Dangers Of Sewage Overflows

Dangers of Sewage overflows

There is many people who debate which creature is the most dangerous on our planet. Some would say Sharks, others would say lions. Reading further will show you how a certain species can effect large areas and populations without even being directly involved.

 

How sewage is processed

The normal route for sewage is to leave the building that it’s first produced and to travel to treatment plants via sewage pipes. Large objects, oils and general grime are removed from the waste are the first stages, very few chemicals are removed at this stage. Oxygen is then introduced to slurry which speeds up the growth of microbes, these organisms consume the waste. At this point the water is then disinfected to remove any microbes and bacteria present before it’s dumped into the ocean.

Causes of sewage overflow

Sewage systems when working properly help to limit our impacts on the planet, although when have plans ever ran smoothly? Severe weather, improper maintenance and observations and vandalism all play roles in why sewage overflows. Overflowing sewage is untreated and pose numerous problems to the environment, other organisms and us.

Eutrophication and dangerous to marine life

During periods of overflowing, chances of nutrient high sewage entering our oceans are extremely high. Once introduced, nutrient concentrations will spike, how much the nutrient`s will spike depends on the amount of sewage that escapes. This increase in nutrients provides perfect breeding grounds for bacteria and algal, which is brilliant in the short term as this improves biodiversity of the area. The increase of living organisms creates huge strains on the demand of oxygen contained in the water and so larger species, such as fish, will begin to struggle. With time and a steady amount of nutrients, the surrounding water will contain low levels of oxygen causing the deaths of many of organisms present in the water body. As said this requires constant nutrient flow and time to produce these dead zones, although they are present in today`s world.

The Gulf of Mexico is possibly the world’s most well-known and biggest dead zone. While these dead zones are present after a duration of time, sewage contains many colonies of bacteria and virus which often promotes the spread of diseases and illness.

Dangerous to bathers and Health risks to people

How does this lovely nutrient rich soup affect us you may ask? There are many types of bacteria, virus`s and sometimes parasites contained in sewage, which aren’t beneficially for our general health. Consequences of coming into contact are frequently unpleasant bodily discharges lastly a few days to a couple of weeks. But hey, you and I don’t go in the sea so why should we care? Not only will you possibly get ill from visiting high concentration beaches, even just playing in the sand, the delicate ecosystem is also being changed in an unnatural way and this is down to our impacts possible causing lifelong damage.

Bacterial concentrations found in Newquay and the surround area.

Viewing past and current records of water quality of beaches surrounding Newquay have shown many to hold Excellent or good water statuses with many holding their status for serval continuous years, but how do we judge if a beach has good or bad water quality? Water samples are taken for testing bacterial concentrations are counted per 100ml of seawater, meaning the lower the number the better the water quality. This said there are a few beaches that have held poor water for numerous years, with a particular beach containing enormous colonies of intestinal enterococci (1100 per 100ml, 2013) and Escherichia coli (420 per 100ml, 2013).

 

Conclusion

Sewage is only one factor in which affects the quality of our seas and If we’re to write about every one of them and their processes then you may end up reading a volume of books, though I believe it’s a factor that should be prevented and kept in check to help our vulnerable seas.

By Anthony Scales

References

Infomation

Cornwall land-air-water (2016) Bathing water monitoring. Available at: http://www.cornwall-land-air-water.org.uk/bathing-water-monitoring-results#overlay-context=legal-requirements (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Gameson, A.L.H. (2015) Discharge of sewage from the sea outfalls. Technology and Engeneering, pp. 470

MWRA (2016) How the sewage system works. Available at: http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/03sewer/html/sewhow.htm (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

NOAA (2016) 2015 Gulf of Mexico dead zone ‘above average’. Available at: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2015/080415-gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-above-average.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Pearson, E.A. (1959) Proceedings of the First International Conference on Waste Disposal in the Marine Environment: University of California, Berkeley.

Planetary Notions (2002) Effects of dumping sewage water directly into the sea. A project by students in Saidi, Lebanon. Available at: http://gobiidae.com/PN/dumpingsewage.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

South west water (2016) Bathing water profile. Avaialbe at: http://www.southwestwater.co.uk/media/pdf/j/f/ea_-_porth_(newquay)_profile.pdf (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Surfers against sewage (2016) Conbined sewr overflows. Available at : http://www.sas.org.uk/campaign/combined-sewage-overflows/ (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

The Independent (2016) 25 English beaches set to fail EU water quality tests. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/25-english-beaches-set-to-fail-eu-water-quality-tests-10252485.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

The telegraph (2016) Blacklisted beaches for swimming under new EU laws. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/environment/10037428/Beaches-to-be-blacklisted-for-swimming-under-new-EU-rules.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Western morning news (2016) Newquay sewage pump station fixed after sea pollution warning. Availabe at: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Newquay-sewage-pump-station-fixed-sea-pollution/story-28454999-detail/story.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Western morning news (2016) Surfers told to avoid the sea after sewage pumping station leak. Avaialbe at: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Surfers-told-avoid-sea-sewage-pumping-station/story-28450214-detail/story.html (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Who (2016) Water recreation and disease. Available at: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/bathing/recreadis.pdf (Accessed on 27.02.2016)

Media

Intestinal Enterococci [Image] Available at: http://imgc.allpostersimages.com/images/P-473-488-90/64/6477/5JF6100Z/posters/kessel-shih-enterococcus-bacteria-formerly-streptococcus-faecalis-lives-normally-in-the-intestines.jpg (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Mexico dead zone [Image] Available at : http://media.nola.com/news_impact/photo/map-deadzones-080211jpg-af7b97747cae22fa.jpg (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Sewage diagram [Image] Available at: http://www.envmgtsys.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CombineWasteWaterOverflowcapital-region-water.gif (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Lion and bird [Image] Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&ved=0ahUKEwj95P21lL7LAhWkHJoKHW1sBLYQjBwIBA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhunting-washington.com%2Fsmf%2Findex.php%3Faction%3Ddlattach%3Btopic%3D50617.0%3Battach%3D103849&psig=AFQjCNGmxl0HuOWv8YJCGW–rZD-P0MpbA&ust=1457975566064403 (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Bear shark pic [Image] Available at: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/31/17/ca/3117cafbcc2d17494e3effdc16089ff1.jpg (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Sewage going into the sea [Image] Available at: https://0.s3.envato.com/files/5642554/Sewage.Pipe.jpg (Accessed on 04.03.2016)

Bacteria colony[Image]Available at: https://underwaterraven.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/4-e-coli-bacteria-sem-steve-gschmeissner.jpg (Accessed on 04.03.2016)