2012-01-11

Around Town

For Release 12 noon Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2011

By Billy Ray McKelvy

De Queen Mayor

Let’s propose a New Year’s resolution about what items should and should not be put down the drain.

Each month workers in the city’s waste water department respond to complaints about clogged drain pipes. Many of the problems are caused by insoluble items that were flushed down the drain.

City utility customers are regularly asked not to pour grease down the drain. The grease will flow when it’s warm, but when it cools it will solidify and coat the walls of pipes. When enough grease accumulates, the pipe stops flowing and waste water backs up in homes or overflows in yards and ditches.

Toilet paper breaks down in water and will easily move down the drain. But brown paper towels and other paper items will not break down and these should not be put down the drain.

Cloth, rags and disposable baby wipes should never be flushed down the drain.

Other items which have clogged drains and damaged lift pumps include box cutters and plastic packaging.

Workers have also found pumps jammed by disposable plastic gloves like those used by health care and food service workers.

Examples of other items that should not down the drain include needles and sharps, medications, disposable diapers and pet litter.

Finally, it’s a good idea to know where the clean-out on your sewer line is located. In case of a back-up, the clean-out can be opened to allow water to go outside rather than back up into the house.