By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Folks at the Crestline Sanitation District are looking for your help in prolonging the life of their wastewater treatment plant. Every day, people not meaning to cause problems or situations that would harm the Sanitation District’s wastewater collection and filtering equipment are, whether they know it or not, doing just that.
First of all, it’s never a good idea to pour bacon grease or any other oily or slimy substance down the drain or flush it down your toilet. Why? you ask. It’s because these substances don’t just disappear; they form layers that can continue building up on one another until they overflow into your kitchen sink or onto the kitchen or bathroom floor. You could be in for a real surprise if any of these things happen when you are rinsing dishes in the sink, let alone your washing machine or dishwasher. And what if this occurs when you are in the bathtub or shower? Even worse, what if any of these things occur when you are sitting on the toilet? Scary thought, isn’t it?
To prevent any of these occurrences, never pour grease down any drain. It may look like a liquid that can easily be dumped down the drain but, when it cools off, it will congeal and clog your drainpipes. Dental floss may seem harmless, but it’s not biodegradable and can cause serious clogs. So too can long strands of cut hair, Q-tips and cotton balls.
You may think that cotton will break down because some brands of toilet paper are made from cotton linen, but they don’t! They will invariably clump together and cause blockages at bends in the pipes.
Adult wipes are becoming increasingly popular and they are increasingly causing clogs and backups in sewage pipes across the country. Even though some of these products may say they’re flushable on the container, there are groups that are revising the guidelines. As a consequence, all wet wipes will soon have a noticeable DO NOT FLUSH symbol on the packaging.
Tampons and other feminine hygiene products should never be flushed down the toilet, nor should diapers, whether they are adult or baby diapers, just because there is human waste inside them.
Diapers are made to expand in water. In the unlikely event that you actually get the diaper to flush, it will very likely get caught in the U-bend in the pipes. By the way, tissues and paper towels are not made to dissolve like toilet paper; throw them in the trash.
What about pills? you ask. You may think it’s OK to remove pills from harm’s way. In some cases, it may save someone from overdosing. However, you may be doing more harm than good by flushing them because they can have toxic effects on wildlife and groundwater supplies. Even worse are cigarette butts that end up going straight into the groundwater supply.
So, what does that leave? Not much, say environmentalists. Human excrement, urine and regular toilet paper are the ONLY things you should flush down your toilet! Remember what Woodsy Owl always says, “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute.”
For more information or advice, contact the Crestline Sanitation District at 24516 Lake Drive in Crestline or call (909) 338-1751.
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