In case yesterday’s beached bull shark wasn’t enough to scare you away from the flood water still inundating South East Queensland in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Debbie, here’s another good reason to stay on dry land: the water is almost certainly full of poop.
Swimmers and surfers warned to stay out of the surf as there are 30 sewage pump stations overflowing. #7News https://t.co/MjLrVZLu9L
— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) March 31, 2017
Thirty sewage stations have lost power and overflowed on the Sunshine Coast, which means that not only are the streets full of poopy water, the surf is too. Great!
Unitywater executive manager Rob Dowling told the Sunshine Coast Daily:
“These types of overflows are a normal occurrence in extreme weather events such as the one we have just experienced. That heavy rain has a dilution effect and helps mitigate the environmental impact.”
Still, human waste is human waste regardless of how much rainwater it’s mixed with, and if you ingest it or get it in an open wound it will very likely make you sick.
wouldn’t want to be the toilet in these guys’ house
And it’s not just human crap floating about in the murk! According to Dowling:
“It is important to remember that following extreme weather events, waterways can be contaminated with debris and residential runoff from pets and septic systems, development runoff such as sediment, fertiliser, oil and through natural bird and bat populations.”
So once again, and maybe for life: STAY OUT OF THE WATER. It’s full of sharks, jellyfish and crocodiles, and now a bunch of literal shit.
Source: Sunshine Coast Daily.
Image: Facebook / Sam Berry.
