A brief look into what is in raw sewage and how it effects us.
There are many different disease causing bacterias that are found in sewage that can cause sickness and in some cases even death if someone is exposed. This is what makes treatment of waste water so important so none of these disease causing bacterias are injected if it enters a water supply. One bacteria found in sewage is Campylobacter jejuni bacteria. This bacteria is known to cause gastroenteritis which causes about 280,000 cases of food poisoning, and about 100 deaths per year. The second bacteria found in sewage is Salmonella, which is known to cause gastroenteritis, typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever. All of which can lead to death in some cases. Third is Escherichia coli or E. coli, which caused the death of a young girl in 2000. It was suggested that she most likely got it from exposure to raw sewage in the water where she swam. Fourth is Listeria bacteria, which causes an infection called listeriosis. This is known to effect young children who can develop meningoencephalitis which has a 50 percent death rate. Fifth is Cryptosporidium parasite, which causes diarrhea and stomach issues in healthy people. However, in people with low immune systems it can lead to death. There was a case in Wales in 2005 where 100 people were infected with the virus. Sixth is Adenovirus, which causes respiratory infections like pneumonia, croup and bronchitis. It is generally not fatal however it can be in young children under six months of age. Seventh is Norovirus, which again causes gastroenteritis. It was found that between 2001 and 2006 453 people over the age of 65 died of Norovirus. The eighth is Rotavirus, another virus that can cause sickness and sometimes even death in small children. In the UK alone around 3-4 children die each year from exposure to the Rotavirus. The ninth is Asphyxiation, which generalizes the toxic gases within raw sewage. These include methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This is toxic only if inhaled which can occur in raw sewage being dumped in the open however, if inhaled at high enough levels it can be fatal.
So, these are several examples of the toxicity of raw sewage and how it can be harmful to the health of a population. This shows the urgency to stop the dumping of raw sewage into bodies of water, to prevent the ingestion of all of these dangerous disease causing bacterias. As well as maintaining the sewage treatment methods that we have in place today to ensure there are no spills resulting in the exposure of the harmful gases and bacteria. Raw sewage is still consistently being dumped into rivers and the ocean, which may not cause immediate health effects, however there is still a relatively high chance that it will have effects in the long run. This shows the importance of both centralized and decentralized waste water treatment methods, because raw sewage even in small amounts can result in sickness, or even death. Everyone should have access to clean water without the worry of becoming sick.
https://www.cleansafeservices.co.uk/10-ways-raw-sewage-can-kill-you/