Chlorine Gas Tanks at Sewer Plants Need Upgrades to Protect From International Terrorism

Many sewer treatment plants have huge chlorine Tanks on thier properties. These tanks contain large amounts of Chlorine Gas. These tanks should have barriers around them to prevent a truck from driving into them, as series of ditches and berms as part of the landscape is a good start. But also double walled tanks like on Oil Tanker ships.

Should we add protective coatings, which contain chemical membranes which can attach the escaping gas between the walls. So an explosive device would cause the membrane to heat up and other gases could combine with the Chlorine Gas to prevent problems. Many POTWs do not use much Chlorine Gas which means that such huge tanks are not on the property. A huge Earthquake or attack could cause the escaping gas to flow with the relative winds into populated areas. We need these upgrades. As we know that International Terrorists like to use the infrastructure against us.

Normally the inlets and valves have automatic shut offs and warnings alarm to protect workers to get out of the way, but trying to get a whole city to evacuate quickly may not be possible.

We should continue to improve our infrastructures to be mother nature proof and nearly impossible to be used against us in the event of an International Attack.

A lot has been done to make these things fool proof, perhaps we might raise the bar a couple of more levels. The wonderful work of our engineers and the upgrades made to these facilities has propelled the United States to have some of the cleanest water ways in the world. We have prevented diseases, helped wildlife and are so cutting edge, we ought to be proud. Now there is an elevated threat, so we need to pay attention and continue to innovate. Perhaps the Chlorine Gas can be replaced with other means as we upgrade the facilities as needed. We need to pay attention to new technologies in the Publically Owned Treatment Works Industry.

The Industry has done so much and many facilities are International Terrorist proof thus eliminating them from contention, but not all are. We might wish to expedite these upgrades as needed.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

2006 Sewer Treatment and Waster Water Environmental Trends Discussed

One of the greatest assets in this present period for any civilization are the sewer treatment plants. Filtering out the harmful human waste, industrial waste and pollution, which ends up in our sewer system must be cleaned and treated properly to maintain a healthy environment and water supply.

In 2005 we discovered that much of the treated wastewater we release contains things, which we are not able to filter out. Additionally urban run off is putting more and more problematic nitrates, chemicals, substances, pollution and biological contaminants into our streams, rivers and lakes, which lead to our oceans.

Some of the biological contaminants which go through the sewer systems are making it all the way through and thus researchers and scientists who monitor these things are looking at new and innovative ways to solve the ecology problems we are causing by this wastewater. Urban runoff is also an issue and can and is causing harm to fish, sea life and causing algae blooms, which can become toxic and poisonous to most organic life.

In 2006 we will see the wide spread use and installing of additional bioremediation in our filtration of water using UV light. Many cities will begin requiring clarifiers on the property lines to separate out the oils, chemicals and contaminants before they enter the storm drain systems. We will see more use of Timed release encapsulation of environmental chemical cleaning agents and the use of bacteria to eat hazardous waste. We will see new and improved frequency use to help farm crops grow and scare off insects and less use of fertilizers. We will also see animal waste solutions, such as turning the waste into energy through biomass energy production rather than allowing it into giant pools where a flood can sweep into rivers, causing high concentration of protein enriched waste fostering harmful bacteria growth. We will see all this in 2006.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/

Biosolids aka Sewer Sludge What You Don't Know

Picture everything that goes down your sink and toilet in addition to human waste; such as medicines, cleaners, dyes, spoiled food. drain cleaners, cosmetics, pesticides, solvents, etc. Now consider what else in your vicinity uses the public sewer system (i.e. hospitals and mortuaries, animal clinics and pet shops. All may be adding a nice infectious blend of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens.

Now add in businesses and industry (auto painting and repair shops, furniture stripping, dry cleaning, metal plating, printing shops, and all types of manufacturing. We're talking asbestos, lead, mercury, PCB's, dioxins, flourans and hundreds of other man-made chemicals.

Our public sewer system carries this material to waste water treatment plants, whose chief job is to treat the water to release back into streams, rivers, and oceans. What's left over is sewer sludge; a nasty concentrated muck, which is considered too toxic to dump in oceans or put into landfills. In fact, the more efficient the treatment plant, the more toxic the biosolid (sewer sludge).

So let's spread sewer sludge on the land and call it 'beneficial biosolids! This is exactly what's happening across the nation, thanks to the EPA and the public relations departments of the waste industry.

The EPA goes on further to give 'excellent quality' ratings to sludge if it is composted for as little as two months! Composted or not, sewer sludge toxicities vary depending on the location of the treatment plant, what industries are in the area, and what is dumped down the sewer on any given day. Product uniformity therefore, is inconsistent, even without considering accidental spills, illegal dumping, or the cumulative effects of applying biosolids to the same land year after year.

Homeowners, if aware of the above, may be outraged and insist on not using biosolids (sewer sludge). Landscape contractors should be aware of potential liabilities from employees and customers. Municipalities should also be aware of sewer sludge products applied to parks, recreation areas, and stream bank restoration projects.

For back ground research information regarding this topic visit the Cornel Waste Management Institute website at cwmi.css.cornell.edu/Sludge.html

News release provided by Conrad Cain

For Organic and Green Living information please visit:http://www.mygreennetwork.com/

DIY Bathroom Plumbing - Sewer and Septic Odor

One common problem many homeowners run into is a sewer or septic odor in their bathroom. It may not be strong, it may not be constant, and it may only occur occasionally but it can be annoying and/or embarrassing when it does happen. Often the first inclination of the homeowner is to attempt to use a cleaner or deodorizing agent to stop the odor. While this may mask the problem, it usually will not address it. One important note for homeowners with septic systems - be careful of what chemicals you put down your drains - bleach and other cleaners can harm the normal operation of your septic system - check with a professional first.

Every drain in your home plumbing system should have a trap installed as part of the line. This is simply a curved section of pipe that "traps" water in it. If you look under your sink you should see an example of a trap. This will usually be a straight portion of pipe from the sink connected to a curved section that dips down and then back up before connecting to another horizontal section where the water exits. If you were to look inside your wall you would see a "T" section where the pipe goes down to your septic/sewer and up to an external vent.

The purpose of the trap is not to capture jewelry or other object dropped down the drain as many think but to hold water to prevent sewer/septic gas (and odor) from entering your bathroom. Every time you use the sink, shower, or tub some water collects in the trap blocking the gases and odor. If a component of your bathroom is not used frequently (i.e, the bath in a guest bathroom) then the water can evaporate and allow some gases to escape back into the bathroom. The good news is that this is very simple to prevent and/or fix. The solution: pour water down the drain. If you keep the trap full of water by running the water periodically you should not have any problems with odor. If this was the cause of your problem then the odor should dissipate in a short period of time once there is water in the trap.

Another possible cause for odor is the build up of slime, mold, hair, etc in the tailpiece (the portion of pipe that comes out the bottom of your sink) or overflow of your sink. The popup stopper in many bathroom sinks and tubs can also build up this "gunk". Use a small flashlight to check and see if you do have any buildup. If you do, clean the buildup out (remember to use a cleaner that is safe for your sewer or septic system) and see if that addresses your odor problem.

If the odor persists, it could indicate a more serious problem and you may want to consult a professional - they will have the tools to correctly diagnose and fix your problem.

Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs.