sewage from flooding

[kwicky]

Why did they not release the raw sewage from the treatment works into the rivers before it overflowed into surrounding properties and fields? Although it was not normal practice it would have been less a health hazard as the flowing river would have disposed of it.. Now everything is infected and probably for months to come!

[honest_joe]

The only reason I can see why there may be problems if some people continued to use their toilets when the flood water had entered their properties. Surely with water lapping around their ankles they continued to defecate problems would occur?

[Hawkwalk]

Where would the river have disposed of it to? People further down stream would have got it and if you are refering to the river Severn which is tidal in places then it would have come back up again.

[kwicky]

As you say this refers to tidal rivers. If we took the River Severn it would have been discharged to the sea before the tide returned. I believe it was common practice some years ago to discharge sewage directly into the Thames before they cleaned it up so although not desirable is the better option don't you think?