TOLEDO, Ohio — Aug. 2, 2014 started like any normal day in Toledo. But quickly, normal turned into anything but that.
By Saturday morning, word of a non-consume advisory spread across the affected communities.
It was a water warning affecting nearly half a million people in Toledo and many surrounding areas, who were told not to drink or even touch what came out of the tap.
"It is my decision," late Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins said as the crisis began. "I believe everybody supports me inside of this decision. We should be able to look at new data within probably five to six hours and we will move forward from there."
Moving forward, Collins explained, meant dealing with the elevated levels of microcystin found in the Toledo's drinking water. It was caused by a harmful algal bloom that had formed over the water intake in Lake Erie, where Toledo receives its water and, from there, distributes it to surrounding communities.
The water was treated and tested - then treated some more.
And tested again.
But the decision to declare it safe to drink was on hold.
"I am not going to make a decision to expose this city until I feel I can put my head on a pillow and be comfortable with my decision," Collins said at a news conference.
48 hours passed. As time ticked by, concern began to grow.
Hospitals made difficult decisions by only doing emergency surgeries and shipping certain medical instruments to other hospitals that were not impacted by the water advisory.
Doctors braced for the potential flood of people getting sick. They were worried about gastric distress, nausea, vomiting and overall concerns about what could happen if people ingested water.
"Thankfully, there was no increase in people getting sick during this potential time when there was something in the water." said Dr. David Grossman, Lucas County's Health Commissioner at the time.
Help came from all levels. Ohio's then governor John Kasich called in the National Guard, while northwest Ohio rallied its own troops to help.
Clean water was poured into buckets for residents to pick up what they needed and take home. Meanwhile, local organizations passed out cases of bottled water, algae-free.
For those who experienced it, seeing people from all over come together to provide the community with water was an amazing sight.
Northwest Ohioans survived the water crisis together.
"We had about 400 people here at one point, mostly everyone has been patient, cooperative, get their water and go home," said Julie Malkin, who was working as an American Red Cross volunteer at Woodward High School, which was one of the major water distribution sites.
"It's amazing that the community is coming in that they can give back to those that are being helped," said one person who received fresh water from the efforts.
It was the community's spirit and support that showed the world water woes couldn't keep Toledo down.
While the sound of hospitality helped ease some concern, another noise echoed over Toledo.
It was the sound of helicopters as round after round of water samples headed out of town, from Toledo's water treatment plant to the state and federal Environmental Protection Agency.
And then finally, in the early hours of Monday, Aug. 4, 2014, the crisis ended.
"This entire city, at this moment in time we are lifting in conjunction with the Ohio EPA the no-drink advisory," said Mayor Collins.
And he then said the words so many of us waited so long to hear.
"Our water is safe."
The mayor then took a long sip of water from a glass and said, "I'm pretty thirsty right now, it's been a long day. Here's to you, Toledo; you did a great job."
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