It's not often that I hear wastewater news or interesting tidbits on the the radio, so my ears perked up this Wednesday when the hosts started talking about sewer clogs this week in between Macklemore and Imagine Dragons. Specifically, they were discussing how baby wipes are causing sewer clogs. When I got back to the shop, I used googled it and found a local article out of Minnesota detailing the troubles that small town Avon is having with with wipes clogging the lift station pumps.
Since Wednesday, this story has went a little viral - here it is on MSN, Yahoo, and The Hollywood Gossip. For those of us who work with lift station pumps every day, these issues aren't really "news" to us. Since I started working in this industry, I've been astonished with the items that get into lift stations. Towels, sheets, diapers, chains, ropes, etc. I've thought that I must lead a very normal life, because I would never think to put these things down the toilet. But this week was the first time I've actually thought about wipes. Wipes are actually something that probably feels normal and logical to flush. Especially when they're branded like this:
The word "flushable" doesn't leave a lot of room for ambiguity. People assume that they're safe to flush. Manufacturers assure the public they're safe to flush. The San Francsico Chronicle reports:
Makers of flushable wipes insist they are indeed flushable and safe for sewer and septic systems.
Kimberly-Clark, maker of Cottonelle and Scott flushable wipes, does extensive testing to make sure the wipes won't clog a properly functioning sewer system, spokesman Dave Dickson said. Like other manufacturers, Kimberly-Clark advises customers to flush only one or two wipes at a time.
Once one sees all the branding that goes into assuring consumers that wipes are "flushable", it's easy to see that the problem is widespread. Within five minutes of googling, I found cases in North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington D.C., New York, Kansas, and Massachusetts. After I filled my tabs, I stopped looking, so I know there's more out there. It really came home yesterday when I was discussing a clogging issue with a customer, not thinking about wipes at all, and he specifically cited wipes being a problem.
With problems like this, there are different types of solutions. On the equipment side, we can help. In these problematic lift stations, we highly recommend Shin Maywa's CNWX pumps. Already, we're seeing them solve a lot of clogging problems. That is where I'd start. I mean, check out what this guy can do:
With problems like this, there are different types of solutions. On the equipment side, we can help. In these problematic lift stations, we highly recommend Shin Maywa's CNWX pumps. Already, we're seeing them solve a lot of clogging problems. That is where I'd start. I mean, check out what this guy can do:
After that, we've got comminutors and Muffin Monsters to grind up the debri. We can sell you screens and strainers (check out our Neptune) to take out the debri. These solutions can help you get a handle on the problem while you come up with a systematic solution.
The NACWA recommends that manufactures be required to put a "Do Not Flush" label on wipes. This would probably solve a lot of the problem, although from the marketing shown above I wouldn't bet on manufacturers being too eager to help out. We'll have to see how that plays out.
From a local perspective, a systematic approach involves a lot of communication with your customers about the problems the "flushable" wipes cause. Take some pictures of clogged pumps showing the wipes and send it out. Let them know how many times you're unclogging them. They've got to know that it's a problem before they change their behavior.
The NACWA recommends that manufactures be required to put a "Do Not Flush" label on wipes. This would probably solve a lot of the problem, although from the marketing shown above I wouldn't bet on manufacturers being too eager to help out. We'll have to see how that plays out.
From a local perspective, a systematic approach involves a lot of communication with your customers about the problems the "flushable" wipes cause. Take some pictures of clogged pumps showing the wipes and send it out. Let them know how many times you're unclogging them. They've got to know that it's a problem before they change their behavior.
