Flushable Wipes and Septic Systems

If you want to avoid septic problems in your home, you should know the facts about Flushable Wipes and Septic Systems. Non-breakable wipes put a lot of stress on your plumbing system, which may eventually cause it to fail. The same applies to municipal septic systems. Read on to learn more. Also, you should learn about SafeFlush Technology, Fatberg, and Disintegration tests.
Disintegration tests

There are seven important criteria for flushable wipes to pass. One of them is the disintegration rate between the home and the first pump station. The wipes must dissolve in 30 minutes to 60 minutes, based on a Consumer Reports study. While a plunger can dislodge the wipe blockage, it will only do so temporarily. In the end, flushable wipes can damage a septic system and cause a repair bill of hundreds of dollars.

Many lawsuits are being filed over the word “flushable.” Sewerage authorities claim that flushable wet wipes do not break down and are causing major problems in municipal sewage systems. They clog private sewer lines and septic tanks, interact with fats and other waste materials, and cause sewer blockages, overflows, and plastic pollution. The chief sewage operator in New York City issued a ban on flushable wipes and other non-compliant hygiene products. Observance of these rules can help prevent a clog in the inlet baffle.
SafeFlush Technology

Despite their chipper packaging, flushable wipes pose a potential danger to septic systems. Some manufacturers claim that their wipes contain SafeFlush Technology, which breaks down the wipes immediately after flushing, to prevent clogging. Yet, this is a question that utilities have not answered. Here’s an explanation of why flushable wipes are potentially harmful to septic systems.

The best flushable wipes are biodegradable, which means they will break down easily and break down into a harmless compound. In fact, most wipes are made of plant-based fibers, so they won’t clog the system or end up in a landfill. Ideally, your wipes will be biodegradable to reduce their impact on the environment.
Pumping costs

The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which handles sewage for 1.8 million residents, recently spent $1 million on grinders to break up wipes and other waste that could clog pumps in treatment facilities. The pumps can be overloaded and clogged easily, but not when the wipes are small enough to fit through the machine. Pumping costs for septic systems and flushable wipes are often linked. DC Water, the District’s water and sewer agency, has reported that they had to replace or repair 2,500 pumps in the last year, and that there was a 35 percent increase in the number of broken pumps over the past few years.

While manufacturers of “flushable” wipes have long touted their convenience, pumpers, septic system operators and homeowners alike have been battling the woven wipe material for years. Wipe manufacturers have been reaping millions of dollars while pumping companies waste manpower cleaning stubborn wipes off bar screens, septic tanks, and suction hoses. These problems can lead to expensive pump repairs and costly sewage back-ups into homes, basements, streams, and even rivers.
Fatberg

If you don’t know what a fatberg is, think of a large mass of non-biodegradable waste in your septic system. Fatbergs are not only painful to deal with, but also highly expensive – they can cost thousands of dollars to remove and repair. But how do you prevent these buildups? First, don’t flush fats, oils, grease, or “flushable wipes” – they can clog your system.

The wipes can clog your pipes and cause blockages. A blockage in your septic system can damage your plumbing system, causing it to backup and overflow. It can also lead to holes and corroded pipes. Even worse, it can cause tough clogs, making it nearly impossible to clear. Ultimately, you may be stuck with a new septic system.
Rate increases

Recently, flushable wipes have become a popular alternative to traditional toilet paper. Though they have long been used for baby bottoms, these products are now being sold to the general public as a safe toilet paper alternative. Despite their packaging, wastewater professionals disagree. They contend that wipes do not break down like regular toilet tissue. This is bad news for septic systems, which means that the costs associated with cleaning them are rising.

The problem began when toilet paper manufacturers began marketing moist wipes as flushable. In response, they began receiving complaints from enraged consumers. These products include Charmin Freshmates, Cottonelle Fresh, and Scott’s Flushable Wipes. The problem with these products is that they can cause blockages in septic systems and have little to no impact on the environment. To combat the problem, manufacturers have been forced to settle more lawsuits.