The Press TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1963. Hazard Of Sewage Effluent

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30054, 12 February 1963, Page 12

The Press TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1963. Hazard Of Sewage Effluent

Local authorities should heed the warning against house-building in unsewered areas given by the senior health inspector at Christchurch (Mr J. B. Snoad). Septic tanks, as he pointed out, are no substitute for proper sewerage, because they do not destroy the organisms of a number of diseases. In closely settled areas or along the waterfront they may often be more dangerous to health than more primitive sanitary arrangements. Some inland Christchurch suburbs have already had unhappy experiences of ground water-logged with impure septic tank effluent; and now that the Christchurch Drainage Board is catching up with its work we want no more of these problems. That Mr Snoad should find it necessary to give a warning about such housing settlements outside the board’s district is disquieting evidence that lessons of the recent past have not been learned.

In the long run, Mr Snoad’s reference to seaside communities may be seen as even more ominous, unless local authorities are alert to the health hazard from the discharge of raw

sewage or bacteria-laden effluent into the sea. The beach is too popular and too healthy a national institution for its pollution to be tolerated. As yet there may be no great health danger along the Canterbury coast, although some well-patron-ised beaches have had distasteful fouling of water and sand. But when our population grows and seaside settlement develops the rectifying of poor sanitary arrangements will become more difficult and more costly. Now is the time to act in prevention of avoidable pollution by putting into effect the principle that no untreated sewage, septic tank effluent, or sullage should flow into the sea near a beach that is likely to be frequented. We can learn from the experience of others. Sydney, that great city of famous beaches, is beginning to worry about pollution; but the scale of necessary improvements there is daunting. On the other hand, Chicago has overcome greater difficulties to make its lakefront a matter of civic pride. Our aim should be to achieve the same results as Chicago, but without waiting for the difficulties to arise.