Raw sewage makes a run for WSUV...

[Waterbuffalo]

Interesting article.. thought some of you might be interested, especially our felida resident, Karma!

Tuesday, February 05, 2008
BY ERIK ROBINSON, Columbian staff writer

A tree root growing into a sewer line last week caused 400,000 gallons of raw sewage to spill near a nature trail on the campus of Washington State University Vancouver.

The Clark Regional Wastewater District, notified of the spill shortly before noon Wednesday, dispatched a crew to clear out and repair the underground line and sop up the spill over the next two days, district engineer Chuck McDonald said. On the advice of the Clark County Health Department, workers spread sandy loam atop the area affected by the spill.

The sewage burbled out of a manhole cover slightly uphill from a half-mile-long natural wetland in the southeast corner of the school property.

to read more, go here:

http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/02/02052008_Blocked-sewer-line-causes-spill-on-WSU-campus.cfm

[Chief]

yah. Another one of the many daily joys that munincipal employees face every day. I occasionally fish for sturgeon with a group of guys who work for the City fixing malfunctions just like this, and I'm sure they are dedicated guys, but you could not pay me enough to do what they do...

[karma]

Hate to say this but if one looks at the design of this trunk line that the Felida NA sold off for park benchs one would of seen there was going to be a problem with this all the way up to WSU out there in Mt. Vista. Ya know sewer does run up hill here in Clark County!! It just amazes me what one would cram in such a small pipe, how many houses does this now run for?? But again the FNA got those park benches??

[Waterbuffalo]

"Hate to say this but if one looks at the design of this trunk line that the Felida NA sold off for park benchs one would of seen there was going to be a problem with this all the way up to WSU out there in Mt. Vista. Ya know sewer does run up hill here in Clark County!! It just amazes me what one would cram in such a small pipe, how many houses does this now run for?? But again the FNA got those park benches??"

Well if it runs up hill Karma, it must flow eventually downhill right if there is a leak?

Sounds like Felida NA got the good end of the deal. They don't have to deal with this kind of mess any more but may have to pay HIGHER fees to keep it maintained.

Chief, couldn't disagree with you.. No one could pay me to clean up such a mess.

[karma]

Buff, it's just good fertilizer? For years they spread this over farmers' fields?

[Waterbuffalo]

You mean Biosolids?

Do you know how much metals and other stuff is in that crap that's in poop? Please don't tell me you don't know that, that stuff is worse than the superfund site at Alcoa???

/me bites his tongue.. Karma check out why Pennsylvania and other states are banning the spread of that stuff..

[karma]

But Buff, CC thinks that stuff is safe!!

[Waterbuffalo]

Are you using IT in YOUR garden?

I wouldn't touch it with a 100 ft. swimming pool cleaning pole.

What ever gets stuck down the toilet because that fertilizer.. Cooked for several weeks to kill the bugs and bacteria, there is still enough nasties to leave me to wonder why ANY one would want to stick that stuff near GMO crops or your plantings..

[karma]

Buff, why those 'gifted' folks in Ashley Heights are rolling in it as those fields out there is where they used a lot of it. LOL They don't tell the folks what was used in the fields prior to going in for approval and if folks knew this well what can one say?? Heck folks don't even check and believe what the Real Estate folks tell them. My favorite is the guy out there that thinks the bio stormwater pond is where he can sail his boat? Or the nice elderly couple that think that major pipeline out there is the one that hooks them up to gas, ya know ya just love these folks???

[Waterbuffalo]

Ahh.. someone is feigning ignorance up there?

Guess I will just have to enjoy my 24/7 of ambulance, fire engines, Clark County Sherriff, VPD and Washington State Patrol sirens and lights as they scream by my place.

You keep your biosolid spreaders and sewage spills. Looks like we'll get to enjoy our own slices of heaven...

[karma]

Buff, they don't even know what will happen if this should explode and yes it's within the sewage pipeline range too!! Whom was the crazy person that thought of putting the Treatment Plant out there should be held responsible for this whole mess?? Isn't this the same X-Commissioner whom's wife ran the 911 center and approved all the developement in this area and them became a partner with the developer??

[Waterbuffalo]

Oh well.. You get to live next to the explosives and farts plant eh? Did they get a process to go out and build a methane burning plant on top of it and than use the electricity into the plant?

Hope you enjoy the Heaps of overflow of love..

[karma]

Buff, do you honestly think I live that close to one of those?? I did my homework before I bought!! Ya know dead end lane, in an older neighborhood, with curb appear and a huge lot! I can see ya coming and love how folks get lost trying to find us.

More news as to why from DOE as a warning?. . . . .

Put your pipes on a fat-free diet

YAKIMA – It’s not something we think about when we pour leftover grease down the drain, but wastewater treatment plant operators across the state wish folks would put their pipes on a fat-free diet.

Most blockages in sewer systems can be traced to the presence of fats, oils, and grease, creating sewage spills and sewage overflows both onto private property and into city streets. It can also mean more frequent pumping of septic tanks.

Many people believe that pouring grease down the drain and following it with lots of hot water will keep the fats liquefied and carry them safely through the pipes. This is not true. Fats, oils, and grease cool down very quickly and can solidify after traveling only a few feet.

Raw sewage in the pipes will attach to fats, oils, and grease, creating impenetrable globs that back up sewer lines. These globs of fat and waste are difficult to disinfect at treatment plants and can allow disease-causing pathogens to enter nearby streams, lakes, and rivers.


“Cleanups are difficult and costly,” explained Lynda Jamison, a water-quality specialist with the Washington Department of Ecology. “Blockages can cause raw sewage to back up into streets and possibly even into homes and businesses.”

You can help keep fats from clogging pipes by disposing grease properly:
* Never pour fats, oils, or grease down the drain.
* Never flush fats, oils, or grease down the toilet.
* Always put grease in the trash.

Pour hot oils or grease into heat-proof containers, such as a tin can, and cool before putting it in the trash. You may even freeze the grease for easier disposal. Wipe greasy pans and dishes with paper towels before washing them and throw the paper towels into the trash to keep as much grease as possible out of your drains.

These tips can help prevent expensive plumbing repairs and sewage overflows. You can save yourself some repair bills, keep our rivers and streams clean. Put your pipes on a fat-free diet. Dispose of grease properly.

[Waterbuffalo]

You bought a big lot size with a huge house on it.. Wonder if its going to be a subdividable property?

With the need for Ridgefield, La Center and Clark Country Public utilities to invest hugely in new sewer plant and lines in that area, right off the Felida bluff is a good place to put another sewer plant that's geographically located between several junctions and outflow right into the Vancouver Lake just like the City of Vancouver does after the waste is properly treated.

To your comments on sticking fats down drain pipes.. Yes, I just need to have to call Roto-rooter to nake the pipes out because some idiot flooded with a non-soluable fat that will cram the sides of the pipe and will be a bear to clean out or up.

Better yet, just follow Karma's idea, cool it off the grease, stick it in some thing that be capped and stick it in the trash.

[karma]

Buff, Our property is just right for those new condos and I have been told with the removal of the house 4 would fit nicely here. I think my neighbors would love this idea, don't you?? We then would have density at it's finest!!

[Waterbuffalo]

What's stopping you from pursuing such an idea and moving to Kelso?

[karma]

Whom wants to move to Kelso?????

[Chief]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/SeniorChieftain/slap.gif

::)

[Waterbuffalo]

Thanks Chief #2.....

[karma]

Ya know males think out of one side of their brains??
Yes, any property can be subdivided by the current conditions here in Clark County for the density! No I'm not moving until the conditions are right, remember development here has hit the skids. Big headlines in the rag if you missed them? Heck they can't sell what is out there and the forclosures if you don't read the daily notice are up there? Why would one want to move to Kelso when all the folks that did live here are headed north?

[Waterbuffalo]

Karma, may be #1 I don't read the local paper every day because I don't feel it represents my view of our community. Same thing I think you would agree with me on?? (May be one of the few.)

I have sat for the past two years in every tom, dick and harry meeting that has been offered in Clark County.

AND IF you saw what I just saw at RTAC this morning with the projections of where they are planning to build, finance and make new roads, you might want to grab the hubby and go. Because your sitting right in the area they are looking to start making moves on.

And moving to Kelso might not even be further enough to be out of the way..

On your comments on "Long Range planning." Might be on another thread..

I do agree with you, there are places like that.

But you and I just have to admit, we have two different thought processes on where this county is going..

[Waterbuffalo]

By the way, How's the Biosolids Swale going on out there?

[karma]

Buff, to be well rounded on the issues one should read it and other information don't ya think? One doesn't have to agree, laughing is permitted!!

[Chief]

I read it every day on the outside chance they might actually stumble across something worthwhile. It's always good to know what is going on in my own back yard and since I comment on things in the Community, I feel a responsibility to know what's going on. I hold my nose and feed the quarter in the slot every day and read whatever it is they put out.

Then I read the Oregonian to find out what's really going on....

In any case, I agreed to mention the columbian as little as possible here and I try to stick by my word on that...


8)

[Waterbuffalo]

I'll take your same tact Chief but I tend to read state and region wide.. Why not know what other counties other than Oregon are doing around us?

I think there is more of a dearth on the subject than any thing else.

What ever did happen to our sewer subject discussion, did it flow down a different path of topics than the original one? :)