By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
GREAT BEND — In November, City of Great Bend staff observed water spewing out of a sewer manhole. After investigating the issue, crews found out a clog developed because the main line was full of disposable wipes and grease.
As cooking revs
up during the holidays, Public Works Director Jason Cauley reminds citizens to
refrain from pouring fats, oil or grease down the drain. Cauley added even if
the disinfectant or baby wipes say flushable on the package, they’re not flushable.
"They do not degrade in the sewer line," said Cauley. "They just build
and collect. That starts collecting that grease you're pouring down the
drain. Pretty soon, we have a main line that's plugged or even your own
home line. No one wants that over the holiday season when you have a
houseful of people."
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfectant wipes were used
frequently. Cauley said larger metropolitan areas had issues with the wipes
getting flushed.
"I'm sure everyone has seen on Facebook of these huge mountains of
flushable wipes that they pulled out of their sewer system," said
Cauley. "We really didn't have too much of an issue."
Cauley encouraged residents to properly dispose of wipes and grease in the
trash.
Cover image courtesy Pixabay