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Aging Water Systems.

Aging Water Systems in the U.S US are pushing sewage into people's homes.

One of the bathroom was so full of waste at least about four inches high.

I tried everything and you can still smell that smell in that

house. It's Monday October 28th and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm Scifry producer Deep Peter Schmidt. We've been hearing about a lot of national issues heading up to election day,

but wastewater hasn't really been one of them, despite a sewage crisis in many American cities. There are nearly a million miles of

pipes that we flush our toilets into and they're starting to break down, sending

raw sewage into people's homes. Here's Science Fridays John Dankowski with more.

Here to talk with us about this is Sheila Farzon. She's a science journalist and

editor with American public media.

Sheila, it's great to have you back.

Thanks for having me.

Okay, so we've got sewage ending up where it shouldn't be.

Take us to some places where this is happening.

Yeah, I mean sewage backups are pretty common in the U. so they have been everywhere from, you know, Massachusetts to Iowa, to South Dakota,

but one place that's been really struggling with these backups for years is a small city in southern

Illinois called Cahokia Heights about a 10 minute drive from downtown

St. Louis and just for context most of the residents there are black and about

40% live in poverty and that's where I met

Walter Byrd.

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