As a young person once a state bureaucrat I was told by a senior engineer that "the solution to pollution is not dilution." In normal times that is true, in this instance I wouldn't be too worried about human waste. There are a lot more liquid things than that in the water - crude oil and gasoline hydrocarbons, chemicals, mixed waste, not to mention the physical material floating down river such as trees and plant debris, and man-made floating objects.
Not to mention what has leaked out of flooded hospitals. Can understand why people don’t want to just swim to safety.
When toilets can’t be flushed because doing so will cause influx of raw sewage backup into the home—it is a health hazard. Sewage bubbling up from manhole covers is a health hazard. Flood water in general is toxic soup.
Global warming they say!!!
Chuck the EPA!!!!
Horrors of Galveston: Incredible photos from 1900 show weary survivors and a Texas town in ruins after deadliest hurricane in US history killed more than 8,000
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4839972/Great-Galveston-Hurricane.html