Have you ever wondered what happens to the things that go down the kitchen drain or flushed down the toilet? Of course you have, the answer is they go to the sewer lines.

You will be amazed to know that all kinds of things are found in the sewer lines. People put down fats, oil and grease, paper towels, baby wipes, diapers, disinfectant wipes, swifter wipes and similar items. These items do not belong in the sewer lines and cause backups of the sanitary sewer system. Wastewater Collections Senior Operator Randy Clove said, “ More than half of the back-up’s could be prevented in the city’s main lines and in the sewer laterals if you would just watch what you put down the sewer. The biggest problem is most people look at the sewer as out of sight, out of mind”. Sanitary sewer backup can be a health hazards as it exposes you to untreated human waste and is very expensive to the city and to the homeowner as basement can be filled with raw sewage.

In a recent survey it has been found that fats, oil and grease cause approximately 50% of all sewer backups. Grease that is dumped in a kitchen sink goes down the drain, it sticks to the sewer line and solidifies, as the time goes by more grease comes and sticks to the old grease. Slowly a point comes where the inside diameter of the sewer line is reduced so much that the regular wastewater cannot flow properly. The sewer will take the path of least resistance and thus cause a sanitary sewer backup. As well, after time grease chunks can also break loose and cause additional overflow conditions. A sanitary sewer overflow can occur where grease has accumulated, in your home, business, or few blocks down the line.

When put down the drain or toilet, clean wipes and paper towels do not disintegrate and thus accumulate in a sewer line. During a low flow condition they dry up, clump together and become hard like a rock, inevitably obstructing the sewer flow and causing the sewer to overflow.

Garbage disposals are not permitted to be installed in any commercial kitchens. While at home please do not use the garbage disposal to dump garbage like eggshells, rice, ketchup packets, rags, and excessive amounts of food, instead please discard them in the trashcan. While at home please try to initiate Best Kitchen Practices, and eliminate the unnecessary dumping of all waste down your drains. You might be wondering what can go down the drain. A good rule of thumb is human waste and toilet paper; everything else should go in the trash.

All the unnecessary waste in the sewer lines causes high maintenance at the lift stations, and in the overall collection system. Collection systems are designed and built to remove diseases that people come in contact with when they live surrounded by other people and their wastes. As the sewer enters the Wastewater treatment Facility the unnecessary waste can play a large role in additional maintenance needed throughout the wastewater treatment process. Wastewater treatment facility Senior Operator Eric Bonzo Said, “The impact on the treatment facility in dealing with large organic and inorganic waste, (eggshells, rice, wipes, dirt, sand etc.) is tremendous. Not only does it take up valuable space in our digesters it wrecks havoc on equipment, pumps, piping, and is very costly to treat and clean up ”. Items like eggshells are abrasive to pumps and mechanical equipment causing increased maintenance and premature replacement.

The City spends a lot of time effort and energy to clear sewer backups due to these reasons. With your cooperation we can reduce sewer backups, and prevent unnecessary loading and associated maintenance costs to our treatment facility.

Peter Sury Pretreatment Coordinator CCRWTF