EPA to Allow Partial Sewage Treatment (LA Times)

[diamond14]

-snips-

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency said Monday it will formalize a policy allowing sewage treatment plants to skip a process for killing some pathogens after heavy rains or snow melts.


By not requiring the oxidation of pollutants in the wastes after heavy rains -- a process of allowing microbes to feed on organic materials, removing viruses and parasites -- sewage plants around the country will be able to avoid $90 billion or more in facility upgrades, according to EPA officials, trade group representatives and environmentalists.

The agency said water quality will improve because high water flows can damage sensitive parts of treatment plants and increase pollution in rivers, lakes and coastal waters.

"More Americans would get sick from waterborne illnesses because of this indefensible -- and illegal -- policy change," said Nancy Stoner, director of NRDC's (Natural Resources Defense Council) Clean Water Project. She said the government should require treatment plants to upgrade aging sewer systems and help them out with more federal funding.


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-epa-sewage-treatment,0,5504338.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[UpInArms]

1. gads! another "improvement" brought to us by

the BFEE and its corporate cronies -

[diamond14]

2. yes, this time it's just open flowing shit through our rivers and streams

again...welcome to the 50's, where polio, diptheria, typhus and other horror diseases flow through the children of America once again...it's the shrub's Amerikkka....

with the bush* perpetural WAR plan...there is no money to improve our aging sewage treatment plants...so let the shit flow...

[kainah]

3. yes, kiddies, up IS down! n/t

[lovedems]

4. Water quality will improve just like our air will become cleaner

under Bu$h's Clean Air Act. My faith in the EPA is gone. All of the money the sewage plants will save will probably go to Bu$hco.'s reelection. This is a bunch of shit!

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. "only about a third of 772 communities with older systems comply . .

. . From the Article:

"Aging sewer systems designed to overflow from rain discharge more than a trillion gallons of untreated sewage into waterways each year, increasing the chance of waterborne disease outbreaks, EPA told Congress last year, and only about a third of 772 communities with older systems comply with minimum federal standards. EPA owes Congress an update in December. "

"only about a third of 772 communities with older systems comply with minimum federal standards"

- great - just fricken great

- Over 40 million people with NO Healthcare,

- increased disease potential

- another beautiful recipe for disaster

Courtesy of Bu$hCo and Hooligans

[demdave]

7. If one third of 772 are older systems that don't do the job

I find it difficult to blame the current administration. By definition there have been years of neglect. During the great economy of the 90's they should have put money into the infrastructure. Why is it the economy is always either too bad to invest or so good that we always have somewhere else to put the money? Same old song and dance just different pipers.

The solution to pollution is dillution.

[diamond14]

8. you claim "I find it difficult to blame the current administration."

are you sure that this is the right board for you?....

seriously, it is the BUSH administration that is cutting the regulations...really...

[demdave]

10. If you read my post, and I am now doubting it, you would see

that the point I was addressing was the 1 third of 772 communities issue.

You may keep your condescending remarks to yourself, if you can't follow a thread.

[Q]

6. The water in my city already stinks and tastes bad...

...and now they have 'permission' to do even less to make sure culinary water is safe.

- I'm so glad that BushCO is making life better for ALL Americans.

[proud patriot]

9. Oh lovely

:eyes:

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. I boil ALL water before I drinnk it, even up here in Canukville - -

. . The USA isn't the only one messing around with their water quiality/reporting

. . If you ever heard of "Walkerton"(google "Walkerton deaths" if ur curious) and how 7 peeps died, and hundreds got sick from drinking "treated" tapwater - sure made the saled of bottled water skyrocket up here !

. . It's about time we got over the false sense of security we get from "tapwater"

Oh just for ur interest, Google "chlorine cancer"

- and see just how dangerous it is to even SHOWER in treated water

sumpthin to think about

[roguevalley]

12. *WELL*!!! Scratch fish from *MY* dinner plate!!!!!

(Note to self: Get hepatitis shot asap)

[fabius]

13. Free "Expert Opinion"

:)

You'll have to trust me on this, as I'm to the left of Dennis Kucinich on most stuff, AND I'm an engineer in this industry. OK?

One reason so many wastewater systems can't treat under high flow situations is basically the tailing off of EPA investment that began in the 1980's under Reagan (put another item in that movie!).

Nevertheless many cities with old combined sewer systems are still spending a lot of money to correct the high flow problem. Portland where I live is spending about a BILLION dollars on its program.

It is not realistic to blame Bush for a situation that began with Reagan. It is OK to blame Republicans in general. It appropriate to blame Bush for relaxing the regulations AND for blowing the Clinton surplus on tax cuts and wars so that now we can't afford the investment.

90 billion dollars in wastewater treatment construction could result in about 200,000 jobs ($45,000 in labor and fringe benefits) lasting 5 years. (Projects take about 5 years to complete, and about half the cost is labor).

Sound pretty good? Now what happened to that 90 billion? Oh yeah...

P.S., this has nothing to do with your DRINKING water. So relax, just don't swim in the river.

[farmboxer]

14. Bush And His Pals "Are" Raw Sewage!

Bush is a nightmare,but Bush knows that the Republican manufactured and programmed voting machines will elect him, even if the people do not!

[camero]

15. Sounds like Jeb's idea

He wanted to put untreated sewage in our aquifers here in FL.

[Fovea]

16. Commodity wars

First you make the river water undrinkable, then you sell drinkable water.

This is just like what they are trying to do in the UN, with world water purification systems.

What else does an oligarch do but monopolize?