Superbug Found To Be The Result Of Typical Wastewater Issues
By Peak Johnson
A Florida-area wastewater spill with potentially dire consequences could be more likely to happen elsewhere than it seems.
As Water Online’s Sara Jerome reported, a recently discovered “superbug” was found by University of South Florida researchers in Florida waters following a sewage spill. It was the result of typical issues plaguing utilities across the country.
The findings were recently published in the journal of Applied and Environment Microbiology and raised “several significant” public health concerns.
The university researchers were investigating the aftermath of a September 2014 sewer line break in Joe's Creek area, north of St. Petersburg, FL, and came across dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria in untreated wastewater.
The pipe that broke belongs to Pinellas County Utilities. The county told ABC Action News that crews responded to the wastewater leak and performed the “necessary repairs.”
“Presently, the pipeline is functioning effectively and Pinellas County Utilities staff continues to proactively monitor to ensure proper functionality,” a county spokesperson told ABC Action News after the USF study was published.
According to The Bradenton Times, the combination of aging sewer infrastructure and an increase in stormwater flooding with extreme rain events increases the likelihood of more spills occurring and continuing to spread these dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria in populated areas.
It is not yet known how widespread the problem may become, but with aging infrastructure and stormwater flooding persisting throughout the country it may not be long before more areas are contending with similar bugs.