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real sewage is not 'gone': remember all the drugs and pharmaceuticals that are emptied on a daily basis.

by Create 15y ago

andos 15y ago
There was this guy at a TED event that mixed the filthiest, most disgusting glop I've ever seen, pushed it through a filter he invented and drank the resulting water all onstage. He said it could even filter virus-sized particles out. Of course, I cannot find a link. I thought it was all very neat and practical, but never wondered if simpler chemicals such as drugs would pass through. Maybe they're diluted enough not to be an issue? As the article notes, we're already purifying sewage from cities upstream.
- pchristensen 15y ago
  http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter.html http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_f... Pretty amazing when he invites the host to drink from a bottle of that filth at the end.
scott_s 15y ago
And remember that all water must be treated. So the real question is, why is sewage different than all of the other contaminants that get in fresh water?
- Create 15y ago
  Sewage is different, because it has a high concentration of WC water (urine), which in turn contains high level of hormone supplements (contraception). Some of the problem is, that these drugs can eventually find their way to fresh water. The standard scientific (chemical) process is the mechanical separation and dilution mentioned, but there is no evidence that there is a safe level of hormone that can be absorbed daily. Not unlike DDT: actually hormones were cited as evidence during the fight for the ban. However, there is scientific evidence of sexual mutation in creatures living in water (frogs, fish etc. -- though many other things could be blamed for this, but none rule out the above)
- vlisivka 15y ago
  If recycled water will be passed back to producer, then cycle will be created. Cycles are vital for life. If a virus will find way to bypass all filters and return back to human body, then we will have huge problem.

real sewage is not 'gone': remember all the drugs and pharmaceuticals that are emptied on a daily basis.

by Create 15y ago

real sewage is not 'gone': remember all the drugs and pharmaceuticals that are emptied on a daily basis.

andos 15y ago

There was this guy at a TED event that mixed the filthiest, most disgusting glop I've ever seen, pushed it through a filter he invented and drank the resulting water all onstage. He said it could even filter virus-sized particles out. Of course, I cannot find a link. I thought it was all very neat and practical, but never wondered if simpler chemicals such as drugs would pass through. Maybe they're diluted enough not to be an issue? As the article notes, we're already purifying sewage from cities upstream.

pchristensen 15y ago
http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter.html http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_f... Pretty amazing when he invites the host to drink from a bottle of that filth at the end.

scott_s 15y ago

And remember that all water must be treated. So the real question is, why is sewage different than all of the other contaminants that get in fresh water?

Create 15y ago
Sewage is different, because it has a high concentration of WC water (urine), which in turn contains high level of hormone supplements (contraception). Some of the problem is, that these drugs can eventually find their way to fresh water. The standard scientific (chemical) process is the mechanical separation and dilution mentioned, but there is no evidence that there is a safe level of hormone that can be absorbed daily. Not unlike DDT: actually hormones were cited as evidence during the fight for the ban. However, there is scientific evidence of sexual mutation in creatures living in water (frogs, fish etc. -- though many other things could be blamed for this, but none rule out the above)
vlisivka 15y ago
If recycled water will be passed back to producer, then cycle will be created. Cycles are vital for life. If a virus will find way to bypass all filters and return back to human body, then we will have huge problem.