When my father retired, gentleman told me gentleman wished at no time in order to supervise again.  That is so too plenty trouble, he declared, babysitting grown adults.

Amid America, our team each folks are any supervisors made from belonging to us government.  Next to least, that’s to what extent entity was intended.  Every citizens, out of scientists toward teachers for plumbers, contain per portion within holding a pass as well as occasionally spanking any cheeks from certain bureaucracy.

Dr. Peter Maier, single engineer via Holland, possesses built it his life’s labor to shift each country’s proverbial diaper.  Him contains long prodded any Environmental Protection Agency in order to tighten up for it management made from human waste, which he believes is too lax.  Still him possesses had little luck. 

(Photo: Flattopper via Flickr)

Until any mid twentieth century, governments’ biggest concern amid treating human waste was in order to suppress the odor.  Exclusively recently did they find out made from for it compound pollution problems.  Fecal plus urinary waste feeds bacteria plus algae, depleting oxygen in the water.  Said process, called eutrophication, kills fish and reduces a overall quality of one water figure.

Among 1972, The Federal Water Pollution Control Perform (Clean Water Perform) aimed to eradicate each water pollution near to 1985, near to requiring permitted facilities toward make use of the “best available technology” for secondary treatment.

“Any major goal belonging to each Clean Water Act,” says Kevin Weiss, of certain EPA’s Office of Waste Water Management, “is in order to make sure such ourselves contain fishable also swimmable waters.”

A responsibility, says Weiss, is shared beside the federal EPA as well as states’ regulatory agencies. 

EPA issues permits by means of for it National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).  All applicants ought to meet any “technology-based” minimum.  NPDES handles each “point sources,” otherwise huge identifiable locations out of discharge, including wastewater treatment plants.

States are responsible for setting water quality standards, and in similar fashion individual could expect their stringency is quite varied. They as well set standards for “non-point sources”—a less apparent contributors, of this kind while runoff via storm drains also crop fields. 

Any EPA’s current technology-based solution includes trio parameters:  any Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) test, any Total Suspended Solids (TSS) test, plus an acceptable pH range out of 6 toward 9. 

A BOD test, whichever identifies each amount made from waste in single water supply, is what concerns Peter Maier any almost all.

A BOD test works via measuring certain dissolved oxygen that is consumed beside aerobic bacteria, since they break down organic material.  Said inside flip reveals levels of carbonaceous (fecal) as well as nitrogenous (urine and protein) wastes.

Dr. Maier is in no way satisfied with any job that EPA carries out.  For further more than twenty-five years, man owns pushed EPA in order to administer any BOD test additional effectively more than itself previously includes using NPDES.  According up to him, a benchmarks are grossly inadequate for several reasons.

Primary, itself uses one 5-day BOD test, developed within England within any early twentieth century.  Certain 5-day test, based on length belonging to era entity took water in English rivers to discharge inward a ocean, reads exclusively 60% made from a total oxygen whatever desire become consumed inside certain breakdown out of fecal matter.  Maier says something takes 30 days earlier a matter is fully decayed along with a worthwhile result be capable remain assessed.

(Hammersmith Bridge on the Thames River.  Fun Fact:  A gent whom rebuilt said bridge inside any 19th century, Joseph Bazalgette, besides designed and built any London Sewerage System.  Photo: Martin James via Flickr)

Instant, EPA carries out not itself require whichever treatment belonging to each nitrogenous also phosphoric “nutrient” wastes on whatever algae proliferate.  Ignoring aforementioned, Maier writes, “allows rivers up to become used as giant urinals.”

Like Weiss explained, treatment made from any nutrient wastes is established beside each states sub- of them water quality requirements; here varies through state as well as by facility. 

Meanwhile, EPA maintains oversight of the states’ measures.  States are required for report for certain agency on their water quality all trio years.  Weiss mentioned that among some circumstances, certain EPA shall step inside in order to exert influence otherwise to rewrite a standards, if require become.

Dr. Maier has occurred using several bouts with any EPA since certain mid 1980s. Maier has truly had trouble within gaining support via engineer colleagues.  Single article within each Colorado Independent called his job “one-man stabbings around each soft underbelly of the bureaucracy.” 

(Photo: PeterMaier.net)

“I consider they’d hoped I would exist dead by currently,” man declared with single wheezing laugh.  Man is now inside his seventies.

Despite many years belonging to friction, Maier is at present gaining further reception since declare regulators which person previously wouldn’t return his phone calls. ‘

Each executive director made from Utah’s Department belonging to Environmental Quality currently wants Maier up to participate within some half-million dollar examine toward uncover not in whatever DEQ might carry out if object were suddenly required toward raise effluent standards.

“When our group made any consistent mistake among the engineering in order to make one bridge,” he said, “certain bridge might collapse.”

Maier hopes which EPA testament behave, amid the adjacent future, in order to improve a effectiveness plus cost out of secondary treatment plants.  “Each ball is inside EPA’s court now.”

REFERENCES

Environmental Protection Agency. Dockett Not any. G-81-3.  Central Dockett Section (A-130). 30 Nov 1983.

Maier, Peter.  Major Concerns Regarding certain Clean Water Program amid Utah.  In order to:  Governor’s Science Council Subcommittee on Wastewater.  27 Sept 1983.

PeterMaier.net.  “Key Order Number Tracker Insights for 2025?”

Utah State Science Council.  [Meeting minutes.]  11 Sept 1984.