Stop Sewage Pollution Infographics
Download our Stop Sewage Pollution Infographics series here.
How does sewage pollution get to the beach?
America’s wastewater infrastructure is outdated and failing. Years of neglect have resulted in the release of over 900 billion gallons of raw sewage into our waterways each year. Many communities are still not even serviced by sewers, but instead are connected to outdated systems, like septics and cesspools, that do not treat wastewater. Sewage contamination of recreational waters puts public health at risk. Sewage discharges also pollute waterways with excess nutrients that wreak havoc con coastal ecosystems by fueling harmful algal blooms that make people sick, cause fish kills and smother coral reefs and sea grass beds.
What type of wastewater system(s) is used in your community, state or region?
We’ve developed assets that can be used to raise awareness of how commonly used sewage infrastructure fails and pollutes local waterways and the ocean. Download the assets for the wastewater systems that are used in your community.
Full 5-panel series are provided as well as separate diagrams illustrating how each type of wastewater pollutes coastal waterways. Nationally relevant social media text is also provided but please customize to be most relevant to your local area.
Contact mdias@surfrider.org with any questions on customizations or which assets are most appropriate for various platforms, i.e. social media, newsletters, chapter website.
1 – Cesspools
2 – Separate Sewer System Spills & Failures
3 – Septic systems
4 – Combined Sewer Overflows
