Albany, Schenectady and Troy, are blessed with wonderful drinking water supplies, but what happens after drinking is less than wonderful.
Recent news items have noted sewage overflows in Schenectady and Troy. How old are the aged disposal systems? Do you know where your drinking and toilet water goes?
The future success of our area to a large extent rests upon plentiful supplies of clean water. Separation of the organic wastes in a new system might allow, for example, copying Milwaukee where they turn organic human waste into Milorganite and market it as fertilizer to gardeners nationally.
The time has come to reconstruct the area's sewage treatment systems on a regional basis. The chemical components from manufacturing operations should be separated from the organic waste stream. Then, by using the Living Machine waste treatment process in operation at the Darrow School at New Lebanon, it becomes possible to achieve clean water and also fish habitat, which has possibilities for fish farming.
When sewage overflows pollute our rivers, and people downstream depend on the same source for drinking water, why do we hesitate to act?
Low current interest rates and possibilities for bonding exist. We need to assure a positive public image around a most precious resource.
Kenneth E. York
East Nassau