If you need to clean up after a meal or a project, your initial reaction may be to flush any leftover liquids down the drain. Yet, pouring certain materials down your drain can totally damage your plumbing system and the environment. Harmful chemicals, for instance, can wreak havoc on your pipes and wastewater treatment, causing costly repairs for you and multiple issues for the water treatment facility. So, how does wastewater treatment work, and what can you do to avoid adding harmful chemicals to the wastewater in your neighborhood? Let’s look into those inquiries and identify the top 5 things you should never pour down the drain.
Why Care About Wastewater?
Wastewater is any water that has been used and is now contaminated. This involves water from your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, washing machine, and even the water that goes down the drain when you shower. Wastewater treatment is a method of cleaning this water so that it can be reused or returned to the environment.
Wastewater treatment is vital as it protects our drinking water, keeps our rivers and lakes fresh, and protects the environment from harmful pollutants. When you throw harmful substances down the drain, you directly add to the contamination and deterioration of our water resources.
5 Things You Should Never Pour Down the Drain
The top 5 things you should never pour down your drain are:
- Grease and cooking oil. Grease and cooking oil can freeze in your pipes, creating clogs that block water flow. They can also expand inside your pipes, eventually leading to leaks and an unhappy property manager. The most effective way to dispose of grease and cooking oil is to throw it into a heat-resistant container and discard it in the trash.
- Paint. Paint can contain harmful chemicals that affect the water and the surroundings. It can also clog your pipes, causing expensive repairs. If you have leftover paint, visit your local waste management office to learn how to dispose of it perfectly.
- Household cleaners. Household cleaners often include hazardous substances that can damage your plumbing system and the setting. When you’ve finished using a household cleaner, dump any leftover liquid into a container and discard it in the trash.
- Medication. Medication can pollute the water and harm aquatic life. If it’s not correctly disposed of, it can also come to in our drinking water. The most effective way to dispose of medications is to bring them to a local pharmacy for disposal.
- Car fluids. Car fluids can have toxic substances that poison the water and the soil. They can also damage your car if they spill into the engine or other components of the vehicle. The best method to dispose of car fluids is to send them to a local garage or auto parts store for disposal.
Taking these basic steps can help protect your plumbing system and the environment. Keep in mind that, when in hesitation, always dump it out!
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Originally Published on Oct 14, 2022
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