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We think we may have found the award for the grossest repercussion that Hurricane Sandy has left behind: the damaged New Jersey plant dumping hundreds of millions of gallons of partially-treated human waste water into the New York Harbor. The Newark sewage treatment plant, according to NBC New York's Brian Thompson, is the fifth largest in the nation and was flooded by Sandy's 12-foot swells. "The plant serves about 1.4 million people in 48 communities in northern New Jersey," reports the AP, which adds "It currently is releasing between 200 million and 240 million gallons a day of partially treated wastewater into New York Harbor, the state Department of Environmental Protection said." And "partially treated" doesn't mean it's  safe. "Pathogens in partially treated waste are a health hazard and public safety threat" an official told NBC New York, while environmental officials say that fishing and crabbing bans will remain in effect indefinitely. Mike DeFrancisci, executive director of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (the guy who oversees that New Jersey plant) told the AP they would be at full strength soon, but "operators Thursday didn't know exactly when the plant would be fully operational."

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Alexander Abad-Santos