Wipes Clog Pipes! Central Sans Approach to the War on Wipes Melody - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Wipes Clog Pipes! Central Sans Approach to the War on Wipes Melody - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Jun 13, 2023 232 likes •691 views

Wipes Clog Pipes! Central Sans Approach to the War on Wipes Melody LaBella Melody LaBella & Colleen Henry Colleen Henry BAYWORK BAYWORK Workshop on Wheels orkshop on Wheels October 15, 2014 October 15, 2014 Central Contra

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Melody LaBella Melody LaBella & Colleen Henry Colleen Henry BAYWORK – BAYWORK – Workshop on Wheels

  • rkshop on Wheels

October 15, 2014 October 15, 2014

Wipes Clog Pipes!

Central San’s Approach to the War on Wipes

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Central Contra Cost Central Contra Costa Sanit a Sanitar ary y District (Central San) District (Central San) Central Contra Cost Central Contra Costa Sanit a Sanitar ary y District (Central San) District (Central San)

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About Us About Us

  • Average Dry Weather Flow (2013): 33.8 MGD
  • Permitted capacity: 53.8 MGD
  • One of only 2 Sewage Sludge Incinerators in CA
  • Serve ~470,000 people and ~3,000 businesses in

a 146 mi2 service area

  • >1,500 miles of collection system
  • Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program
  • Collect ~2 million pounds of HHW each year
  • Recycled Water Program – 2.5 MGD peak
  • Average Dry Weather Flow (2013): 33.8 MGD
  • Permitted capacity: 53.8 MGD
  • One of only 2 Sewage Sludge Incinerators in CA
  • Serve ~470,000 people and ~3,000 businesses in

a 146 mi2 service area

  • >1,500 miles of collection system
  • Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program
  • Collect ~2 million pounds of HHW each year
  • Recycled Water Program – 2.5 MGD peak
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FOG + Baby Wipes = Fatberg FOG + Baby Wipes = Fatberg

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CONSUMER CONFUSION CONSUMER CONFUSION

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CentralSan Service Area CentralSan Service Area

Non-dispersibles Central San Service Area

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Central San’s Approach Central San’s Approach

Targeted Outreach Source Control General Outreach

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Targeted Outreach Process Targeted Outreach Process

Field Operator Reports Scheduler Notifies Engineer Engineer Traces Upstream Pipes & Generates Mailing List Reprographics Group Prints and Mails

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Blockage

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Blockage

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land use codes parcel address total potential contributing parcels

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TO CURRENT RESIDENT 5019 IMHOFF PL MARTINEZ, CA 94553

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Targeted Outreach Targeted Outreach

  • Scalable, affordable, effective outreach
  • Mailed 2,800 postcards in 2 years
  • De-ragging pump station pumps less frequently,

but installing grinder

  • Scalable, affordable, effective outreach
  • Mailed 2,800 postcards in 2 years
  • De-ragging pump station pumps less frequently,

but installing grinder

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Wipes – Source Control Case Studies

Colleen Henry Senior Environmental Compliance Inspector

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Several Ways to Identify a Wipes Issue Several Ways to Identify a Wipes Issue

  • Inspections of Commercial Facilities:
  • Assisted Living Facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Large Retirement Home Complexes
  • Collection System Maintenance Reports
  • Engineer’s sewer shed evaluation
  • Pump Station Maintenance Reports
  • Inspections of Commercial Facilities:
  • Assisted Living Facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Large Retirement Home Complexes
  • Collection System Maintenance Reports
  • Engineer’s sewer shed evaluation
  • Pump Station Maintenance Reports
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Case Study- Assisted Living Facilities in Moraga, CA Case Study- Assisted Living Facilities in Moraga, CA

  • Two assisted living facilities next door to

each other

  • Discharge to the Moraga Pump Station
  • Large residential sewer shed also

discharges to the Moraga Pump Station

  • Problems with clogged pumps from “rags”
  • Two assisted living facilities next door to

each other

  • Discharge to the Moraga Pump Station
  • Large residential sewer shed also

discharges to the Moraga Pump Station

  • Problems with clogged pumps from “rags”
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Inspections Inspections

  • Conducted inspections at both Assisted

Living facilities

  • Both use large (13.5” x 7.75”), non-flushable

wipes from a vendor

  • Both stated that staff are highly trained and

know not to flush wipes

  • HOWEVER, residents can buy the same

wipes from the vendor or other store-bought wipes for their personal use

  • Conducted inspections at both Assisted

Living facilities

  • Both use large (13.5” x 7.75”), non-flushable

wipes from a vendor

  • Both stated that staff are highly trained and

know not to flush wipes

  • HOWEVER, residents can buy the same

wipes from the vendor or other store-bought wipes for their personal use

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Field Investigations Field Investigations

  • Set-up two field investigations to catch

wipes in a downstream manhole:

  • 1:30pm-2:30pm, 1st event
  • 7:00am-8:00am, 2nd event (different day)

Used a “Wipe Catcher” to fish out wipes from the manhole

  • Set-up two field investigations to catch

wipes in a downstream manhole:

  • 1:30pm-2:30pm, 1st event
  • 7:00am-8:00am, 2nd event (different day)

Used a “Wipe Catcher” to fish out wipes from the manhole

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AL #1 AL #2 Manhole Investigation Pump Station Upstream residential sewer shed AL= Assisted Living

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“Wipe Catcher” “Wipe Catcher”

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Wipe Investigation Event #1 (1:30pm-2:30pm) Wipe Investigation Event #1 (1:30pm-2:30pm)

  • 1 wipe in 1 hour
  • Did not match

Assisted Living wipes sold by vendor

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Wipe Investigation Event #2 (7:00am-8:00am) Wipe Investigation Event #2 (7:00am-8:00am)

  • 3 wipes in 1 hour
  • 2 matched Assisted Living

wipes sold by vendor, 1 did not

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Wipe Investigation Conclusions Wipe Investigation Conclusions

  • A variety of wipes were flushed to the sewer
  • Vendor-sold, non-flushable wipes from the

Assisted Living facilities were flushed

  • Could not conclude the source of other

wipes

  • A longer field investigation is necessary to

determine variation in wipe type and time

  • f day
  • A variety of wipes were flushed to the sewer
  • Vendor-sold, non-flushable wipes from the

Assisted Living facilities were flushed

  • Could not conclude the source of other

wipes

  • A longer field investigation is necessary to

determine variation in wipe type and time

  • f day
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Wipe Investigation Follow-up Wipe Investigation Follow-up

  • Sent letter to Assisted Living Facilities asking

for their cooperation:

  • Immediately train all staff to never flush wipes

(flushable and non-flushable)

  • Keep an annual record of training
  • Provide outreach to residents (CCCSD offered to

speak at the facilities)

  • If the problem persists, they may be required to

implement costly alternatives, such as installing grinders

  • Sent letter to Assisted Living Facilities asking

for their cooperation:

  • Immediately train all staff to never flush wipes

(flushable and non-flushable)

  • Keep an annual record of training
  • Provide outreach to residents (CCCSD offered to

speak at the facilities)

  • If the problem persists, they may be required to

implement costly alternatives, such as installing grinders

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Case Study – Collection System Clog in Walnut Creek, CA Case Study – Collection System Clog in Walnut Creek, CA

  • Received a call from collection system crew

that a sanitary sewer plug occurred due to “rags”

  • Sewer shed includes multi-use residential,

commercial office buildings, one Assisted Living facility, one Nursing Home

  • Received a call from collection system crew

that a sanitary sewer plug occurred due to “rags”

  • Sewer shed includes multi-use residential,

commercial office buildings, one Assisted Living facility, one Nursing Home

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Inspection of Assisted Living Inspection of Assisted Living

  • Per interview with Executive Director:
  • They do not use flushable wipes and staff is

trained to never flush wipes of any kind

  • HOWEVER, residents buy wipes for their

personal use

  • Residents have clogged their own toilet with

wipes, to the point where the toilet needed to be removed to unclog it

  • Executive Director committed to providing
  • utreach to residents at their next monthly

meeting

  • Per interview with Executive Director:
  • They do not use flushable wipes and staff is

trained to never flush wipes of any kind

  • HOWEVER, residents buy wipes for their

personal use

  • Residents have clogged their own toilet with

wipes, to the point where the toilet needed to be removed to unclog it

  • Executive Director committed to providing
  • utreach to residents at their next monthly

meeting

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Follow-up Needed Follow-up Needed

  • Need to inspect Nursing Home on same

sewer shed

  • Need to follow-up with Assisted Living

facility to ensure outreach was provided or assist in providing outreach

  • Field investigation if problem continues to

identify type of wipe being flushed

  • Need to inspect Nursing Home on same

sewer shed

  • Need to follow-up with Assisted Living

facility to ensure outreach was provided or assist in providing outreach

  • Field investigation if problem continues to

identify type of wipe being flushed

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Conclusions Conclusions

  • Inspections show that commercial facility

employees understand that flushing wipes is not a good idea

  • Controlling the behavior of residents is

challenging

  • Field investigations are challenging due to

the many types of wipes and source identification

  • Inspections show that commercial facility

employees understand that flushing wipes is not a good idea

  • Controlling the behavior of residents is

challenging

  • Field investigations are challenging due to

the many types of wipes and source identification

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Ending on a good note: Outreach found at a Hospital Ending on a good note: Outreach found at a Hospital

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  • Smithers Apex predicts annual market growth

12% per year

  • Smithers Apex predicts annual market growth

12% per year

LOOK OUT !

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Final Thoughts Final Thoughts

  • NACWA, WEF, APWA and INDA reps have

formed a Technical Work Group to try to come to agreement on this issue.

  • Completed their 3rd and final in-person

meeting in late August 2014

  • Labeling
  • Flushability
  • Material?
  • Legal action?
  • Federal Trade Commission – False Claims
  • NACWA, WEF, APWA and INDA reps have

formed a Technical Work Group to try to come to agreement on this issue.

  • Completed their 3rd and final in-person

meeting in late August 2014

  • Labeling
  • Flushability
  • Material?
  • Legal action?
  • Federal Trade Commission – False Claims
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Questions?

Colleen Henry chenry@centralsan.org (925) 229-7347 Melody LaBella mlabella@centralsan.org (925) 229-7370