# Can people dump/empty stuff into rivers?



## Ceist Beag (2 Oct 2008)

I was out this morning and noticed a farmer (least assuming he was a farmer) with a tractor and a tank with a large pipe who was pumping the contents of the tank into a river. Now he wasn't hiding it or even trying to, it was on a busy public road, so I'm curious as to whether he was just extremely brazen or are people actually allowed to dump stuff into rivers? Also does anyone know if this was likely to be treated so as not to contaminate the water (i.e. is this a common thing for farmers to do)? Just didn't want to assume it was all kosher in the current climate of water contamination! Mods feel free to move if you think this is in the wrong place.


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

Ceist Beag said:


> I was out this morning and noticed a farmer (least assuming he was a farmer) with a tractor and a tank with a large pipe who was pumping the contents of the tank into a river. Now he wasn't hiding it or even trying to, it was on a busy public road, so I'm curious as to whether he was just extremely brazen or are people actually allowed to dump stuff into rivers?



I'd say there is more chance that he was taking water out of the river.


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> I'd say there is more chance that he was taking water out of the river.




I agree, Are the roads full of muck by any chance?. I have often seen farmers fill up with water from a river to clean roads where they have soiled through the course of their work.


----------



## ClubMan (2 Oct 2008)

Ceist Beag said:


> I was out this morning and noticed a farmer (least assuming he was a farmer) with a tractor and a tank with a large pipe who was pumping the contents of the tank into a river. Now he wasn't hiding it or even trying to, it was on a busy public road, so I'm curious as to whether he was just extremely brazen or are people actually allowed to dump stuff into rivers? Also does anyone know if this was likely to be treated so as not to contaminate the water (i.e. is this a common thing for farmers to do)? Just didn't want to assume it was all kosher in the current climate of water contamination! Mods feel free to move if you think this is in the wrong place.


So you are assuming (a) that he was a farmer and (b) that he was dumping something into the river. Any other assumptions?


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

Farmers often need tankfuls of water to agitate slurry tanks, ie loosen the slurry in order that they can pump it into tankers and then spread it on fields.


----------



## Ceist Beag (2 Oct 2008)

Thanks folks, you could well be right - I didn't stop to ask or anything! Based on the fact I've probably got it wrong feel free to close this thread! Clubman I wasn't making any accusations here, was merely asking a simply question so that I would be better equipped to stop and ask if I saw it happening again (or at least stop and check if they were taking or depositing!).


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

Ceist Beag said:


> Thanks folks, you could well be right - I didn't stop to ask or anything! Based on the fact I've probably got it wrong feel free to close this thread! Clubman I wasn't making any accusations here, was merely asking a simply question so that I would be better equipped to stop and ask if I saw it happening again (or at least stop and check if they were taking or depositing!).




To be fair I think it is safe to assume a guy with a tractor and tanker is a farmer.


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

Ceist Beag said:


> ...  so that I would be better equipped to stop and ask if I saw it happening again (or at least stop and check if they were taking or depositing!).



The mind boggles.

Have you considered ringing _Liveline_?


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

DavyJones said:


> To be fair I think it is safe to assume a guy with a tractor and tanker is a farmer.



If you travel on the N3 near Cavan most mornings (as I do) you will see guys travelling with tractors and tankers. They are not farmers but domestic sewage removal contractors.


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> If you travel on the N3 near Cavan most mornings (as I do) you will see guys travelling with tractors and tankers. They are not farmers but domestic sewage removal contractors.



Aren't they just farmers doing nixers?

Do you know what they do with it? I know down here farmers do it, treat it and spread it on the land.


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

DavyJones said:


> Aren't they just farmers doing nixers?
> 
> Do you know what they do with it? I know down here farmers do it, treat it and spread it on the land.



There are a number of licensed sewage contractors in the area, who advertise as such in local media on the basis that the waste they collect is disposed of and treated at an EPA-approved facility. Presumably that is one of the reasons why they are regularly travelling on the main roads.

I would be surprised if many farmers would be enthusiastic at the idea of spreading human waste on their land, although some may do so as a money-saving exercise.


----------



## Ceist Beag (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> The mind boggles.
> 
> Have you considered ringing _Liveline_?



ehhh ubi I should have put an "or not as the case may be" with that based on the explanations given here but I thought that was a given! Does the following satisfy you?

...merely asking a simply question so that I would be better equipped to stop or not as the case may be ...


----------



## Caveat (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> I would be surprised if many farmers would be enthusiastic at the idea of spreading human waste on their land, although some may do so as a money-saving exercise.


 
Supposedly this happens a lot near me.  No way of knowing for sure of course, but to me it certainly often _smells_ like it happens a lot.


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> .
> 
> I would be surprised if many farmers would be enthusiastic at the idea of spreading human waste on their land, although some may do so as a money-saving exercise.




Prepare to be surprised, set your face to stunned  www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=60770


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

DavyJones said:


> Prepare to be surprised, set your face to stunned  www.askaboutmoney.com/showthread.php?t=60770



Not suprised at all, I would be more surprised if the people on that thread are themselves farmers, or know what they are talking about. The guy who mentioned cryptosporidium hit the nail on the head.


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> Not suprised at all, I would be more surprised if the people on that thread are themselves farmers, or know what they are talking about. The guy who mentioned cryptosporidium hit the nail on the head.




And people wonder why we don't have more clean safe water to drink. Farmers are the root of all evil


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

DavyJones said:


> And people wonder why we don't have more clean safe water to drink.



And how did you arrive at that conclusion?  Do you believe everything you read on AAM?


----------



## DavyJones (2 Oct 2008)

ubiquitous said:


> And how did you arrive at that conclusion?  Do you believe everything you read on AAM?




Spreading untreated  waste on land plus rain equals risk of contamination to private wells and public water supplies. Saying that many councils still dump untreated/nearly treated  waste in to our river networks.  I belive what I know to be true.


----------



## ubiquitous (2 Oct 2008)

I can only repeat my post of over a year ago, from that thread



ubiquitous said:


> Any farmer who is foolish enough to flout waste permit regulations would face serious financial penalties if/when detected by the Dept of Ag. All the farmers in my neck of the woods live in fear of the Dept of Ag, and justifiably so. The idea that any farmer would take such a risk for the sake of €30-€45 is laughable.
> 
> Any householder who causes pollution or infection by paying an unlicensed cowboy for this service should in my opinion be prosecuted, in the same way that businesses who cut corners by using illegal dumping services eventually had to face the music when detected.


----------

