In article , James Collings
writes
During the floods of last week, Thames water sewage plants couldn't
cope...and the backlog of untreated sewage filled the pipes, until it burst
up and out of the drains... right into our back garden.

The result was 3 days of 6in deep sewage filled water covering a large
expanse of lawn and patio. Luckily none got in the house, but it is the
garden that I am concerned about.

After 3 days, the residue of sewage remained (the water soaked away), and 1
week later I am stil waiting for the "professional" clean-up of this toxic
stuff.

Question: Will the sewage adversely affect the lawn, or the Apple tree
(eaters), or the large clematis that it soaked? If this is not a bad
thing... will the "clean-up" with powerful detergents do more harm than
good?

Help?

James


There are various sites on the web with (human) health info. http://www.
fao.org/docrep/W5367E/w5367e04.htm is concerned with the deliberate use
of waste water in agriculture, and gives survival times for the bugs
(most a month, but one brand of intestinal nematode / roundworm 'many
months').

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/elcosh/docs...3/d000283.html tells
you to use protective equipment if you work in sewage plants, and what
you will get if you don't.

I was going to pass on anecdotal evidence about sewage workers (and
farmers) having acquired immunity but http://www.spokanecounty.org/healt
h/EHS/brochures/biologicalHazards.htm claims the lower infection rates
in experience sewage workers is job experience rather than immunity.
--
A. G. McDowell