I've been following sewage spills around the country for several months now. What can I say - it's just one of the simple pleasures of my job. When you follow specific news stories you start to notice reporting patterns and trends. I'd like to share some insight into a strange trend I've noticed.

I rarely, if ever, see sewage spill reports from certain cities (Boston, Washington DC, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis and many others) that I know have combined sewer systems that overflow raw sewage into nearby lakes and rivers anytime it rains. I also hardly ever see sewage spill reports from states like Nebraska, Mississippi, Arkansas, Montana, The Dakotas, New Hampshire and Maine just to name a few. Are we to believe that these are all sewage spill free states and that the handful of states we read about are the source of the 860 billion gallons of sewage that spills into our waters every year? Yeah right! So why aren't we warned by the media or local authorities that our waters are unsafe because of sewage spills? Could it be that these states and cities don't require sewage spills to be reported? hmmm.

Next week I'll let you in on another striking news trend I've noticed.

Now the Spills of the Week:

Toxic Fire Resort: I missed this spill from last week. 50,000 gallons of raw sewage spilled into fishing and recreational lakes at the Fox Fire Resort near Milton, WV. About 1,000 fish were killed by the spill.
- June 4, 2007: Charleston Gazette - Charleston, WV

Not the Nicest In-Ground Pool: Hundreds of gallons of sewage spilled into several people's yards following a pump malfunction in Darien, CT. These people really need the Right-to-Know: "Vanessa Wood, said that she called the town at about 8:30 a.m. to find out some answers. It was only after contacting the town that she was told what the situation was. ‘My take now is that I would just like to be informed,' she told The Darien Times on Tuesday. ‘The town doesn't tell you when things happen. We wake up with all this water in our backyard and realize it hadn't rained. Then we don't find out what it is until we contact [the town]." Exactly Vanessa! That's why we're going after Right-To-Know. It's also worth noting that no members of the Connecticut delegation in Congress are co-sponsors of the bill... yet.
- June 8, 2007: Darien Times - Darien, CT
Here's a link to Vanessa's Darien Flood Blog

Ida-Oh-No: Pump failure in Bayview Idaho's sewage system led to the release of hundreds of gallons of sewage into Lake Pend Oreille. The water is being tested for e. coli but until tests are conclusive resident are NOT being warned to stay out of the water. Yet another example of why we need federal Right-to-Know legislation.
- June 11, 2007: KTVB 7 - Boise, ID

Ohi-eww River: "Problems" at a sewage treatment plant in Madison, IN have led to a sewage spill in the Ohio River. A health advisory for the river is in effect.
- June 13, 2007: WCPO 9 - Cincinnati, OH

Sewerville, Tennessee: A nasty spilled occurred in Sevierville, TN, spilling 2,000 gallons of sewage into Boyd's Creek. Area residents are raving mad. "It's more bad news for Ben Brabson who lives nearby. He says it's just another incident in a ten year problem. And he wants it fixed for good. ‘In my judgment, the city water department is playing Russian roulette with the citizens here in this community,' says Ben Brabson." "A TEN YEAR PROBLEM!" And this is the first I've heard about it. That makes two examples of why we need the Right-to-Know in one week.

- June 14, 2007: WVLT 8 - Knoxville, TN

Venice, CA, More Like Venice Italy - In a Bad Way: For the second time in less than a month, swimming advisories were posted warning beachgoers to stay out of the water in Venice Beach, CA. This time it was a 2,400 gallon sewage spill that closed the beach – but at least swimmers were alerted and given the chance to stay safe!
- June 14, 2007: CBS 2 - Los Angeles, CA