not appear to be well studied.There are thirty-six observed species of mammals reported in the Southern California Bight. Most of these animals are spotted near the edge of the Santa Monica Bay and are not resident. Bottlenose dolphins, white-sided dolphins, common dolphins reside in the bight along with the short finned pilot whale. The negative impact on the bays ecosystems due to human sewage disposal is obvious. Now that it has been established there is a problem: what alternative do we have to our current method of wastewater disposal. One of the alternatives would be to use the digested sludge to make fertilizer, however, as has been mentioned before these plants proved to be significant polluters themselves and uneconomical to run. One of the other alternatives would be to construct vast evaporation ponds. Basically the water evaporates out of the sewage leaving only dehydrated sludge. The location discussed for such a project would be out in the San Fernando Valley. Such an undertaking would require the construction of a significant sewer line and pumping stations as moving sewage out there would be going against gravity. It might also be imagined that such a facility would be a constant threat to the ground waters of the city, not to mention its social impact on the growth potential of the surrounding areas. The best alternative is to continue to improve upon our current wastewater treatment facilities. Fortunately for the bay we have made serious advancements from the earliest days of the plant in the 1940s. The end of sludge discharge into the ocean was a boon for life in the bay. Currently, the most harmful substances to bay life are DDT and PCBs. As individuals we can have a direct impact on what we release into the bay. It is our poop after all. We can purchase organically grown foods, cutting down on the chemicals we eat and therefore what we release into the bay. In 2010 the plant will be due for anot...
