Norwegians are proving that every cloud has a silver lining by putting their domestic waste to good use. The city of Oslo is using sewage to heat their homes.

A sewage heat pump plant captures heat from wastewater in Oslo's sewers and uses it to heat water that feeds radiators throughout the city. The system generates enough energy to heat 9,000 apartments for a year. It not only creates energy but also reduces the temperature of effluent flowing into the sea, reducing the harm to temperature-sensitive fish and other aquatic organisms. A similar project in Finland produces enough energy for about 8,000 homes.

One of the problems with the system is that flows are irregular. When fewer people flush their toilet, there is less heat to be harvested. Flows are especially high on weekends when the bars are full and the beer is flowing. So next time you're in Oslo, drink up and do your part to save the environment!

Now on to the Spills O' the Week:

Up a creek: An unknown amount of sewage leaked out of a manhole in New Hanover County, North Carolina. The backup, which was caused by a blockage in the pipe, sent sewage into Two-Mile Creek and Bradley Creek. The flow was stopped an hour after it was reported.

-Star-News Online, February 20, 2007

Sewer City: A blocked sanitary sewer line in Sioux City, Iowa sent untreated sewage directly into nearby Perry Creek. The Iowa DNR notified downstream water users and took water samples to test bacteria levels. Reports of the spill appeared in online news outlets hours after the spill was discovered.

-Sioux City Journal, February 20, 2007

Gross Valley: A blockage in a private sewer lateral caused 1,000 gallons of sewage to flow into Wolf Creek in Grass Valley, California. Environmental Health officials released a statement warning residents to avoid the contaminated water.

-The Union.com, February 21, 2007

Old Faithful: A Columbia, South Carolina man has repeatedly witnessed raw sewage pour out of a manhole in his backyard since he moved there six years ago. The geyser of smelly, bacteria-laden wastewater erupted again this week, spilling waste into his yard and a nearby ditch. The city fixed the problem within several hours, but there is no guarantee that it won't happen again.

-WISTV.com, February 21, 2007

Beach blanket stinko: 200 gallons of sewage spilled from a private sewer pipe and polluted a stretch of coastline in La Jolla, California. The Department of Environmental Health posted signs that will remain in place until bacteria levels have dropped.

-North County Times, February 21, 2007