What do aging or overburdened human-made systems contribute to the baseline contamination load in coastal waters?
Answer
Untreated or partially treated sewage leaking into groundwater or surface waters.
Underlying the immediate spikes caused by weather events is a persistent baseline source of fecal matter originating from human infrastructure weaknesses. Aging wastewater treatment facilities that become overwhelmed, or septic systems that fail due to age or consistent saturation, frequently leak sewage. This untreated or partially treated effluent introduces a steady load of contaminants into the groundwater and surface water network, which ultimately flows to the ocean, exacerbating conditions when heavy rains mobilize even more bacteria.
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