If you need to clean up after a meal or a project, your first impulse may be to pour any leftover liquids down the drain. However, pouring certain materials down your drain can seriously damage your plumbing system and the environment. Harmful chemicals can especially wreak havoc on your pipes and wastewater treatment, resulting in costly repairs for you and more trouble for the water treatment facility. So, how does wastewater treatment function, and what steps can you take to avoid adding harmful chemicals to the wastewater in your neighborhood? Let’s go over these issues and list 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 can include water from your kitchen sink, bathroom sink, washing machine, and even the water that goes down the drain after you take a bath. The goal of wastewater treatment is to clean this water so that it can be reused or returned to the environment.
Wastewater treatment is crucial because it protects our drinking water, keeping clean our rivers and lakes, and protects the environment from harmful pollutants. Disposing of harmful substances down the drain has a direct impact on our water resources, it results in pollution and depletion.
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. Clogs that block water flow can be caused by the solidification of grease and cooking oil in your pipes. In addition, they have the potential to gather within your pipes, eventually leading to leaks and a furious property manager. The best means to dispose of grease and cooking oil is to dispense it into a heat-resistant container and throw it in the waste cans.
- Paint. Paint can contain harmful chemicals that poison the water and other natural resources. It can also clog your pipes, which can be quite expensive to fix. If you have leftover paint, contact your local waste management office to learn how to dispose of it in an eco-friendly manner.
- Household cleaners. Harsh chemicals found in many household cleaners can damage your plumbing system and the environment. Put any leftover liquid from a household cleaner into a container and dispose of it properly after use.
- Medication. Medication can pollute the water and harm aquatic life. If it’s not disposed of correctly, it can also go down in our drinking water. Taking unused medication to a local pharmacy for disposal is the recommended course of action.
- Car fluids. Car fluids include compounds that are toxic to aquatic life and the environment. Additionally, they can damage your car if they seep into the engine or any other component within. A recommended approach to dispose of car fluids is to take them to a local garage or auto parts store for disposal.
Complying with these uncomplicated recommendations can help protect your plumbing system and the environment. Always discard something if you are unsure about its validity.
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