Some in Washington think that reinvesting in our sewage and storm water infrastructure might be throwing good money down the toilet. In Israel this week some one really did flush good money down the drain. According to the Associated Press, workers at the sewage treatment facility in Tiberias found roughly $2,000 floating in and amongst the solids and toilet paper. The workers called the police, who at first didn't believe them. When the supervisor at the facility insisted, the police came and fished the dirty cash from the stinky stew. Police can only speculate, but they think it might be the result of a domestic disturbance. Now that really is flushing money down the drain!

And Now the Spills of the Week:

Health Nuts: About 1,500 gallons of sewage overflowed from a manhole at Sierra Fitness Center in Grass Valley, CA on Monday. A blocked line caused 500 gallons to reach Matson Creek, Rick Beckley of the city's sewage treatment plant said in a notification.
- March 18, 2008: The Sacramento Bee - Sacramento, CA

Stay Classy, San Diego: Sewage-contaminated ocean water moving north from the Tijuana River prompted San Diego County health officials Monday to expand a pollution warning to Imperial Beach. This happens so often that I'm surprised it's even news anymore. A water contract closure area was extended from the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge north to include the Imperial Beach shoreline, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. Signs warning of sewage contaminated water will fix everything.
- March 17, 2008: Fox6.com - San Diego, CA

Unbelievable!: An apartment complex in Darby Borough, PA recently became a dumping ground for raw sewage. The building is being condemned and residents have been told they have to get out immediately. "Right now, I'm going to a shelter because I'm kind of homeless. So what can you do?" asked a displaced tenant named Cynthia. "It's pretty bad. The sewage is about up to your knees. It's in the basement," Ivan Irby, another tenant, said. Irby said living at the Millicient Court Apartment for the past few weeks has been a nightmare, not only for him, but also for all the tenants. The problem is in the basement where a sewer pipe is broken and sewage spilled onto the floor leaving a stench that was hard for tenants to deal with. "It smells all through the place." Irby said. Wednesday, the building was condemned, and the residents were ordered out by 5 p.m. "The problem has actually gotten worst since last night," Darby Borough Manager Mark Possenti said.
- March 19, 2008: NBC10.com, Philedelphia, PA

That Ain't Steak Sauce: Sewage spilled into Dry Creek in Rio Linda late Tuesday night, county officials said. The spill occurred at about 10 p.m. outside of Stafford Meat Company. Workers immediately shut off nearby water and operations at the meat plant stopped. I think I'll have mine well done, please!
- March 19, 2008: KCRA.com - Sacramento, CA

No Right to Know?: Residents in Nevada City, CA are being told to stay out of Matson Creek and Wolf Creek in Grass Valley after 500 gallons of raw sewage flowed into Monday night. As of late Tuesday, however, the area had not been posted to warn passersby. Grass Valley city officials issued a warning early Tuesday to "avoid all contact with the water" until bacterial testing can be completed to deem it safe. The warning came after a miscommunication between the city and county about the spill, according to County Environmental Health Director Wesley Nicks. The 500 gallons of sewage was not enough to trigger an automatic alert, Nicks said. Regulations call for a sewage spill going into a stream to be 1,000 gallons or more before it has to be posted, Nicks said.
- March 19, 2008: The Union - Nevada County, CA

Geysers Gone Wild: Nearly a half-million gallons of rainwater mixed with sewage erupted out of a manhole on Dallas' east side during Tuesday's rainstorm. Sound familiar? The spill occurred in the 3800 block of 18th Street near Bob Woodruff Park. Sorry there isn't more on this one, but its all there was in the paper.
- March 19, 2008: The Dallas Morning News - Dallas, TX

Sssshhhhh...No One Knows: A pump shut down Sunday evening at the Burkburnett Wastewater Treatment Plant, which sent thousands of gallons of raw sewage into Wildhorse Creek in Wichita Falls, TX. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality estimates that 112,000 gallons of raw sewage was released into Wildhorse Creek. The creek feeds into the Red River. Most residents of Burkburnett were unaffected and unaware of the spill. "Fortunately, there's only one property owner out there...The majority of our citizens didn't even know there was a problem, said City Manager, Mike Slye. Well at least he's being honest about his city's shortcoming when it comes to protect the public's health.
- March 20, 2008: Times Record News - Wichita Falls, TX