Wipes Clog Pipes! Central San’s 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 Cost Central Contra Costa Sanit Central Contra Cost Central Contra Costa Sanit a Sanitar a Sanitar ary ary y y District (Central San) District (Central San) District (Central San) District (Central San)
About Us About Us •Average Dry Weather Flow (2013): 33.8 MGD •Average Dry Weather Flow (2013): 33.8 MGD •Permitted capacity: 53.8 MGD •Permitted capacity: 53.8 MGD •One of only 2 Sewage Sludge Incinerators in CA •One of only 2 Sewage Sludge Incinerators in CA •Serve ~470,000 people and ~3,000 businesses in •Serve ~470,000 people and ~3,000 businesses in a 146 mi 2 service area a 146 mi 2 service area •>1,500 miles of collection system •>1,500 miles of collection system •Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program •Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program •Collect ~2 million pounds of HHW each year •Collect ~2 million pounds of HHW each year •Recycled Water Program – 2.5 MGD peak •Recycled Water Program – 2.5 MGD peak
FOG + Baby Wipes = Fatberg FOG + Baby Wipes = Fatberg
CONSUMER CONFUSION CONSUMER CONFUSION
CentralSan Service Area CentralSan Service Area Non-dispersibles Central San Service Area
Central San’s Approach Central San’s Approach Targeted Outreach Source Control General Outreach
Targeted Outreach Process Targeted Outreach Process Field Operator Reports Scheduler Notifies Engineer Engineer Traces Upstream Pipes & Generates Mailing List Reprographics Group Prints and Mails
Blockage
Blockage
land use codes parcel address total potential contributing parcels
TO CURRENT RESIDENT 5019 IMHOFF PL MARTINEZ, CA 94553
Targeted Outreach Targeted Outreach • Scalable, affordable, effective outreach • Scalable, affordable, effective outreach • Mailed 2,800 postcards in 2 years • Mailed 2,800 postcards in 2 years • De-ragging pump station pumps less frequently, • De-ragging pump station pumps less frequently, but installing grinder but installing grinder
Wipes – Source Control Case Studies Colleen Henry Senior Environmental Compliance Inspector
Several Ways to Identify a Wipes Several Ways to Identify a Wipes Issue Issue • Inspections of Commercial Facilities: • Inspections of Commercial Facilities: •Assisted Living Facilities •Assisted Living Facilities •Hospitals •Hospitals •Schools •Schools •Large Retirement Home Complexes •Large Retirement Home Complexes • Collection System Maintenance Reports • Collection System Maintenance Reports •Engineer’s sewer shed evaluation •Engineer’s sewer shed evaluation • Pump Station Maintenance Reports • Pump Station Maintenance Reports
Case Study- Assisted Living Case Study- Assisted Living Facilities in Moraga, CA Facilities in Moraga, CA • Two assisted living facilities next door to • Two assisted living facilities next door to each other each other • Discharge to the Moraga Pump Station • Discharge to the Moraga Pump Station • Large residential sewer shed also • Large residential sewer shed also discharges to the Moraga Pump Station discharges to the Moraga Pump Station • Problems with clogged pumps from “rags” • Problems with clogged pumps from “rags”
Inspections Inspections • Conducted inspections at both Assisted • Conducted inspections at both Assisted Living facilities Living facilities •Both use large (13.5” x 7.75”), non-flushable •Both use large (13.5” x 7.75”), non-flushable wipes from a vendor wipes from a vendor •Both stated that staff are highly trained and •Both stated that staff are highly trained and know not to flush wipes know not to flush wipes • HOWEVER, residents can buy the same • HOWEVER, residents can buy the same wipes from the vendor or other store-bought wipes from the vendor or other store-bought wipes for their personal use wipes for their personal use
Field Investigations Field Investigations • Set-up two field investigations to catch • Set-up two field investigations to catch wipes in a downstream manhole: wipes in a downstream manhole: •1:30pm-2:30pm, 1 st event •1:30pm-2:30pm, 1 st event •7:00am-8:00am, 2 nd event (different day) •7:00am-8:00am, 2 nd event (different day) Used a “Wipe Catcher” to fish out wipes from the Used a “Wipe Catcher” to fish out wipes from the manhole manhole
This image cannot currently be displayed. Upstream residential sewer shed AL #1 AL #2 Manhole Investigation Pump Station AL= Assisted Living
“Wipe Catcher” “Wipe Catcher”
Wipe Investigation Event #1 Wipe Investigation Event #1 (1:30pm-2:30pm) (1:30pm-2:30pm) • 1 wipe in 1 hour • Did not match Assisted Living wipes sold by vendor
Wipe Investigation Event #2 Wipe Investigation Event #2 (7:00am-8:00am) (7:00am-8:00am) • 3 wipes in 1 hour • 2 matched Assisted Living wipes sold by vendor, 1 did not
Wipe Investigation Conclusions Wipe Investigation Conclusions • A variety of wipes were flushed to the sewer • A variety of wipes were flushed to the sewer • Vendor-sold, non-flushable wipes from the • Vendor-sold, non-flushable wipes from the Assisted Living facilities were flushed Assisted Living facilities were flushed • Could not conclude the source of other • Could not conclude the source of other wipes wipes • A longer field investigation is necessary to • A longer field investigation is necessary to determine variation in wipe type and time determine variation in wipe type and time of day of day
Wipe Investigation Follow-up Wipe Investigation Follow-up • Sent letter to Assisted Living Facilities asking • Sent letter to Assisted Living Facilities asking for their cooperation: for their cooperation: •Immediately train all staff to never flush wipes •Immediately train all staff to never flush wipes (flushable and non-flushable) (flushable and non-flushable) •Keep an annual record of training •Keep an annual record of training •Provide outreach to residents (CCCSD offered to •Provide outreach to residents (CCCSD offered to speak at the facilities) speak at the facilities) •If the problem persists, they may be required to •If the problem persists, they may be required to implement costly alternatives, such as installing implement costly alternatives, such as installing grinders grinders
Case Study – Collection System Case Study – Collection System Clog in Walnut Creek, CA Clog in Walnut Creek, CA • Received a call from collection system crew • Received a call from collection system crew that a sanitary sewer plug occurred due to that a sanitary sewer plug occurred due to “rags” “rags” • Sewer shed includes multi-use residential, • Sewer shed includes multi-use residential, commercial office buildings, one Assisted commercial office buildings, one Assisted Living facility, one Nursing Home Living facility, one Nursing Home
Inspection of Assisted Living Inspection of Assisted Living • Per interview with Executive Director: • Per interview with Executive Director: •They do not use flushable wipes and staff is •They do not use flushable wipes and staff is trained to never flush wipes of any kind trained to never flush wipes of any kind •HOWEVER, residents buy wipes for their •HOWEVER, residents buy wipes for their personal use personal use •Residents have clogged their own toilet with •Residents have clogged their own toilet with wipes, to the point where the toilet needed to wipes, to the point where the toilet needed to be removed to unclog it be removed to unclog it •Executive Director committed to providing •Executive Director committed to providing outreach to residents at their next monthly outreach to residents at their next monthly meeting meeting
Follow-up Needed Follow-up Needed • Need to inspect Nursing Home on same • Need to inspect Nursing Home on same sewer shed sewer shed • Need to follow-up with Assisted Living • Need to follow-up with Assisted Living facility to ensure outreach was provided or facility to ensure outreach was provided or assist in providing outreach assist in providing outreach • Field investigation if problem continues to • Field investigation if problem continues to identify type of wipe being flushed identify type of wipe being flushed
Conclusions Conclusions • Inspections show that commercial facility • Inspections show that commercial facility employees understand that flushing wipes employees understand that flushing wipes is not a good idea is not a good idea • Controlling the behavior of residents is • Controlling the behavior of residents is challenging challenging • Field investigations are challenging due to • Field investigations are challenging due to the many types of wipes and source the many types of wipes and source identification identification
Ending on a good note: Outreach Ending on a good note: Outreach found at a Hospital found at a Hospital
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