As Florida’s population increases, domestic wastewater becomes a major source of pollution around densely populated urban areas, primarily in central and southern Florida.   Wastewater treatment facilities are then  overburdened by the demands of the growing community, leading to the dumping of partially treated sewage water and treated sludge into Florida's waterways. (Ocean Planet)  This sewage contains high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus and is released into rivers and estuaries causing eutrophication or nutrient enrichment.(Ocean Planet)  This in turn leads to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and high turbidity detrimenting the aquatic life.  Although some would argue that the problem is inconsequential, or too expensive to correct, there is evidence that accelerated eutrophication has been responsible for the deaths of as many as 151 manatees in southwest Florida; surprisingly, more deaths are caused by eutrophication than by boats. (Bay Journal) Furthermore, portions of the contaminated water seep into the Floridan Aquifer polluting the primary source of Florida's central water supply.(The Lake Doctors Inc.)

Built on Statistical Data obtained from the
US  Census Bureau

   In addition to affecting increases in water pollution, stagnant wastewater attributes to air pollution   by emitting the greenhouse gas methane. Although methane can be produced by the transportation, production, and combustion of coal, oil, and gas, a large portion of the atmospheric methane is formed by the decomposition of organic waste. (EPA) This decomposition occurs in both wastewater treatment facilities and in landfills.   The wastewater treatment process emits methane when tanks of liquid waste containing high concentrations of organic materials are treated anaerobically.  This anaerobic digestion process is capable of releasing significant quantities of methane if the digester is vented rather than recovered or flared. (EIA)  As wastewater treatment facilities exceed maximum capacity, some sewage is deposited in local landfills. This is beneficial in that the amount of water contamination is reduced.  However, more importantly, it is harmful because the waste decomposes in landfills, accounting for nearly 36% of the methane emissions in the United States.(CMU) 

   When nutrient rich waste is released into aqueous environments, algal blooms act to cover the surface of the water, blocking sunlight and preventing the proliferation of seaweed.  In addition, the increased eutrophication depletes the amount of oxygen in the water.  Deoxygenation occurs as the bacteria in the aqueous environment extract dissolved oxygen to fuel the decomposition of photosynthetic organisms. (Chesapeake Bay)  In time, this creates anoxic conditions, killing fish, manatees, and other animals that depend on oxygen for cellular respiration.  These conditions are fairly common and have been observed in such places as Lake Michigan and the Chesapeake Bay (Chesapeake Bay & Lake Michigan)   These problems could potentially be solved by Biomass to bio-gas conversions using anaerobic bacteria.  This process can effectively stop the growth of algae blooms by substantially decreasing the portion of biomass that is allocated to landfills and dumped into the waterways.  The Floridan Aquifer is subject to direct infiltration or discharge of  pesticides, fertilizers, and high-nitrate sewage via overland runoff.

Used with courtesy of USF 

  Major problems for the Floridan Aquifer result from the unconfined area in which contaminating wastes are applied to the land surface.  In addition, nearby surface waters receive large quantities of nutrient-rich runoff.  Pollutants carried to the river by overland runoff from farms and dairies enter the Floridan Aquifer by river water intrusion.  This affects 44% of all consumed groundwater in Florida. (U.S. Geological Survey)  One hundred percent of water which is provided by public works facilities comes from the Floridan Aquifer, threatening human and aquatic life.  Utilizing biomass conversions techniques epurate water, resulting in potable water. (Florida First)

Used courtesy of USF

   The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that helps to regulate earth's temperature (EPA). Greenhouse gases act like the glass in an arboretum, entrapping radiant heat while allowing ambient light to pass through the atmosphere.  Two of the major greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and methane.  Of these gases, carbon dioxide accounts for over one-half the strengthening of the greenhouse effect at present, while methane accounts for approximately one-sixth (University of East Anglia) The greenhouse effect perpetrates increases in the torridity of the atmosphere, creating world-wide environmental problems, global warming, and melting the polar ice caps.
   Today, nearly 85 percent of the world's 11 terawatts of energy is generated by the combustion of fossil fuels.  The problem is so serious that some researchers believe that in order to reduce carbon emissions to a stable level by the year 2050 there needs to be a tenfold increase in carbon-emission-free power generation.  (Health and Energy) Progressive power plants have begun using  biomass conversions to produce energy while effectively reducing the levels of carbon dioxide emissions.  Methane, although less common than carbon  dioxide, is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping is twenty-one times more heat than carbon dioxide (EPA).    As quantities of  anthropogenic gases increase, the expense of methane emissions will also rise. (IEAGHG) Using   biomass conversion  prevents  methane  emissions  from   landfills,

Used courtesy of NASA GISS

capturing the gas that indigenous anaerobic bacteria would change into methane, which would escape into the atmosphere. Therefore, this is both an economically and environmentally beneficial process. By utilizing anaerobic digestion and harnessing methane gas to use as fuel, waste water treatment plants can meet government standards as well as contribute to the environmental conservation effort. (EPA & Rensselaer)