Unlikely Prize: Minneola and Groveland, two cities in central Florida are fiercely battling over a lucrative, yet unusual prize, the right to process the waste from the 1,100-inmate Lake Correctional Facility in south Lake County. Both cities claim that the facility is in their own utility district, and therefore have the right to charge the facility for its waste processing needs. After years of self-sufficiency, the facility is looking to sign a contract with one municipality to treat the waste coming from the prison. The reason they're fighting so hard is because both cities are desperate for money to finance recent overhauls to their treatment systems. "They can get out of my swimming pool, " said Minneola Mayor David Yeager bluntly, referring to Groveland's alleged encroachment into the Minneola utility district. Not playing nice, are they?
July 14, 2008. Orlando Sentinel - Groveland, FL

And now the Spills of the Week...

Seeping Septics: Pear Tree Point Beach, in the town of Darian Connecticut was closed for over a week, starting on the first of this month, due to unhealthy levels of bacteria in the water. The source of such bacteria, unfortunately, is still unclear. Spikes like this usually only occurring after heavy rain in the area prompting local authorities to investigate a probable private septic tank leak along the beach. The identity of the culprit property has yet to be discovered. Unfortunately, until the house is found and the problem solved the beach will remain closed. The Department of Health are slowly going door to door, to try to locate the problem.
- July 10, 2008. The Darian Times - Darian, CT

Your Nose Knows: Concerned citizens of Hunts Point are suing New York City over the ghastly smells emanating from two sewage treatment plants. Hunt Point in the South Bronx complaints have gone ignored. One is public and the other is privately owned. "Nobody has done anything, nobody listens to us. They don't care about the South Bronx because we're just working-class people," says Crystal Francis, a local resident. Francis's clamis seem legitimate. All the families are asking for are some basic improvements. No one is seeking monetary damages, just a fix to the problem. This isn't the first of such cases either. According to Albert Huang, from the Natural Resources Defense Council, the attorney representing the residents, sewage plants are often operating "in blighted, low-income communities that lack the resources and political influence to hold these companies accountable." Hopefully, Hunts Point residents will once again be able to go outside, without being hit with the stench of sewage.
- July 10, 2008. The New York Sun - New York, NY

Last Resort: Environment Rhode Island, along with several Newport residents are pursuing a lawsuit against the city of Newport and its sewage treatment provider, claiming violations of the Clean Water Act. With a majority of the state's tourism dolars coming from beachgoers and visitors to the state's many waterways, the frequent closures of numerous beaches in the area is surprising. Yet the fact remains that according to Environment Rhode Island, beaches have been closed in the area more than 125 times in the last five years, due exclusively to sewage overflows contaminating the water. Newport City Manager Edward Lavallee says he is disappointed by the lawsuit, claiming that the city is doing what it can do fix the problem, including plans for installing holding tanks for combined sewage overflow, as well as gradual separation of the sewage and storm drain systems. However, while this happens, spills continue, and beaches continue to close.
- July 16 2008. Boston Globe, Boston MA

Log Clog: An unidentified piece of wood in the sewer lines of Annapolis Maryland lead to a power outage Monday, causing raw sewage to be released into the Patapsco River. Starting Monday afternoon the spill continued for the next 12 hours, eventually spilling a total of more than 4 million gallons of sludge. No-contact warnings have been issued from the Annapolis Bridge all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay, and are likely to stay in place for at least a week, until bacteria levels in the water return to normal once more. How did a log get into a municipal pumping station, you might be asking. Well, so is everyone else, and unfortunately no one seems to have an answer. Sadly, the most likely cause is vandalism. "It's miraculous what people can get down a manhole cover," says David F. Fidler, a spokesman for the Baltimore County Department of Public Works. Cleanup will be slow and minimal, as most of the waste is already on its way downstream. Amazing what a single piece of wood and an unthinking person can do, eh?
- July 16, 2008. The Capital Gazette - Annapolis, MD

Rapid Rebuild: The Cedar Rapids Waste Water Treatment Plant celebrated a minor victory today, as they reopened the first level of waste treatment after being shut down almost completely due to the flooding in Iowa earlier this month. With 85% of the plants processes affected by the flood, repairs to the plant are costing an estimated $75 million dollars, but once they are done, the plant will be almost completely new. And what's more, while it is horrifying that 100% of the plant's raw waste has been flowing into the Cedar River for the last month, these repairs have taken a fraction of the time that would normally be given to such massive overhauls. The water is still not safe for contact, even with the 40-50% reduction of waste this primary process will enable, unfortunately. While solid waste is now being filtered out, the disinfecting process has yet to begin. But it's a start and should be applauded.
July 15, 2008. Channel 9 News - Cedar Rapids, IA