Before working around drainage systems, I think it is fair to say that most of us did not realize the impact of flushing things down the drains…out of sight, out of mind. But, after pulling many different things out of clogged lines, and hearing different issues happening in homes and businesses, it has definitely been an eye opener proving that we need to be much more conscious of the things we put into our shared sewer system. And while some things might make it out of our homes and businesses with ease, they can eventually get to the end and clog up those city systems, like the wipe buildups that have been giant burdens to the sewage treatment system.
For those of us connected to a sewer system, the water is moving through a network of pipes that increases in size the closer they get to the wastewater treatment plant. Every drain in the home is connected to a pipe that moves used water (and everything else that goes down the drains) from your house to a sewer in the street; toilet, shower, sink, washing machine, dishwasher, floor drains, roof drains.
In order to avoid problems at home and on down the line in our shared sewer treatment system, we should try to avoid flushing or dumping solid objects, hair, cloth, grease, wipes and feminine products. Basically, just liquids, bodily waste and toilet paper should go down them.
Together we can keep our home and city drains running smoothly. Attached is a recent example out of Charleston, SC of that buildup over time. “It wasn’t just wipes. Pieces of metal, a baseball and less unusual items like tampons, string, hair, makeup pads and assorted paper” were in the giant mix of “things that shouldn’t go down the drain”. –source: AP
If you’re having problems with the pipes in your home, or just want to set up a regular maintenance cleaning, give Action Plumbing a call today at 509-467-1717!