Have you ever wondered how large of an impact flushing wet wipes has on US clean water facilities?
Although the package reads "flushable", wet wipes clog pipes, negatively affecting the sewer system. In 2019, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), along with other water associations, conducted a nationwide study of the impact of wet wipes on the operating costs of America’s clean water agencies. The study found that wipes result in $441 million a year in additional operating costs at US clean water utilities.
California, along with 7 other states, account for about half of the total US costs of wipes and clean water utilities pay an average of about $100,000 a year in additional operating costs because of flushed wipes. Within California, San Diego was the second largest contributor to the extra costs associated with flushing wipes, comprising nearly $3.3 million of California's total cost at $47 million.
Read the full report here: https://casaweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/govaff-3-cost_of_wipes-1.pdf
Find more educational, legislative, and utility focused resources here: https://www.flush3p.org/
National Association of Clean Water Agencies | California Association of Sanitation Agencies