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Bluewater Water Sanitation District
Customer Newsletter – Winter 2025

Protect Our System – Flush Only the Three P’s: Pee, Poo, and (toilet) Paper

Dear Bluewater Water Sanitation District Customer,

Your wastewater collection and treatment system is designed to handle only human waste and toilet paper. Many common household items that are poured or flushed down drains and toilets are causing serious and expensive damage throughout our collection system.

Items That Should Never Go Down the Drain or Toilet

• Feminine hygiene products (tampons, pads, etc.)
• “Flushable” wipes (even if labeled flushable)
• Paper towels, cleaning wipes, or baby wipes
• Grease, fats, oils, and food scraps
• Paints, solvents, chemicals, and medications
• Dental floss, cotton balls, or Q-tips
• Cat litter or aquarium gravel

How These Items Harm the System
These materials do not break down in water. Instead, they:

• Wrap around and clog sewer pumps, forcing emergency repairs and overtime crews.
• Build up in pipes, creating blockages that can lead to sewer backups into homes and streets.
• Coat the inside of sewer lines with hardened grease (“fatbergs”), reducing flow capacity.
• Interfere with the beneficial bacteria at our treatment plant that naturally break down waste. When the biology is disrupted, treatment becomes less effective and more costly.

Every repair and pump replacement is paid for through customer rates. Protecting the system together keeps everyone’s bills as low as possible.

The Hidden Cost of a Leaky Toilet
A running or leaking toilet can waste thousands of gallons per month without being noticed. One Bluewater customer recently discovered a faulty flapper valve that was allowing water to run continuously. Their normal monthly bill of $135–$140 jumped to $185 in a single billing cycle—an extra $45–$50 for water that simply disappeared down the drain. A 10-minute repair saved them hundreds of dollars per year. If your toilet runs after flushing or you hear it refilling frequently, please repair it promptly or contact us for guidance.

Winter Tips to Protect Your Pipes and Our System
Cold weather increases the risk of problems in both your home plumbing and our collection system. Please remember:

• Never pour grease or cooking oil down the drain—holiday meals create more grease than usual, and it hardens quickly in cold pipes. Let it cool, then scrape into the trash.
• Run a small trickle of water during extreme cold to prevent your own pipes from freezing; even a pencil-sized stream helps.
• Keep outdoor sewer cleanouts and your home’s main shut-off valve accessible—clear snow and ice so crews can reach them quickly if needed.
• Avoid using chemical drain cleaners; they can damage pipes and harm the treatment process.
• If you will be away for an extended period, have someone check your home regularly for leaks or frozen pipes.

What You Can Do Today

• Flush only human waste and toilet paper.
• Scrape grease and food scraps into the trash; wipe pans with a paper towel before washing.
• Dispose of wipes, chemicals, and medications in the garbage or at proper drop-off locations.
• Check toilets for silent leaks (place a few drops of food coloring in the tank—if color appears in the bowl without flushing, you have a leak).

Thank you for doing your part to keep our collection system flowing smoothly, especially during the winter months, and for helping keep rates affordable for all.

If you have questions or need assistance, please call our office at (505) 658-5092 or visit www.bluewaterwsd.org.

Sincerely,

Paul Spencer
President, Board of Directors
Bluewater Water Sanitation District