Sludge Watch ==> Sewage treatment plant discharge threat to reefs and human health

[maureen.reilly at sympatico.ca]

Sludgewatch Admin:

Sludge isn't the only big problem with our current sanitation technology. 
The second problem is the squandering of precious fresh water to simply run 
it through toilets and flush the sewage effluent into the ocean.  To 
deplete, for example, Florida's 'fossil' water this way is just wrong.  In 
addition, the use of the water as a waste movement matrix makes it very 
difficult to clean.

We could conserve (for instance by flushing with grey water) or we could get 
into waterless urinals and toilets.

Here is part of the story:

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http://www.cdnn.info/news/eco/e060714.html



Sewage Threatens coral reefs and human health in Florida
Powered by CDNN - CYBER DIVER News Network


MIAMI, Florida (14 July 2006) --

A 241-page study released by the University of Florida, Department of 
Environmental Engineering Sciences found the six municipal sewage treatment 
plants discharging into the coastal waters of south Florida represent a 
threat to human health and local coral reefs.

The report found that, "The most probable human exposure pathways include 
fishermen, swimmers [scuba divers, surfers], and boaters who venture out 
into the Florida Current and experience direct contact, accidental ingestion 
of water, or ingest fish or shellfish exposed to effluent.

The study, commissioned by the Florida Department of Environmental 
Protection, examined the six municipal sewage treatment facilities in Palm 
Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties discharging into the ocean and 
recommended alternative methods of sewage disposal to conserve water 
resources and prevent further damage to the coastal environment.

For example, the study points out that, "The freshwater consumption rate in 
this region is expected to increase to 4.9 billion gallons per day by 2020, 
a 26-percent increase from 1995. Florida's water management districts are 
authorized to restrict water use due to water shortage conditions, thus 
shortfalls in water supply due to drought or delayed water infrastructure 
projects could lead to restriction or denial of consumptive use permits. 
Increased use of reclaimed water will directly reduce the increasing need 
for freshwater."




Municipalities around the country commonly cleanse sewage slurry and runoff 
into "gray water," Gray water is clean enough to be used for irrigation and 
some industrial uses. Through advanced technologies, drinking-quality water 
can even be extracted from sewage processing system.