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- Prevent Sewer Backups
Disposable wipes are a huge culprit. Fats, oils and greases (FOG) contribute as well.
These items cause pipes and pumps to clog and can lead to sewage backups into streets through manholes or into homes through toilets, tubs or showers. The result is costly to individual homeowners and to ratepayers.
It’s up to all of us to maintain our sewer system and protect our investment in public infrastructure.
Disposable wipes of any kind, whether branded as “flushable” or otherwise, should never be flushed down the toilet and into the sewer system. Wipes do not dissolve like toilet paper. They are made of materials that do not degrade and easily clog pipes and wrap around pumps.
When FOG is washed down the sink it forms large, thick grease balls that clog pipes – in your home as well as in the public sewer system. When non-dissolving wipes combine with grease balls, the wads of debris become impenetrable in sewer lines.
Proactive maintenance to clear sewer lines and repair pumps clogged with wipes and FOG is an ongoing cost. Additional costs occur with emergency repairs when clogs result in a sewage spill. While homeowners pay for their own sewer/plumbing repairs, the cost to maintain and repair the public sewer system is borne by all ratepayers.
Clogged sewer pipes, sewer backups and spills are detrimental to our environment and can be a risk to public health.
Please take care to protect our environment, our health and the investment in our homes and public infrastructure.