“I’ve been knee deep in raw sewage at 7:15 in the morning, and let me tell you, it don’t smell like Folgers in your cup,” griped Anthony Mongiello, one of many city sewage workers up in arms over his industry's longtime wage freeze. Because of union foibles, some sewage plant employees haven't gotten a raise in fifteen years, reports the Times. Their average salary has continued to hover around $42,000, while their private sector counterparts are sometimes paid twice as much. “It’s disrespectful,” said Michael Enright, an 18-year sewage plant veteran. “I’ve got to change bearings and seals on million-dollar pumps with raw sewage flowing between my legs, and we make less than an auto mechanic.” more ›

As part of our continuing Open House New York coverage, we visited the Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant this morning. It is enormous: dozens of buildings on 53 acres at the northern edge of Greenpoint. You've probably seen the huge silver digester eggs from the BQE— at night they're lit up with pretty blue light. An overview of what goes on there: "with a rated capacity of 1.2 million m³/d, this is New York City's largest wastewater pump station and serves an area of 4,162 acres of land, fed by 180 miles of sewers. " Polshek Partnership is responsible for the plant's design— check out their site for some cool progress pictures. more ›

San Francisco has been at the forefront of progressive social change and environmental issues, and now, it might be where a sewage plant is named after George W. Bush. After first floating the idea back in March, organizers qualified to put the naming initiative, to turn the Oceanside Water Treatment Facility into the GWB Sewage Plant, on the November ballot. A few weeks ago, White House Press secretary Dana Perino refused to comment on the possibility a sewage plant would be named after her boss, but maybe she would have been more willing, had she known Bush would refer to the U.S. as the "world's biggest polluter." More details here. more ›