Educating Our Publics

Telling people about basic behaviors that affect sewer and stormwater systems can help mitigate a host of costly infrastructure problems

Anyone in the sewer industry knows that sewer systems are designed to handle three things: water, human waste, and toilet paper. When an overflow occurs, it’s usually because improper materials were put down the drain.

These improper materials include fats, oils and grease; solids such as meat bones, fruit and vegetable rinds, potato peels and corn cobs; paper goods such as paper towels, newspapers, handy wipes, diapers, napkins, and tampons; and hair from shower drains and basins.

All this “stuff” helps cause about 40,000 sewer overflows and thousands of combined sewer overflows each year, according to EPA estimates. The overflows occur as a result of pipe blockages and breaks, infiltration and inflow, equipment failure, or system overload.

The untreated sewage and wastewater contaminates our waters supplies and causes backups in basements, property damage, and threats to public health. In addition, sewer overflows can increase water and sewer fees and affect taxes.

Because most sewer backups occur between the house and the city sewer main, where the homeowner is responsible for the problem, blockages can result in costly plumbing bills.

What can we in the industry do about this problem? We can take steps to educate our general public — how what seems like a harmless activity of tossing a few eggshells in the garbage disposal can lead to a big plumbing bill later. Use all your communication channels to reach out to your community. Here are a few ideas:

• Use the municipality Web site. Post information on how to care for the pipes and what to do in case of an emergency or if something goes wrong.

• Leverage the Internet. Consider creating and posting a YouTube video on how to tackle fats, oils and grease.

• Contact the media. Options for engaging the press include issuing a news release or news advisory or sending a letter to the editor. Radio stations will run public service announcements for free if they feel they are of interest to listeners.

• Submit articles. Include notices in bill stuffers and municipality newsletters. Contact homeowner associations and submit articles for inclusion in the newsletters.

• Present at schools. Classroom presentations convey the message not only to students but also to their parents. Engage students by promoting a poster contest.

• Go to the mall. Many shopping malls host health and safety fairs where organizations can participate to promote their business or cause. Apply for a booth at the next fair.

• Get personal. Tell your neighbors, relatives and friends.

Be sure your communication explains that the pipes beneath the ground are in desperate need of repair: Many are more than 100 years old and beyond their designed lifespan. Tell your audience that there are certain wastes that should never be put down the drain because the high-acid content erodes concrete and accelerates wear and tear on the pipes.

These wastes include cleaning fluids, antifreeze, thinners, paints, solvents; flammable, reactive, explosive, corrosive, or radioactive substances; medical or infectious wastes; and toxic substances and pollutants that can emit hazardous gases.

Explain that pipes are not pressurized, so tree roots and other outside destructive forces can easily cause damage. Roots will creep toward a sewer pipe, trying to find water. A root the size of a strand of hair can do damage if not treated properly. Unless they are disturbed, roots will continue growing and eventually form root masses that catch grease, paper, and other debris and cause a blockage.

Tell people that stormwater runoff packs a double punch. It can create a system overload and contribute to a sewer backup. Flowing off of pavements, yards, driveways, and roofs, it carries pollutants and debris that can harm or block pipes. Behaviors that contribute to harmful runoff are littering, applying excessive lawn fertilizer, washing cars or changing motor oil on driveways, and failing to pick up after pets.

While these reminders may seem basic for us in the trenchless technology industry, they come as a surprise to many homeowners. As experts, we have a responsibility to make the public aware of and concerned about the significance of their behavior. NASSCO encourages industry professionals to spread success stories and educate their publics.

It takes proper practices to protect the pipes. Wise use of the sewer system and performance of simple preventive maintenance will help safeguard the system and reduce costs for everyone. Let’s help get the word out today.

Irvin Gemora is executive director of NASSCO. He can be reached at director@nassco.org. The NASSCO headquarters is at 11521 Cronridge Dr., Suite J, Owings Mills, MD 21117.



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