SPRINGFIELD, MO. – Springfield Environmental Services has its own sewage Santa Claus.
Although he puts on his Santa hat at this time of year to raise awareness about sewer maintenance and keep the sewer system running, Mike DeLong’s job is year-round. He is the head of the City of Springfield’s sewage collection system.
Canal Santa has brought some gifts that all homeowners can find helpful.
According to Springfield Environmental Services, a bathroom trash can and a lid on a grease can can help you avoid clogged sewer pipes and costly repairs.
Canal Santa says nothing but human waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Everything else belongs in the trash can in your bathroom.
Hygiene products and especially “flushable cloths” are harmful to your pipes and can lead to blockages in your private side pipes, which in turn can lead to backwater in your house and also to considerable problems in the city’s sewer system.
A grease lid can help you properly dispose of fats, oils, and fats (or FOG) by pouring them into a can or glass and throwing them in the trash.
The mist from your kitchen can combine with other items in our sewers to create huge fatty clogs that can cause significant sewage stagnation and damage.
Environmental Services strongly recommends that you contact the licensed plumber to arrange an inspection of your home’s side pipes. Inspections are generally inexpensive compared to the problems you can avoid, and cost around $ 100.
Secret Santa encourages you to have a plumber with a camera to inspect your pipes and to let you know if there are any problems or upcoming maintenance that you may be responsible for in the coming year.
If all of the above fail, use a plunger! But you don’t want to let it get that far – especially when the house is full at Christmas!
The city’s environmental department says all of these tips can help homeowners avoid home problems and costs. Still, they help keep the city’s sewage system flowing and protect the water quality of streams and rivers by helping to reduce sewer overflow.
For more tips on year-round use, see www.springfieldmo.gov/sewersanta
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