It was mentioned recently in the Slog that treated sewage is being used to create artificial snow at ski resorts around the country. That practice suffered a setback when a federal appeals court ordered the Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff to stop using effluent to produce powder.

Ski resort owners in the rest of the country can rest easy, however, as the court did not forbid the practice because it presents a threat to public health, but rather because the peaks being covered with the recycled water were sacred to local Native American tribes. The tribes object to artificial snow on sacred peaks in general because it could be disruptive to the deities on the mountains. And they were particularly concerned that the snow was being generated from treated sewage that may contain water from mortuaries.

The judge involved in the decision likened the Snowbowl's practices to baptizing Christians in recycled wastewater. Of course we know that the water used in outdoor baptisms at rivers is filled with untreated sewage. Let's applaud the court's decision to protect the tribes' religious practices. And, by all means, let's encourage action to rid our rivers of untreated sewage so that all religious practices can be sewage-free.

Now on to the Spills O' the Week:

Hue and cry: A grease blockage caused up to 2,500 gallons of sewage to overflow near Hewlett's Creek in North Carolina. City officials responded quickly, clearing the blockage and notifying the Division of Water Quality and the county health department.

-Star News Online, March 13, 2007

Concrete bungle: About 50,000 gallons of sewage spilled into a concrete channel that empties into the San Diego River in southern California. It is unknown how much of the sewage reached coastal waters, but health officials nonetheless posted signs at local beaches warning of the health threat.

-10 News.com, March 12, 2007

Roto-rooter: Roots clogging a sewer line in Newport Beach, California caused 700 gallons of sewage to overflow into Newport Bay. County health officials warned people to avoid contact with the waters.

-CBS 2, March 14, 2007

Up a creek: 10,000 gallons of sewage overflowed in Glen Burnie, Maryland and may have reached Marley Creek. Officials closed the Creek to swimming and direct contact.

-The Capital, March 14, 2007