Question

这句话是不是翻译错了，preferable to意思是比...更可取，后面接的应该是不可取的东西，这里翻译成可取

It is certainly preferable to dumping wastewater straight into the nearest big river or lake. 比起直接向最近的河流或湖泊直接倾倒废水，这当然是更好的选择。

Answer 1

同意，是翻译错了。
Perhaps this was preferable to eating it.【也许这样好过吃掉它】

Perhaps it was preferable to eat it.【也许吃掉它更好】

Answer 2

不太明白你的疑问，你是指中文翻译错了还是英文翻译错了？

追问

这样说吧，上面那个问错了。be preferable to的意思应该是好于...，好过...，比...好，为什么在这里翻译成更好呢,下面这句话
Perhaps this was preferable to eating it. 可能把它吃掉更好。
是不是应该翻译成也许这好过吃掉它，而不是吃掉它更好

追答

如果你是说Perhaps it was preferable to eating it. 的话就是说或许吃掉它更好。
但如果你是说Perhaps 'this(另一个选择, 比如说dumping it)' was preferable to eating it. 就是说dumping it(例子)这个行为好过eating it