The Clark County Water Reclamation District is reminding the community to stop flushing personal wipes, even those with “flushable” on the packaging.
During the recent “run” on toilet paper in local stores (and emphasis on disinfecting surface areas), many customers have increased their purchase and use of personal wipes. General Manager Tom Minwegen said, “We know personal wipes are popular and effective, but please throw them in the trash.”
The District’s collection and treatment teams are observing more wipes getting into the pipelines and treatment facilities. “Simply put,” Minwegen continued, “Wipes clog pipes”. The personal care products do not dissolve in the water, and cause stoppages in the system. Crews are cleaning the wipes out of lift (pump) stations multiple times each week, in addition to the thousands that get through the pipes into the treatment facility. Crews recently responded to a residential customer whose sewer lateral was clogged with wipes causing a backup into the home.
Currently operating with reduced staffing, the District is carrying out its mission of collecting, treating and returning safe and clean water back to Lake Mead. The increased flushing of personal wipes increases the potential for a stoppage and a sewage overflow.
About the District:
The agency services the unincorporated portions of Clark County, within the Las Vegas Valley, as well as the communities of Blue Diamond, Indian Springs, Laughlin, Moapa Valley and Searchlight. The District collects and treats wastewater utilizing more than 2,100 miles of pipeline, six treatment facilities and 24 lift stations, producing more than 100 million gallons of clean water each day.