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E.P.A. Makes It Easier for Cities to Keep Releasing Raw Sewage Into Rivers - The New York Times
The Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier for cities to keep dumping raw sewage into rivers by letting them delay or otherwise change federally imposed fixes to their sewer systems, according to interviews with local officials, water utilities and their lobbyists.
Cities have long complained about the cost of meeting federal requirements to upgrade aging sewer systems, many of which release untreated waste directly into waterways during heavy rains — a problem that climate change worsens as rainstorms intensify. These complaints have gained new traction with the Trump administration, which has been more willing to renegotiate the agreements that dictate how, and how quickly, cities must overhaul their sewers.[paywall]
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As highlighted on the TV series 'Monsters Inside Me,' Milwaukee had a large out breaks of cases of diahrrea that was caused by high levels of the parasite Cryptosporidium in the water supplied by their south-side water treatment plant. This parasite is commonly found in sewage & causes little harm. In this case, a rupture sewage line caused large amounts of sewage containing this intestinal parasite to enter the water supply at that plant. This plant used chlorine to disinfect water entering the plant. This parasite, however, is immune to chlorine & requires ozone treatment to control it. Once the cause was found & fixed & the switch to ozone made, the epidemic ended.
Most towns & cities get their raw drinking water from lakes & rivers & treat this water with chlorine. Outbreaks of this parasite may be the result of the Trump's relaxing these sewage disposal standards.
The Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier for cities to keep dumping raw sewage into rivers by letting them delay or otherwise change federally imposed fixes to their sewer systems, according to interviews with local officials, water utilities and their lobbyists.
Cities have long complained about the cost of meeting federal requirements to upgrade aging sewer systems, many of which release untreated waste directly into waterways during heavy rains — a problem that climate change worsens as rainstorms intensify. These complaints have gained new traction with the Trump administration, which has been more willing to renegotiate the agreements that dictate how, and how quickly, cities must overhaul their sewers.[paywall]
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As highlighted on the TV series 'Monsters Inside Me,' Milwaukee had a large out breaks of cases of diahrrea that was caused by high levels of the parasite Cryptosporidium in the water supplied by their south-side water treatment plant. This parasite is commonly found in sewage & causes little harm. In this case, a rupture sewage line caused large amounts of sewage containing this intestinal parasite to enter the water supply at that plant. This plant used chlorine to disinfect water entering the plant. This parasite, however, is immune to chlorine & requires ozone treatment to control it. Once the cause was found & fixed & the switch to ozone made, the epidemic ended.
Most towns & cities get their raw drinking water from lakes & rivers & treat this water with chlorine. Outbreaks of this parasite may be the result of the Trump's relaxing these sewage disposal standards.
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