 and your local fire jurisdiction. For any other complaints, you can submit them to the Ohio EPA online complaint form here: https://epa.ohio.gov/help-center/contact-us/submit-a-complaint.