A new wastewater treatment plant has not stopped the Village of Keremeos from having to make expensive repairs a regular event as people in the village continue to flush unsafe items down the drain.
The village issued a public notification followed by a post to social media calling on residents to stick just to human waste and toilet paper in their toilets, no matter whether something claims it is flushable or disposable.
"Public Works staff are spending far too much time unclogging and repairing mechanical components of our new waste water treatment system from its current number one enemy: Wet Wipes," the Village wrote in its post to social media.
In an email, the village confirmed the costs for the repairs for 2024 were more than $23,000, which included having to replace one pump entirely.
The village's sewer system services about 550 households, and the fees are in the process of being increased for the first time since 2015 by 10 per cent to $275 for a single family dwelling.
While clogs at the system's lift stations caused by the wet wipes can be an issue and lead to stoppages, the bigger issue is a clog in the pumps will cause the wipes to be ground down and leave behind abrasive fibres that damage the equipment.
The fibres then collect in the screens, pumps and augers at the new treatment plant.
"The labour that is involved averages about $1,200 to $2,900 per week specific to this issue," the Village's public works manager said in an email.
In 2021, the Village had to replace the main lift station's pump to the tune of $13,675, which didn't include the labour costs for callout time for the staff or the staff time to un-seize it and diagnose the damage.
The lift stations across the community are necessary parts of the sanitary sewer system, pulling waste up and pumping it over to the wastewater treatment plant for treatment.
Separately, the Village has also faced issues of excess fats, oil and grease building up and requiring pump trucks to haul away the excess, with an update to the sewer bylaw requiring and granting enforcement power to ensure restaurants have grease interceptors installed.
