Crumbling Infrastructure Leads to Piles of Poop and Untreated Wastewater

Aging pipes and overwhelmed systems cause public health crisis across the U.S.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Across the United States, major cities are facing a growing problem with human waste on the streets as aging infrastructure and overwhelmed systems lead to billions of gallons of untreated wastewater being dumped into lakes and rivers. From San Francisco students playing "poop hopscotch" to Vancouver businesses hiring "poop fairies," the unsanitary conditions highlight the urgent need for infrastructure investment.

Why it matters

The piles of human waste on city streets and the dumping of untreated wastewater into waterways pose serious public health risks, especially for vulnerable populations like schoolchildren. This crisis reflects the broader infrastructure challenges facing the U.S., with trillions of dollars needed to repair and upgrade aging pipes, bridges, roads, and other critical systems.

The details

In San Francisco, students at one elementary school have turned jumping over piles of human waste on the street into a game, while in Vancouver, businesses have hired "poop fairies" to clean up the mess on sidewalks. The problem is exacerbated by the growing homeless population and drug addiction issues in many cities. Meanwhile, failures in aging wastewater systems have led to massive spills, including 243 million gallons of untreated wastewater flowing into the Potomac River in Maryland and 5.14 billion gallons being discharged into waterways and Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.

  • In August 2025, heavy rain in Milwaukee led to 5.14 billion gallons of untreated wastewater being discharged.
  • On January 19, 2026, a section of the Potomac Interceptor pipe collapsed, resulting in 243 million gallons of untreated wastewater flowing into the Potomac River.

The players

Lulu Gerena

A 28-year-old resident of the Mott Haven neighborhood in New York City who complained about the piles of poop on the streets.

Karen Puc

The mother of a 7-year-old student at a San Francisco elementary school who said her daughter covers her mouth and nose when walking to school due to the unsanitary conditions.

Dave Hamm

The vice president of the Vancouver Network of Drug Users, which has about 3,000 members, who said that everyone in the area feels like they are constantly walking in human waste.

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What they’re saying

“It's horrible: It's, like, garbage and poop everywhere. It's not fair, because everybody has to step in the poop, because nobody is picking it up.”

— Lulu Gerena (New York Post)

“My daughter covers her mouth and nose. Sometimes we play that we jump poop on the street. We make it a game, like hopscotch.”

— Karen Puc, Mother of 7-year-old student (Mission Local)

“Everybody down here feels that you end up walking in stuff no matter where you go. So, basically, it's getting tracked around.”

— Dave Hamm, Vice President, Vancouver Network of Drug Users (Vancouver Sun)

What’s next

The judge in the Milwaukee case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the city more time to repair the damaged wastewater infrastructure and prevent future spills.

The takeaway

This crisis highlights the urgent need for massive investment in America's crumbling infrastructure, from water and sewer systems to roads and bridges. Without significant funding to upgrade these critical systems, public health and the environment will continue to suffer the consequences of neglect and decay.