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The Modem Sewer System:
Outdated and lllogical
O
ne factor responsible
for the disappearance
of pure water is the
dumping of sewage into
fresh water supplies. This
totally illogical practice is
commented on in the
Bulletin of Atomic
Scientists
for November,
1975: "Toa visitar from
another planet it would
seem incredible that
human beings who are
intelligent enough for
space travel solve their
problems of personal
hygiene by putting their
body wastes into the
public drinking water and
then spend billions in futile
efforts to restare the
water to its original
condition .' '
Many are coming to
the conclusion that the
flush toilet. long
considerad one of the
prime symbols of civilized
progress, may turn out to
be one of the most
harmful devices inflicted
on modern society. About
40 percent of all water
piped into a home is
used-or rather,
wasted-by the flush
toilet. The average
person using one
contaminates 13,000
gallons of fresh water a
year to wash away 165
gallons of sewage.
But this wastage isn' t
the worst problem! Nor
are the huge expenses
involved in constructing
and maintaining complex
sewer lines and treatment
plants.
The most negative
aspect is that significant
amounts of effluent
become part of the water
supply of those who live
downstream. At times
plain raw sewage is just
dumped into lakes and
rivers. Or raw sewage
can leak out of aging
sewer lines and thus
befoul surface and
underground water.
Even when the sewage
reaches treatment plants
and is processed ,
unwanted by-products still
pollute water supplies. In
an effort to protect the
next person who drinks
the water, a process
used in the United States
for the last 70 years has
been to add chlorine.
While chlorination kills
bacteria, there is
considerable doubt that it
has any effect on viruses
such as infectious
hepatitis or polio. Recent
studies have indicated
that the chlorine itself,
added to the water used
by 75 percent of
Americans, interacts with
organic pollutants in such
a way as to contribute to
the cause of cancer of
the bladder, colon and
rectum.
The Environmental
Protection Agency wants
cities to alter the way
they use chlorine or to
use a substitute
disinfectant. The usual
reply is that a change
would not be financially
possible.
Another financia!
headache for cities using
treatment plants is what
to do with all the sludge
taken from sewer water.
Sorne cities just flush it
out to sea. Sorne offer it
as fertilizer . However it is
disposed of, its
accumulation is a
constant problem.
While an increasing
number of researchers
believe society took a
wrong turn a century ago
when it adopted the
running water / flush toilet
system, many assert
there is nothing
economically feasible we
can doto change it now.
And so, industrial nations
COur1fi$Y CIIVU$ M ultrum
are headed toward a real
dilemma : they can't afford
to give up the flush toilet
now. yet the time is
coming when water won't
be available at an
affordable price to flush
it. Then what?
lt's not that there aren' t
alternatives. There are
increasing numbers of
them on the market . The
best systems are based
on the sensible principie
laid down in the Bible
long ago, but ignored by
society: Human waste
ought to be carefully
reintegrated, through
microbial activity, into the
ground (Oeuteronomy
23: 12-14), not dumped
into the drinking water
supply!
we come to our senses and at last
submit to H is ways that bring satis–
faction, peace and prosperity.
Heallng Waters!
When God sends J esus Christ to
set up H is Ki ngdom over all
nations , the world will have
brought itself to chaos and ruin.
But the policy of God's government
will be to heal, rebuild and restore
until the whole world is a para–
dise.
Think of it- no more shor tages
of water as nat ions learn to obey
God. Rain will come when it should
(Ezekiel 34:26) and in just tbe
right amoun ts (Psalm 65:9- 13).
Where wi ll be the need of compli–
cated irrigation systems and huge
dams with all of their drawbacks?
panses will be inhabited as the
results of d ivine rule over the earth.
" 1 will open rivers on the bare
heights, and fountains in the midst
of the valleys; 1 will make the wil–
derness a pool of water, and the dry
land springs of water," God prom–
ises ( lsaiah 41 :18, RSV) .
Vast deserts and desolate ex-
September, 1981
T he world 's water problems- in
fact, all its problems- will at Jast
be solved!
o
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