W I P E S A N D F O G – S H O U L D E P A L E A D T H E C H A R G E ?
WASTEWATER TREATMENT BEGINS WITH THE FLUSH
Discussion Points
What 2 Flush – Where’s the Calvary
Can The Grease – Where’s the Carrot
What happens in the Sewer System
Clogging Pumps and Equipment
The Vision
DC WASA Collection System
1800 miles Sanitary and Combined Sewers; 600 miles of Storm Sewers
9 Sanitary and 16 Stormwater Pumping Stations
12 Fabridams and Swirl Facilities
60 CSO Outfalls and 95 CSO Structures
What 2 Flush?
The 3 P’s – Paper (Toilet Paper), Pee and Poo
What else do people flush? Baby Wipes,
Floss
Diapers
Hygiene Products
WHY WIPES?
Consumer Wipes: Prevalence of Use
Bench Test
Toilet paper after 40 seconds versus a wipe after 16 hours
The “War on Wipes”
and Other Non-Dispersible Products
What 2 Flush – Who’s in the Discussion
Wastewater NACWA WEF APWA State & Local Associations
Prefers Standards vs Guidelines
Attempted Legislative Action in 4 States
WEF Survey Utilities to Capture Costs
Maine Wastewater Control Association – Joint Ad Campaign with INDA
Non Woven Fabric Industry (INDA) Kimberly Clark Proctor & Gamble
INDA Developed Flushable Guidelines for Manufacturers
Support Pilot Program in Maine
Joined Panel at WEFTEC Invited WW to World of
Wipes Conference
Campaign To Prevent Flushing Baby Wipes
http://saveyourpipes.org/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla
yer_embedded&v=8dMn6uQOg-4#t=0
www.nacwa.org/flushables
FOG MANAGEMENT
Food Establishments
Grease Abatement Systems
Grease Interceptors
Enforcement
TV Inspection
Asset Management (Tracking Frequency)
Public Outreach
FOG Issues
•FOG floats on top of water and emits toxic gases
Corrodes Sewers and leads to sink holes and failure
Odor Complaints proliferate
Utilities Spend $$$$$ money to combat odors
FOG ISSUES
Replace Lateral from Home to Street
Pipes Corrode
Sink Holes Occur where Pipes Collapse
Restaurants Do Not Manage Grease Traps / Interceptors
FOG ISSUES
DC Water FOG Facts
• Blue Plains processes 50,000 lbs/day of
FOG
• Hauling costs -- $6,400/month
• WASA crews spend 260 man hours per
year (equals two months)
• Grease-busting chemicals cost $55,000
a year
• CCTV Crew use
robotic camera to
survey pipes and find
obstructions
• Once found pipe is
either cleaned out or
replaced if there is
structural damage
What are we doing now?
Enforcing Proper Maintenance
AGENCY RESPONSE
Permits
Inspections
Non Compliance Notice
Written Warnings
LEGAL RESPONSE
Citations
Fines
Water Shuts
Lawsuits
Use Asset Management to Track Issues
Inspection Frequency
FY 2010 - # Locations
FY 2011 - # Locations
FY 2012 - # Locations
Monthly 21 21 17
Quarterly 13 13 13
Biannual 5 5 -
Normal Frequency – Once Every 25 Years
Pitfalls of Enforcement
Political ramifications regardless of locale
Restaurants Are Social Mecca’s
May Ruin A Business
U Street Corridor – FOG Problem Area
Sink Holes & Collapsed Pipes
14th & F Streets
Impact on Station & Process Equipment
Repairs Are Expensive
Few Alternative Sewers to Shift Flow
Bypass Pumping Costly
Repairs Made In Active Sewer Flow
If Able, Shut Down; Reduced Capacity Likely CSO DAM Failure
Corrosion Impact on Infrastructure
NACE International:
Estimates $38B in replacement costs in United
States annually in collection and distribution
systems due to corrosion
Water & Sewer Utility Agencies face the same costs
as the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina but on
an annual basis
Questions
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