Your primary reaction may be to dispose of any leftover liquids down the drain when you need to clean up after a meal or a project. However, pouring certain materials down your drain can really damage your plumbing system and the environment. Harmful chemicals, specifically, can wreak havoc on your pipes and wastewater treatment, producing costly repairs for you and giving the water treatment facility a lot of difficulty. So, how does wastewater treatment work, and what can you do to avoid adding harmful chemicals to the wastewater in your community? Let’s address 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 when you shower. Wastewater treatment is the method of cleaning this water so that it can be reused or returned to the environment.
Wastewater treatment is critical because it protects our drinking water, keeps our rivers and lakes fresh, and protects the environment from harmful pollutants. Flushing harmful substances down the drain rapidly contaminates our water resources and diminishes their pristine condition.
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 congeal your pipes, generating clogs that block water flow. They can also gather inside your pipes, in due course leading to leaks and an unhappy property manager. The effective method to dispose of grease and cooking oil is to place it into a heat-resistant container and toss it in the trash.
- Paint. Paint can contain harmful chemicals that contaminate the water and the environment. It can also clog your pipes, which will demand a lot to fixes. If you have leftover paint, approach your local waste management office about how to correctly dispose of it.
- Household cleaners. Household cleaners typically contain poisonous materials that can damage your plumbing system and the environment. Once you’re done using a household cleaner, release 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 disposed of correctly, it can infect our drinking water. The excellent approach to discard medication is to send it to a local pharmacy for disposal.
- Car fluids. Car fluids can encompass dangerous chemicals that damage water and the surroundings. They can also damage your car if they leak into the engine or other areas of the vehicle. If you want to dispose of car fluids appropriately, you need to bring them to a local garage or auto parts store for disposal.
Obeying these essential rules can help protect your plumbing system and the environment. As the adage states, “When uncertain, discard it!”
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