BellingenNSWMar 21, 2025

From water pollution to blue gold

Water "“blighted by mats of algae, mountains of foam, scum, and dead fish floating on the surface. Pollution from water companies and agricultural runoff are driving the contamination, which affects all parts of the country, causing toxic algal blooms, mass die-offs of fish, and risks to human health."

"A country that once let raw sewage and industrial wastewater flow directly into its water. Today, it is 98%, and the country has a reputation for pristine swimming waters, sometimes referred to as its “blue gold” – and it’s all thanks to a complex network of sewage plants."
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/17/from-sewage-and-scum-to-swimming-in-blue-gold-how-switzerland-transformed-its-waterways-aoe
#water #pollution #micropollutants #ecosystem #health #swimming #Australia #sewage #floods #runoff #ImperviousSurfaces #roads #MassMortalities #SepticTanks #sprawl #biodiversity #rivers #civilisation

From sewage and scum to swimming in ‘blue gold’: how Switzerland transformed its rivers

In the 1960s, the Swiss had some of the dirtiest water in Europe. Now, their cities boast pristine rivers and lakes – and other countries are looking to follow their lead

The Guardian
CelloMom On CarsMay 23, 2024

When #SeaLevelRise touches septic tanks, communities are in deep doo-doo.

"In 1999, with evidence that water quality was deteriorating along parts of the #Florida Keys, the state mandated that the island chain eliminate the use of tens of thousands of #SepticTanks and other outdated waste systems. The cost reached roughly $1 billion as Monroe County built centralized sewage and hooked up thousands of homes and businesses.

There was a huge change in water quality.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2024/septic-tanks-rising-waters-environment-health/

Rising waters plague septic tanks, threatening pollution and health risks

Rising sea levels along the Southeast and Gulf Coast pose a problem for septic systems, which could cause environmental damage and exacerbate health risks if they fail.

The Washington Post
Show threadanna_lillith 🇺🇦🌱🐖Dec 3, 2023

and in turn leading hundreds of #manatees to starve to death.

#Humans are causing this #pollution, and we need to stop it. #Sewage in the water from #wastewater treatment plants and leaky #SepticTanks, plus #fertilizer runoff from #golf courses and farms, are destroying the seagrass.

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