Video: Ironhouse Sanitary District Reminds Public Not to Flush Wipes

by ECT Apr 18, 2020

written by ECT Apr 18, 2020

On Saturday, the Ironhouse Sanitary District released a video urging the public to stop flushing wipes which could create larger problems later for the District.

Louis Solana, Collections Superintendent urged the public to be mindful of what they are flushing down the toilet while there was a shortage of toilet paper some people have opted for other items such as paper towels, tissues, cloths, newspapers, etc. which cause blockages. This ads to additional staff time, equipment replacement and other financial impacts.

The Ironhouse Sanitary District serves residents of both the City of Oakley and Bethel Island.

Here is more information from the Ironhouse Sanitary District website:

Save your pipes. Don’t flush wipes

Many household cleaning products are labeled and marketed as disposable; many baby hygiene products are labeled both disposable and flushable. And while these products may be marketed as a convenience item, the truth is that these household wipes have the ability to clog and stop up not only your sewer pipes, but also can cause blockage and service problems in Ironhouse Sanitary District’s sewer system and pump stations.

Unlike toilet paper, these products don’t break down once they are flushed. They can cause blockages in your on-site side sewer, especially older pipelines that may have grease, roots or other obstructions already existing. Eliminating these problems from your sewer pipes can leave you with a nasty repair bill.

On a larger scale, when these products make their way into the public sewer system they collect together and cause clogs in ISD’s sewer main lines and get tangled in pump stations requiring repair or possibly even expensive replacement of equipment.

The following items should never be flushed into the sewer system:
* Disinfecting wipes
* Baby wipes
* Q-tips
* Toilet cleaning pads
* Mop or “Swiffer” type refills
* Paper towels
* Moist towelettes
* Any consumer item that is not toilet paper

Are ‘flushable wipes’ really flushable?

There are many relatively new bathroom products on the market today that are advertised as a better cleaning experience when compared to traditional toilet paper. These products’ labels indicate they are safe for sewers. In addition to wipes, there are also other cleaning products that are labeled as “flushable” which may go down the toilet but they are not breaking down sufficiently enough.

Flushable wipes are marketed in a variety of ways, such as “septic-safe”, “breaks down like toilet paper” or “safe for sewer and septic.” The problem is that they generally take longer to break down when compared to traditional toilet paper and as a result have caused major blockages in sewer systems.

Consumer Reports conducted a test to determine if flushable wipes really are flushable. Check out this video to see the results.

Generally sewer systems work on a gravity or down hill system. However, Oakley and Bethel Island are both mostly level, making it necessary for ISD to run on a pump system. While a flushable wipe might break down after flushing it is likely that it will not break down fast enough before the wipes make it to the first pumping station within ISD’s sewer lines. Even if it does break down into smaller pieces, those thicker-than-toilet-paper chunks can also become stuck in the pumps and leave a big mess. This is why ISD is asking that you please do not flush any kind of wipes down the toilet.

Currently ISD employees are cleaning pumps of wipe debris approximately 40 times a month. That is a lot of employee hours spent on cleaning up something that is eventually just going to end up in the trash anyway. So please save us the extra work and the spending of ratepayer dollars by tossing the wipes in the garbage after use.

ECT

Publisher of EastCountyToday and host of several Podcast Shows... if you can, please hit the donate button and show support.

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2 comments

Lazy!!! Apr 18, 2020 - 1:39 pm

Screw them!! We pay for it! They can clean it!!

Ipa Apr 19, 2020 - 8:30 pm

Yes and they’ll clog your homes sewer line all day long. One hasn’t lived until sewer backs up inside your home. Easy $$$$ for plumbers.

Surprised the flushable wipes scam hasn’t been made illegal yet….

Oh and the gentleman above must have a lifetime supply of “flushable” wipes for his tender rectum. Genius at the keyboard I’d say.

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