What can I say, its spring. I'll admit it, it's been way too nice out and the levels on the Potomac have been great paddling lately oh and there's the whole wrapping up my first semester in grad school. Others have been busy as well. Recently, we've been hearing good news from all of the people working on federal Right to Know legislation. Kudos. We've also been hearing good things from people around the country, working through how to upgrade their sewer and storm water management systems. That is tough work and worth the effort. But we still hear not-so-good news from others, like the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality who are considering lowering the water quality standards which will put many people at serious risk of getting sick every year. That's not governing for the people. That's not standing up to the source of pollution. If anything, we should be strictly enforcing the standards on the books, or better yet raising the bar to meet the fishable and swimmable goals of the Clean Water Act. Our water must be clean and clear. Let's go boatin'.

And now the Spills of the Week:
Sewage Spill in Laguna Beach, CA

I only thought this sort of thing happened in New York City in 1984. A Sussex sewage treatment plant is experiencing both the best and the worst of 1984 cinema as sewer authorities have called in parapsychologists to investigate a "zombie-like humanoid figure" that follows plant workers around the dank tunnels of the Southern Waters' Eastbourne treatment works. I imagine the tunnels of a sewage treatment plant are scary enough without creepy figures lurking in the shadows and the sound of anonymous laughter and muffled conversations coming through the walls. [shudder] gives me goose bumps just thinking about it.

And now the Spills of the Week (sorry for the delay):

As worldwide demand for energy increases, prices at the pump and at the meter will continue to rise. Similarly, rapid development across the U.S. increases the demand placed on our aging and failing sewage and water infrastructure systems , our water and sewer bills are only going to increase. But recentinterest in alternative fuels and water supplies might produce solutions to both challenges.

Scientists and students from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, are working on a project/experiment aimed at producing bio-diesel from our sewage. ODU students are using the nutrient rich sewage to grow algae which conveniently love the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. They use the natural oils that the algae produce to make bio-diesel. Apparently it is more efficient than traditional agriculturally based bio-fuels.

On the other side of the country, Los Angeles is implementing a project to capture, treat and reuse its sewage as a renewable resource and water supply. The new program could process, treat and provide up to 70 million gallons of fresh water to the LA region a day. With so much sewage going around (we all make it) why not reuse it. Increased interest and research into alternative fuels and water supply ideas will help us cope with the very real challenges of running out of these important resources and global climate change. Great work ODU and LA.

And Now the Spills of the Week:

When you think of the Great Barrier Reef you think of beautiful fish, pristine ecosystems and great surfing not raw sewage. According to Bruce Gunn, a former diving guide on the reef, sewage is an increasing threat to not only marine life but human health as well! Gunn claims that while he worked as the chief engineer on a charter dive boat in the 1990s, he was fixing a pump on a sewage tank when a valve broke cutting his wrist and covering him in raw sewage. Tragically, he contracted Hepatitis C from this incident and his had failing health ever since. Gunn is now trying to shed some light on the growing problem of sewage dumping within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. "Today there are hundreds of charter boats doing two trips a week and each of them is dumping a 44-gallon drum amount of what I call cocktail sewage," he said. "I saw a mullet once with a tampon still hanging out of its mouth." That's one of the grossest things I can imagine. This is a great example of how sewage in our rivers, lakes, streams and oceans can not only cause great damage to those natural ecosystems, but poses significant human health risks with very real and devastating consequences.

And now the Spills of the Week:

Nothing ruins Christmas like sewage running through the streets of your home town. Deja vu all over again. Since December 22, sewage has been bubbling up to the surface and covering the streets of Hawthornvale, Scotland. Residents complained continually throughout the week but it wasn't until local media took an interest in the story did anything get down to alleviate the problem. "We were all told by customer services something would be done about it," said angry resident, Jonathon Harris. "At times it can be pretty foul smelling. It's a real mess of toilet paper and what can only be described as feces flowing down the side of the pavement in the gutter. It's absolutely disgusting and when it's wet, you can't see what you're walking in."

The sewer utility, Scottish Waters, finally stopped the leak on Monday (New Years Eve!!) but not soon enough for some. Dr Chris Mackel, 62, said he returned home from a holiday on December 27 to find the sewage still pouring past his front door: "I reported it twice to the council and then to Scottish Water to complain about the problem. So when I came back and saw it worse I contacted the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to see if they could help. ...But it's still bad and I'd say there's probably about three centimeters been gurgling up from the drains. It's an absolute health hazard." Everyone, including the Scots, deserve healthy communities.

Now the Spills of the Week:

© XPRESS/Abdel-Krim KalloucheThere's dirty secret that permeates the oil and wealth of Dubai. According to the Xpress News, A Dubai newspaper, sewage tankers are circumventing regulations and long lines at sewage treatment plants by simply dumping loads of raw sewage into the streets and storm drains of the city. So far 50 tankers have been caught red handed and fined. Officials fear that this may only be the tip of the sand dune. Tanker driver's can make up to 2,000 dirhams ($544) per load. Illegally dumping can yield ten times that amount because drivers can get more loads per shift. They can dump full loads of raw sewage into the street in less than six minutes, as opposed to waiting in long lines at the treatment plant which can take hours.

Dubai is a rapidly growing city with enormous capital resources. It is a shame that it doesn't have the foresight to better develop its wastewater infrastructure more quickly. Hopefully regulators will get a hold of this and end a gross and dangerous practice. As for the tanker drivers, as my mother would say, ‘shame on you.'

Now the Spills of the Week:

After nearly 13 months of legal deliberation, Jeff Kelble, the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, and the VA Attorney General finally succeeded in forcing the sale of the SIL Clean Water, LLC North Fork Modular Reclamation and Reuse Facility, in Rockingham Jeff Kelble: Shenandoah RiverkeeperCounty, Virginia. The charges against SIL included violating the discharge limitations in the permit as to total phosphorus, total nitrogen, ammonia, fecal coliform, biochemical oxygen demand, and total suspended solids on numerous occasions. The exact scope of the damage SIL has done to the Shenandoah River is unknown. With the source of the massive fish kills in the past unresolved, containing this problem is one step closer to understanding the dynamic issues plaguing the Shenandoah. We commend Jeff, the VA Department of Environmental Quality and the Virginia Attorney General for pressing for the just resolution of this blatant disrespect of our communities and resources. Keep up the good work.

Now the Spills of the Week:

Photo by the Evening SunA big stink became of a youth football game in Scotland this past week. The game had to be canceled after a cesspool erupted in the "pitch." Referee William McKenzie made the winning call when he said, "There was no way I was going let the boys wade in that and get the ball so for health and safety reasons I called the match off. It was disgusting and appalling." The boys agreed and to celebrate they ran and slid through the mess in jubilation. Just kidding.

And now, the spills of the week:

This week's sewage spill situation is looking pretty bad and with more rain in the forecast for much of the country it's only get worse. Since it we're heading into a banner week for sewage spills the Slog is going to post a first round of spills today. Remember:

Rain + Combined Sewer Systems = Sewage in your Water.

Spills Part 1 for the week of November 11:

A Not-So-Clean Head: Officials were notified of a sewer manhole overflow at Seldon Street and Harris Avenue on Kane'ohe Marine Corps Base Hawai'i. The blockage was due to grease, the Clean Water Board said. A total of 1,000 gallons overflowed from the sewer manhole and entered a retention basin.
- November 10, 2007: Honolulu Advertiser - Honolulu, HI

With all the problems Milwaukee has with sewage the last thing they need are drunk drivers crashing into sewage treatment plants. Amanda Berth of Sheboygan, WI is real lucky that when she drove her car through a security fence and crashed into the Sheboygan Wastewaster Treatment Plant that all she suffered was a concussion and a broken leg. After all, her accident could've put her on the list below.

Now for the Spills of the week: