Your Sewer Cleanout: Your sewer cleanout should remain accessible in case a problem develops that requires our assistance. Renovations should never make your cleanout inaccessible.

Responsible Sewer Use: Which of the following can be properly disposed of by flushing down a toilet?

• houseplant leaves and clippings;
• silt or mud;
• rags;
• human or animal hair; tea bags, coffee grounds, filters;
• cooking grease or animal grease;
• cigarettes, cigars, butts;
• kitty litter;
• solvents, paint;
• sanitary napkins;
• tampon applicators, plastic;
• tampon applicators, cardboard;
• tampons;
• disposable diapers;
• condoms;
• boxes, packaging, wrappers

ANSWER: NONE OF THEM!! It does not matter what you have been told or what it says on the package, these items do not biodegrade during the time spent in the wastewater collection and treatment systems. They cause blockages in sanitary sewer service connections, mains and pumping stations, causing backups into homes, and unnecessary discharges to the environment. They foul valves and pumps, resulting in many thousands of dollars in maintenance and repair costs each year.

The answer should be applied as a guide for homes which use on-site disposal (septic tanks and disposal fields). These items do not quickly biodegrade and therefore take up space and they may interfere with the normal operation of your septic tank and disposal field. They may also interfere with tank maintenance and may detrimentally affect the municipal system when or if the sludge is finally disposed of into the Rothesay system.

For the environmentally conscious, the general rule is: If you did not eat it first, you should find another way to dispose of it.

A Special Note about Grease: By a large margin, the biggest problem related to residential sewer lines, and most of the maintenance necessary in our collection system is caused by greases and cooking oils being poured down drains and flushes. Hot oils, even when accompanied by hot water from kitchen taps, quickly cool and attach to service laterals and collection pipes. These decrease the space for the wastewater, and sometimes combine with papers, tissues, and other materials to form blockages. These require crews working full time to keep the mains clear, and result in a lot of overtime calls to very distraught home and business owners.

The cost, which is added to your water bills, is significant. Other costs might include personal property and insurance claims resulting from sewer backups. The damage doesn`t stop there either as these products do not biodegrade fast enough to be removed efficiently in a wastewater treatment plant.

So, for those who are responsible, cost-sensitive, and/or environmentally conscious, putting grease and oil down the drains is not appropriate.

For additional information about sewer back-ups call the Town Hall at 848-6600.