During these challenging times, Central Florida residents are doing their best to stop the spread of the Conornavirus by washing our hands and sterilizing frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, countertops, and faucets, in their home.
The problem? All these cleaning and antibacterial products end up going down the drain and are disrupting the delicate septic system. Other ictuses include, the paper towels and disinfectant wipes that end up going down the toilet, instead of the trash can.
All this results in raw sewage in the bathtub, backed up drains, and gurgling toilets.
What’s wrong with cleaning products?
Today’s antibacterial soaps, laundry detergents, and household cleaners are all designed to kill bacteria and germs, though great for cleaning your home, not so good for your septic system. These cleaners keep doing their job long after you put them down the drain, killing the necessary bacteria in the septic tank responsible for breaking down solid waste, paper, fats and grease into liquid form. A drop in the tank’s bacteria level will cause a host of problems from an emergency in your bathroom to the drain field not working.
What’s Wrong With Wipes and Paper Towels?
Jim Bunsey, chief operating officer of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District warns, “Flushable wipes are not truly flushable. They might go down the drain, but they do not break up like regular toilet paper.”
“Even wipes labeled ‘flushable’ will clog pipes and interfere with sewage collection and treatment throughout the state,” according to the California State Water Resources. “Flushing wipes, paper towels and similar products down toilets will clog sewers and cause backups and overflows at wastewater treatment facilities, creating an additional public health risk in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic,”
A recent article in The New York Times, ‘Americans Coping With the Coronavirus Are Clogging Toilets’ said, “clogged sewer lines are more than just a headache for residents cooped up in their homes during a pandemic. Spills flow into lakes, rivers and oceans, where they can harm public health and the environment.”
