County needs a new holding tank
- Thread starter Charlie13958
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I don't know much about waste treatment but a few years ago, Hammond, La.- close to where I live, was preparing to purchase about 60 acres of land and convert it to a swamp to pump the treated effluent from the city's waste treatment plant. This effluent is supposedly clean. I have a smaller scale system at home and when installing, the contractor said you could drink the water that comes out. I asked him to show me and he declined. Anyway, a biologist from LSU made a presentation to the city by pointing out one of the largest natural swamps in the state is just 5 miles south of the city and literally starving for fresh water. The swamp grasses and other plants were/ are dieing due to salt water intrusion. The effluent is pumped down to the edge of the swamp in a 36" pipe and then a massive manifold distributes the water through over 120 valves across about a two mile stretch. The swamp is much 'healthier' in this area and the city saved some money. Some theories are that the Ms River Gulf Outlet ( MRGO -a navigational shortcut from New Orleans to the GOM) allowed more flow from the GOM into L. Pontchartrain, and its subsequent closing after being blamed for a significant portion of the flooding during Hurricane Katrina, could signal a rejeuvination for some of the eroding wetlands around the lake.
Many years ago, N.O. and other municipalities around the lake basically pumped treated sewage directly into the lake. It was closed to swimming in the 1980's and eventually cleaned up. It still gets runoff but not the sewege and is very healthy ecosystem in general.That is, until the Ms River was diverted due to high water. Now it is entirely full of fresh river water.
Many years ago, N.O. and other municipalities around the lake basically pumped treated sewage directly into the lake. It was closed to swimming in the 1980's and eventually cleaned up. It still gets runoff but not the sewege and is very healthy ecosystem in general.That is, until the Ms River was diverted due to high water. Now it is entirely full of fresh river water.
Couldn't help but run the numbers.. Assumption.. I have no idea, but lets say that there are 2,300 boats on that lake system.. then assuming that flushing an MSD generates one gallon.. That means that each boat would have to flush 6300 times to generate the same amount of untreated waste as was dumped by this state.. That means that each and every boat would have to flush twice each and every day for almost 8 years to equal that amount of waste! Then the article goes on to mention that it is not a health issue.. Sooooo I am wondering why bother with boats and holding tanks??
continuing with thinking.. the reality is that only about 33% of boats get used and of that most are used 4 times a month and in that area, only for half a year.. so it would take around 205 YEARS of boat effluent to equal that amount of waste that was discharged untreated from that ONE place for a few weeks..
Now, let me say that I am not in favor of untreated dumping, but I think the boating community is being unfairly condemmed for a problem that we don't cause..And soooo where are the fines to the Michigan counties?? and all the other places that have treated the Mississippi River as their own sewer??
(numbers may be slightly off due to assumptions made by the calculator, but they are ballpark)
continuing with thinking.. the reality is that only about 33% of boats get used and of that most are used 4 times a month and in that area, only for half a year.. so it would take around 205 YEARS of boat effluent to equal that amount of waste that was discharged untreated from that ONE place for a few weeks..
Now, let me say that I am not in favor of untreated dumping, but I think the boating community is being unfairly condemmed for a problem that we don't cause..And soooo where are the fines to the Michigan counties?? and all the other places that have treated the Mississippi River as their own sewer??
(numbers may be slightly off due to assumptions made by the calculator, but they are ballpark)
Obviously I am not advocating dumping in the Great Lakes, but do you think if EVERY boat on the great lakes dumped their holding tanks during the peak of the boating season could you get anywhere near 2.3 billion gallons (2,300,000,000). That is a bunch of crap if I don't say so myself.
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