Sewer Backups Cost You Money,Expose Your Family and

Community to Health Hazards, and Damage the Environment.

CLOG

The toilet is not a trash can. Think before you flush.

Personal wipes & baby wipes

Diapers

Tampons, maxi pads & their applicators/

wrappers

Adhesive bandages

Cleaning wipes

Paper towels and napkins

Cleaning wipes

Cotton swabs & makeup pads

Dental flossHair

• To prevent clogs in your sewer lines and the city’s sewer pipes and pumps.

• To protect the environment.

• To prevent the cost of sewage clean-ups and water damage.

• To prevent the health hazard of sewage overflowing into homes and businesses.

AVOID SEWER BACKUPS BY KEEPING THIS STUFF OUT OF YOUR TOILET

Kitty litter

Prescription and over-the-counter

medications

Facial tissues

Photo illustration ©2014 Goldstreet Design Agency, Inc.

Did you know?“Flushable Wipes” are one of the biggest causes of sewer backups in The Dalles. That’s right — even if the package says “flushable,” they should NEVER be flushed. They belong in the trash.

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© 2014 Goldstreet Design Agency, Inc.

Sewer Backups Cost You Money,Expose Your Family and

Community to Health Hazards, and Damage the Environment.

CLOG

The toilet is not a trash can. Think before you flush.

Personal wipes & baby wipes

Diapers

Tampons, maxi pads & their applicators/

wrappers

Adhesive bandages

Cleaning wipes

Paper towels and napkins

Cleaning wipes

Cotton swabs & makeup pads

Dental flossHair

• To prevent clogs in your sewer lines and the city’s sewer pipes and pumps.

• To protect the environment.

• To prevent the cost of sewage clean-ups and water damage.

• To prevent the health hazard of sewage overflowing into homes and businesses.

AVOID SEWER BACKUPS BY KEEPING THIS STUFF OUT OF YOUR TOILET

Kitty litter

Prescription and over-the-counter

medications

Facial tissues

Photo illustration ©2014 Goldstreet Design Agency, Inc.

Did you know?“Flushable Wipes” are one of the biggest causes of sewer backups in The Dalles. That’s right — even if the package says “flushable,” they should NEVER be flushed. They belong in the trash.

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© 2014 Goldstreet Design Agency, Inc.

Just say “NO” to drugs in drainsDo not flush unused medicines down the drain or toilet. Medications are not removed by the Wastewater Treatment Plant, so these materials end up being discharged into the river, polluting the environment.

Safely dispose of unwanted and expired prescription and over-the-counter medications by taking them to the drop box in the lobby of The Dalles Police Department at 401 Court Street. Office hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm. For more information contact the Police Department at (541) 296-2613.

Household Hazardous WasteNever dump household hazardous wastes, such as paint, paint thinner, pesticides, automotive fluids, or other strong chemicals, down a drain or toilet or into a stormwater catchbasin. Be sure to safely dispose of these items.

For information on safe disposal options, contact the Tri-County Hazardous Waste and Recycling Program at (541) 506-2632 or visit www.tricountyrecycle.com.

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Grease is a byproduct of cooking that comes from meat fats, lard, cooking oil, shortening, butter and margarine, food scraps, baking goods, sauces and dairy products. When washed down the sink, grease sticks to the inside of sewer pipes (both on your property and in the streets). Over time, grease can build up and block an entire pipe.

Home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the plumbing system. Hot water and products that claim to dissolve grease just move the problem to a different location. When the grease cools down it will solidify and be deposited elsewhere in the sewer pipes.

· NEVER pour grease or cooking oil down drains.

· Do not put grease down garbage disposals.

· Collect items containing fats, oils and grease in a sealable container and discard as garbage.

· Wipe greasy pans and dishes with a paper towel and discard the paper towel in the garbage.

· Use strainers in kitchen sinks and empty them into the trash.

· Mix small quantities of cooking oil with an absorbent such as kitty litter and discard as garbage.

· Pour large quantities of cooking oil into a plastic container, seal tightly and take to a Tri-County Hazardous Waste and Recycling Program collection event for recycling.

These simple tips can help you stay clog-free:

Where does grease come from?

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) aren’t just bad for arteries and waistlines – THEY’RE BAD FOR SEWERS, TOO.

Step 1 is the travel through

your sewer lateral to the network

of sewer collection mains. A crew

of eight state-certified wastewater

collection operators maintains and

operates the collection system.

Besides installing new mains and

customer services, these people

operate and clean the pump stations

and use specialized equipment to

keep the mains flowing. They are the

ones who have to deal with blockages

of paper products, grease and roots

which can cause sewage to back

up into homes, businesses and the

environment.

One valuable piece of equipment used

by this crew on a daily basis is the

vactor truck. It can use vacuum or high

pressure to clean sediment out of the

lines and operate special attachments

to cut buildups of grease or roots out

of the pipes.

The Pipeline

Inspection

Van contains a

video camera

system that can

be sent through the mains, making a

video record of what the camera sees.

Operators add notations and assign

a number to rate the condition of the

pipes – cracks, grease, root blockages,

crushed pipe. Then work can be

prioritized to clean out, repair or

replace pipes. Our goal is to complete

a video inspection of the entire sewer

collection system every 7 years.

Step 2 of the journey is the

series of processes at the Wastewater

Treatment Plant. The seven state-

certified treatment operators make

sure that sewage is cleaned to the

point that clear effluent can be

discharged to the Columbia River

within the limits of the City’s discharge

permit. The sludge portion is treated

by anaerobic digestion and heat so

that it can be applied to approved

agricultural sites.

out of mind.Out of sight,

When you flush that toilet or send water down the drain, what happens to it in the unseen world of underground pipes that leads eventually to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, and from there to the Columbia River?

For more information on proper grease disposal, call the Public Works Department at (541) 296-5401, extension 2001.

removed by the Wastewater Treatment Plant, so these materials end up being

Safely dispose of unwanted and expired prescription and over-