Wipes, other items still clogging system
While there have been some improvements since March, Halifax Water says the utility is still seeing too many clogs in its system caused by so- called “flushable” wipes.
While there have always been issues with people flushing items that shouldn't go into the sewer system, things started to worsen in March during the early days of the pandemic as more people were using sanitizing wipes that were labeled biodegradable or flushable.
But they aren't instantly biodegradable and that has caused issues throughout the sewer and wastewater systems.
“Things are not as bad as they were back in the initial period of the pandemic, back in March and April, but from some conversations I've had with operations folks it's still a problem,” James Campbell of Halifax Water said Friday. “It's certainly still far above what it was before the pandemic... and still a significant problem.
That includes clogged sewer pipes, pumps at pumping stations, and screens at the stations.
“People think these things are pretty innocuous when they flush them down the toilet. If they're lucky they make it through their home plumbing and don't back things up into their basements.”
But if so they get into the utility's wastewater collection system, they will still cause significant problems.
The utility has 1,400 kilometres of wastewater pipes, which can get clogged and cause sewage to back up into the streets or someone else's home.
There are also 165 pumping stations, where they can jam up the pumps and flood the street or the station itself.
“Normally we can pull the pump and put it back in service, but sometimes the pumps are shot, then we have to buy a new one and those costs are borne by our ratepayers,” Campbell said.
He said the wipes shouldn't be flushed, nor should things like dental floss, condoms, tampons and cigarette butts.
“It doesn't seem like a big deal, but if you get a couple hundred thousand people doing the same thing it creates a real problem.”
Campbell said toilet paper is the only thing besides human waste that should be flushed down the toilet. It has more information at www.halifaxwater.ca/dontdump-it.