You probably don’t think about sewage when you head to the beach for a morning swim or surf, but here’s why you should.
The water pollution problem is big — 900 billion gallons of untreated sewage in waters every year, big.
Our nation’s failing infrastructure, old septic systems, and unethical dumping of waste are the main culprits. Water pollution can too easily be out of sight and out of mind until it starts to smell and gets people sick, and that’s the problem.
A public health crisis this big and complex can be hard to fully grasp. So, we’ve made it easier to visualize the many ways gross stuff is ending up in our ocean. Take a look for yourself.
We want it treated better.
We’re an ocean-loving community that knows how to make our concerns heard and bring about change.
Surfrider is doing what it takes to make sure both wastewater and our ocean are treated better, and you’re a part of that, too.
Doing your part as a member of our community can be as simple as understanding the threats to our ocean — like sewage.
Together, we’re calling upon local and federal governments to act now before the pollution gets worse. We want all the broken pipes and outdated wastewater treatment facilities updated or replaced. This is what it will take to stop gross sewage from quietly polluting our ocean, and it cannot wait.
