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The Dangers of Raw Sewage

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 7 million people each year suffer from mild or moderate illnesses due to drinking water that contains various levels of raw sewage. Approximately 500,000 of those people become seriously ill. American Rivers, a water quality action group founded in 1972, stated that unreported cases could mean that the number of people who get sick could be much higher.

  1. Gastroenteritis

    • American Rivers stated that approximately 1.5 million people suffer from gastroenteritis at beaches along two counties in California every year. The condition, one of the most common caused by raw sewage, results in inflammation of the intestines along the gastrointestinal tract. The result is diarrhea, cramping and abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. People often refer to these symptoms as the "stomach flu," though influenza includes head and body aches, as well as respiratory symptoms. Gastroenteritis can also be caused by shellfish and other food-borne illnesses. Other illnesses include cholera, dysentery and infectious hepatitis.

    Pathogens

    • Pathogens are at the heart of most of the conditions that result from raw sewage. Sewage pathogens often include parasites, viruses and bacteria which cause diarrhea and infections. Though these conditions can be violent, they often pass within a few days or weeks without lasting effects; however, death can occur. Raw sewage is particularly dangerous to people who have weak immune systems, such as children and the elderly.

    Wildlife

    • High raw sewage levels can effect the ecosystem by killing fish and other wildlife. Algal growth can increase rapidly in areas with high raw sewage levels. Algae consumes oxygen and depletes its abundance for fish. Areas where high raw sewage is detected are the result of sewage lines that are improperly maintained or sewage that hasn't been treated correctly. This can cause closures at beaches and at other water recreation areas, sometimes leading to a drop in tourism.

    Sources

    • The EPA stated raw sewage can be found in drinking water, shellfish harvested in areas that contain raw sewage and from the air. Other sources include areas that the public frequents, such as basements, lawns, streets and water that is used for recreation. The EPA worked with municipalities beginning in 2003 to increase the level of sewage treatment. The EPA cited too many occurrences of "sanitary sewer overflows."

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