A 241-page study released by the University of Florida, Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences found the six municipal sewage treatment plants discharging into the coastal waters of south Florida represent a threat to human health and local coral reefs.

The report found that, “The most probable human exposure pathways include fishermen, swimmers [scuba divers, surfers], and boaters who venture out into the Florida Current and experience direct contact, accidental ingestion of water, or ingest fish or shellfish exposed to effluent.

The study, commissioned by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, examined the six municipal sewage treatment facilities in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties discharging into the ocean and recommended alternative methods of sewage disposal to conserve water resources and prevent further damage to the coastal environment.

For example, the study points out that, “The freshwater consumption rate in this region is expected to increase to 4.9 billion gallons per day by 2020, a 26-percent increase from 1995. Florida’s water management districts are authorized to restrict water use due to water shortage conditions, thus shortfalls in water supply due to drought or delayed water infrastructure projects could lead to restriction or denial of consumptive use permits. Increased use of reclaimed water will directly reduce the increasing need for freshwater.”

Municipalities around the country commonly cleanse sewage slurry and runoff into “gray water,” Gray water is clean enough to be used for irrigation and some industrial uses. Through advanced technologies, drinking-quality water can even be extracted from sewage processing system. To read the entire report, visit: www.dep.state.fl.us/water/reuse/docs/OceanOutfallStudy.pdf