© 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:

(Larger Image After the Jump)Each year, an estimated several billion gallons of untreated sewage spills into the environment. The primary culprits of sewage spills (aka. sanitary sewer overflows) are antiquated sewage collection systems, excessive rainfall, and human error. From the coast of Maine to San Diego Bay, untreated sewage overflows cause beach closures and endanger human health and the environment.

Mr. Floatie!Flipping through the latest issue of Utne Reader, something caught my eye: a photo of a seven-foot tall...er, um...turd (with a sailor hat!).

Meet the one and only Mr. Floatie, described in the brief article as the brainchild of People Opposed to Outfall Pollution.