In 1968, all of Portland's human wastes poured unchecked into Portland Harbor an

Authors

Lance Tapley

Source

Portland Monthly

Date

12-1-2006

Pages

32-35, 74-77

Abstract

In 1968, all of Portland's human wastes poured unchecked into Portland Harbor and nearby waters. Some two billion gallons of untreated sewage overflowed in 1996, while in 2004, an estimated 600,000,000 gallons overflowed in rainstorms, a 70 percent drop. The harbor's mud bottom contains the legacy of 150 years of unregulated dumping of industrial wastes, but pipes that carry overflow sewage and various chemicals and metals remain the top environmental concern. The Friends of Casco Bay and the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership work to educate the public and protect and clean the bay. In Portland, $75 million might still need to be spent to meet unfunded federal and state requirements for sewage cleanup, an effort that is a slow work in progress.

Subjects

Waste disposal, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Friends of Casco Bay

Recommended Citation

Tapley, Lance, "In 1968, all of Portland's human wastes poured unchecked into Portland Harbor an" (2006). Maine News Index – Portland Monthly. 1201.
https://digitalcommons.portlandlibrary.com/news_portmonthly/1201