Analysis: Aging Sewer Systems to Blame for Tainting of Detroit-Area Waterways

Jan. 19, 2010
Report shows repeated dumping of untreated human waste leading to bacteria-ridden waters

According to a Detroit Free Press analysis, aging sewage systems are at the source of a proliferation of bacteria in Detroit’s waterways.

The analysis of state records showed repeat violations by the sewage systems, dumping contaminated or entirely raw human waste into rivers, lakes and streams: About one-fourth of communities in the Detroit metropolitan area dumped hazardous materials in the past two years. That adds up to more than 80 billion gal.

The waterways affected by the violations reach more than 3 million people through drinking and recreational uses, the report said. Thus, numerous bodies of water are continually banned for activities such as fishing and swimming.

The obvious solution would be to update the old sewer systems, however, the communities simply do not have the money. But Detroit’s water department officials told the newspaper that their sewage issues are not unlike those in other old, large cities.

But another unfortunate point cited by the report was the fact that violators are rarely punished for their illegal actions.

"It's unfortunate that we are at this stage, but we don't want to be swooping down and levying fines because it hurts the problem," Robert McCann, Department of Environmental Quality spokesman, told the Detroit Free Press. "We want to work with communities to make it affordable to fix the problems."

Source: Detroit Free Press

Sponsored Recommendations

Blower Package Integration

March 20, 2024
See how an integrated blower package can save you time, money, and energy, in a wastewater treatment system. With package integration, you have a completely integrated blower ...

Strut Comparison Chart

March 12, 2024
Conduit support systems are an integral part of construction infrastructure. Compare steel, aluminum and fiberglass strut support systems.

Energy Efficient System Design for WWTPs

Feb. 7, 2024
System splitting with adaptive control reduces electrical, maintenance, and initial investment costs.

Blower Isentropic Efficiency Explained

Feb. 7, 2024
Learn more about isentropic efficiency and specific performance as they relate to blowers.