Officials: Wipes cause costly sewer backups in Sacramento County
ELK GROVE, Calif. —
It’s a costly and messy sewer problem. Wipes of all kinds, even the ones labeled “flushable,” are not disposable and end up clogging sewer pipes.
According to the Sacramento Area Sewer District, the wipes bind with grease and roots, causing massive backups.
“It’s all hands on deck for us to come in here and clean this station once a year, because it is that bad,” Clark explained.
Crews first have to plug the lines that flow to this pump station, then they drain the water. Finally, a crew member physically goes down into the sewer to clear the wipes and other gunk.
“We’re seeing the problem now. We’re trying to do what we can to address this issue,” said Rosemary Clark, Sacramento Area Sewer District director of operations.
Officials were at an Elk Grove pump station, on Lakepoint Drive, for its annual maintenance operation. The station is considered one of the district’s problem areas.