Wastewater and Grinder Pumps

Whether you have a grinder pump or use the Municipal wastewater system, do not put the following items down the drain, sink or toilet:

• Baby wipes and disposable diaper liners
• Band-Aids, wrappers
• Bulky food
• Cigarettes
• Colostomy bags
• Condoms
• Cotton balls, swabs
• Dental Floss
• Feminine products (sanitary pads, tampons and applicators)
• Grease, Fats and oils
• Hair clippings or clumps
• Hazardous chemicals
• Latex gloves
• Metal, glass, cloths, napkins, or rags
• Paper towels or wipes
• Razors
• Sand or cat litter

Please do not flush any kind of wipes, diaper liners, hygiene products or cleaning pads. Instead, place them in the trash. Although marketed as disposable or flushable, wipes and hygiene products can clog and stop the sewer line on your property and cause blockage and service problems in the public sewer system and pump stations. Unlike toilet paper, these products do not break down.

Fats, oils and grease can cause serious problems for the sanitary sewer system. Grease poured down the sink or toilet is often a warm liquid which may not appear harmful but as the liquid cools, the grease solidifies which restricts flow, causes buildup, and clogs pipes.

• Scrape grease and food scraps from trays, plates, pots and pans into a can or trash basket for disposal
• Wipe out greasy pans with a paper towel before putting them into the sink to soak
• Never pour grease down the sink drain or into the toilet
• Do not use hot water to rinse oil or grease because once the grease and water cool, the grease deposits onto the sides of the sewer pipes, creating a problem
• Use a strainer in the sink to catch food scraps and other solids

When these unwanted products make their way into the public wastewater system, they start collecting up. This causes very large obstructions in the main collector lines that can get tangled in pump stations. If you put any of these items down your drain, sink or toilet, you risk:

• Damaging the grinder pump
• Flooding your sewage system
• Creating an unwanted mess in your basement
• Requiring costly repairs or replacements of the sewer equipment

Please contact the Public Works Department at least 2 business days in advance, to request to have your Municipal water turned off or on.