Bush Plan Would Allow More Sewage in Nation's Fresh Water

May 13, 2005

A Bush Administration proposal to routinely allow partially treated sewage into America's waterways could face a roadblock in Congress next week, when the House of Representatives is
expected to vote next week on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget. Included is the opportunity to support the Save Our Water From Sewage Act.

The bipartisan amendment to stop increased sewage dumping would block EPA from finalizing a proposal that allows an increase in the use of "blending", a process where partially treated waste
is dumped into lakes, rivers and streams.

Currently under the Clean Water Act, partially treated sewage may be released only in a dire emergency, such as a hurricane. Otherwise the process known as blending is illegal, and waste
treatment must be carried out in three phases -- first screening for solids in the waste, second phase removing most of the viruses, parasites and other pollutants, and the third phase treating sewage for bacteria.