Problems And Solutions To Wipes In Wastewater Treatment Systems

Blockages often occur in residential and municipal sewer systems from accumulation of disposable wipes in wastewater treatment systems. The pipes, pumps and other equipment that process flushable waste in wastewater treatment systems are often not capable of handling such waste.

Disposable wipes have a variety of different uses – from sanitary cleansing to make-up removal. The appeal of disposable wipes is that they are easy to dispose of and are often now being labeled as “flushable.” There is an active debate and now many lawsuits surrounding whether or not wipes branded as “flushable” are able to biodegrade quick enough to run efficiently through sewerage systems. Several studies over the past several years have provided evidence to suggest that wipes branded as “flushable” are clogging wastewater systems.  This white paper examines the following areas surrounding this issue:

• Quick Facts and Statistics
• Background: “Flushable” Wipe Clogging
• Lawsuits on the “Flushable” Wipe
• Solutions for Wastewater Treatment Systems
• Case Study: The City of Scotts Valley sewage treatment plant
• Conclusion