Wastewater Services
Rdn Alerts

Be Sewer Smart

Liquid Logo Be conscientious about how you use water in your home and business. Good stewardship will protect our natural resource and reduce maintenance costs to you and to the community at large. Good stewardship includes practicing: Apple sm BE SEWER SMART AT HOME!

Here are some actions residents can easily implement to help protect the environment and reduce the demands on our municipal pollution control facilities.

Whether you live in an area serviced by a Sewer System or have an on-site Septic Field, please follow these SEWER SMART guidelines:

  1. In general, avoid flushing anything that is not organic in nature.
  2. Don't flush Fats, Oil or Grease (FOG) down the toilet or sewer. These products are an increasingly common cause of overflows and backups because they can block wastewater flow through pipes. This can lead to health hazards and threaten the environment.
  3. Avoid the use of garbage disposal systems (garburators). Using these can overload the sewer lines and treatment plants with solids, resulting in increased chemical usage for treatment, strain on liquid waste facilities, and contamination of the marine environment.
  4. Don't flush gasoline or diesel into the sewers, apart from the extreme danger of fire or an explosion, it could disable the treatment process and lead to excessive pollution.
  5. Don't flush paints or solvents down the toilet. Dispose of these materials at proper hazardous waste disposal sites.
  6. Do keep the toilet seat down if small children are present to prevent them from throwing small toys into the toilet.
  7. Do use bio-degradable products such as dish soap and laundry detergent.
BE SEWER SMART AT WORK!

Sewer System Stewardship For Restaurants And Food Processing Industry

Fats, Oil, and Grease (FOG)

Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) can cause serious problems for sewer collection systems. FOG can cause blockages in internal drains and in municipal sewage collection systems.
Where does FOG come from?
FOG FOG (Fats, Oil, and Grease) are a natural consequence of cooking and also occur naturally in many foods. FOG can be found in such things as:
  • Meat fats
  • Lard
  • Cooking Oil
  • Butter and margarine
  • Shortening
  • Food scraps
  • Baking goods
What are the consequences?
Fats, oil and grease are frequently poured down the sink because the warm fats and vegetable oils are lipid and can be poured. It may not appear harmful but as the liquid cools, the grease solidifies and causes build-up inside pipes; becoming a hardened mass. This build-up restricts the flow of wastewater and clogs pipes.
What can I do?
The easiest thing you can do is keep grease out of the sewer system by following these guidelines:
  1. Never pour grease down the sink drain or into the toilet. Allow grease to solidify in a container and, once hardened, dispose of it in your compost bin.
  2. Scrape grease and food scraps into your compost bin for disposal.
  3. Do not put grease down garburators for disposal. These units only shred solid material into smaller pieces and do not prevent grease from blocking pipes or contaminating wastewater.
  4. Use a strainer in the sink to catch food scraps and other solids.
  5. Speak with friends and neighbours about the problem of grease in the sewer system and how to keep it out.
Click Here to view our Food Services Sewer Discharge Requirements brochure.

Hazard WHERE CAN YOU DISPOSE OF HAZARDOUS WASTES?

For more information on Local Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites: How can I get more information?
Contact the Liquid Waste Department
Nanaimo Area: (250) 390-6560
Parksville/Qualicum Beach Area: (250) 954-3792
Toll Free in BC: 1-877-607-4111
Fax: (250)390-1542
E-mail: liquidwaste@rdn.bc.ca
Last Modified:  Nov 23, 2011
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