The Henry County Water Authority is dealing with a potentially big problem stemming from the county’s COVID-19 situation.
The vast majority of citizens have been stuck at home due to shelter-in-place orders. People are focusing more than ever before on cleaning and disinfecting their homes to reduce the likelihood of the virus spreading. That combination has led to a higher volume of wet wipes, rags and grease in the sewer system, which HCWA officials feared would happen since the pandemic began.
The extra waste is causing damage to equipment and infrastructure, which means increased maintenance hours and costs. And the more this keeps happening, the more serious the problem will become, with one potential outcome being sewer backups in homes.
To maintain the integrity of the entire system, as well as residential plumbing and septic tanks, HCWA officials continue to warn the public, “The toilet is not a trash can.” That means people should avoid flushing any type of wet wipe down the toilet, even those which are marketed or labeled as “flushable.”
When wet wipes are flushed down the toilet, they enter the system and clog sewer lines (or, they enter the septic tank and clog septic system field lines). This causes sewer spills and overflows, not to mention sewer backups in homes that require the attention and added expense of a plumber for a homeowner. Worst cases have resulted in damaged equipment in the field or impaired operations at HCWA wastewater treatment plants, requiring repairs that are far more expensive than a residential plumbing issue.
In short, throw your wet wipes in the trash can after you use them.
Another big problem of late is the rise in fats, oils, and grease entering the sewer system, which is likely the result of people cooking at home more than usual. This has a damaging effect on residential plumbing and septic tanks as well as the overall system, because these substances coagulate within the sewer lines and clog them up – leading to more backups, more spills and more costly repairs for homeowners and the HCWA.
“Grease is more of a problem now, with everyone at home and with more cooking taking place,” said Ray Sanders, HCWA manager of water & sewer operations maintenance. “Unfortunately, as long as it’s not backing up in their house, people don’t see the problem.” A better solution for the disposal of grease is to allow it cool and then pour it into a container that can be sealed and thrown away. Scraping food from plates and wiping dishes clean prior to washing also help to preserve the integrity of sewer lines and plumbing.
“We all are adjusting to a different way of life during the pandemic, but we are doing everything necessary to continue to provide safe, reliable water and sewer services for our customers,” said HCWA general manager Lindy Farmer, who has virtual briefings with his senior management staff at least three times per week to monitor developments related to the pandemic. “One of the ways the public can help is to be mindful of the things they put down the sink and flush down the toilet, because they have a direct effect on the integrity of our system. Wet wipes and grease may be ‘out of sight and out of mind’ for our customers, but they are among our most challenging issues to deal with as a utility.”
