Environment & Energy

Nineteenth century sewer technology can't handle twenty-first century sewage.

Consumers are not entirely to blame. The sewers have to be upgraded and somebody has to pay for that. Unfortunately the private companies that run these sewers are more interested in high salaries for their upper management and profits for shareholders. Keeping raw sewage out of waterways and adequately treating the sewage they do manage to collect doesn't seem to be their primary goal.

Societies that are not constantly upgrading and improving their wastewater collection and treatment systems are in decline.