WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS
Clearing the Way for Cleaner Waterways
World Plumbing Day on March 11th serves as a great reminder of the importance of keeping pipes in our home clear to prevent blockages, backups, and sewage spills. Not only are pipes costly to repair, but they can lead to sewer overflows and septic system failures. Because water that enters storm drains is not treated, these emergencies can cause raw sewage with bacteria to flow into our creeks, rivers, and ocean. This can end up posing a threat to our public health, polluting our local waterways, and impacting our recreational enjoyment.
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The single most important thing you can do to prevent sewer emergencies is manage what goes into your home’s sinks, toilets, and drains. Follow these tips to keep your pipes clear and our waterways healthy!
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Properly dispose of fats, oils and grease (FOG). Common FOGs include cooking oil, butter, salad dressings, and meat grease. Before washing or rinsing your dishes, wipe them clean using a paper towel. Allow liquids like melted butter and grease to harden before scraping the solidified waste into an organics bin, or collect in a solid metal can.
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Compost food scraps instead of using the garbage disposal. Food waste in the garbage disposal can clog drains and pipes, and prevent bacteria from breaking down solids in septic tanks. Learn how to properly dispose of food waste through the County’s curbside Organics Waste Recycling Program.
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Place solid materials like “flushable” wipes, sanitary products, and cotton balls in the trash bin. These materials do not break down properly and can clog pipes. Flushing products other than biodegradable toilet paper down our toilets not only causes sewer backups, overflows, and spills, but it creates an additional public health risk. See our Don’t Rush to Flush bulletin for more tips on flushing do’s and don’ts, and the Wipes Clog Pipes video from the Olivenhain Municipal Water District.
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Perform regular septic system maintenance. For households with septic systems, we have a rebate program to make regular maintenance easier and more affordable. Regular maintenance can do wonders to prevent septic system failures and costly repairs. Monitoring water flow into your system so that excessive water does not push solids into your leach lines can also help prevent system failures. Learn more about how to maintain your septic system here.
Thank you for making a difference this World Plumbing Day and throughout the year to keep our waterways safe, healthy, and clean!
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