Low-water toilets make sludge back up public sewer pipes, as the people of San Francisco are finding out,
Low-flow toilets cause a stink in SF
San Francisco’s big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink.
Skimping on toilet water has resulted in more sludge backing up inside the sewer pipes, said Tyrone Jue, spokesman for the city Public Utilities Commission. That has created a rotten-egg stench near AT&T Park and elsewhere, especially during the dry summer months.
The city has already spent $100 million over the past five years to upgrade its sewer system and sewage plants, in part to combat the odor problem.
What to do about the stinking mess? Bleach it!
Now officials are stocking up on a $14 million, three-year supply of highly concentrated sodium hypochlorite – better known as bleach – to act as an odor eater and to disinfect the city’s treated water before it’s dumped into the bay. It will also be used to sanitize drinking water.
That translates into 8.5 million pounds of bleach either being poured down city drains or into the drinking water supply every year.
In other green news, Consumer Reports doesn’t like the Volt,
Consumer Reports: GM’s Volt ‘doesn’t really make a lot of sense’
Champion believes a hybrid, such as the Toyota Prius, may make more sense for some trips.
“If you drive about 70 miles, a Prius will actually get you more miles per gallon than the Volt does,” Champion said.
But GM has noted that most Americans can avoid using gasoline for most regular commuting with the Volt, while its gasoline engine can allow the freedom to travel farther, if needed.
The magazine has put about 2,500 miles on its Volt. It paid $48,700, including a $5,000 markup by a Chevy dealer.
Champion noted the Volt is about twice as expensive as a Prius.
And that’s only for the sticker price. Don’t forget about the government bailout.
Moving right along the green path, CFL bulbs don’t compare to incandescent ones when it comes to brightness and quality of light, but you probably noticed that already.
Now I can’t wait for the reports a few years from now talking about what measures will be necessary to abate the high levels of mercury from discarded compact fluorescent bulbs.
More on the Volt at Uncoverage,
Let’s review: We’ve had the report in which it has been determined the Chevrolet Volt will not be economically feasible in enviro-MENTAL-liberal-infested California due to electric rates and other factors, that most of the “Government Motors” Volts are being bought by government agencies not private persons, the Volt can electrocute passengers or rescue personnel in accidents, trying to recharge just a few of the Volts can overload a local power grid, and President Obama’s own task force questioned its viability.
Brought to you by Government Motors!
