Page 3 - Clean Water Advocate February/March 2013
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A Clear Commitment to America’s Waters
43
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retreatment professionals should plan now to join their col-
leagues at the NACWA’s
National Pretreatment & Pollution
Prevention Workshop
, May 15-17, in Portland, Oregon. As the
National Pretreatment Program enters its fourth decade,
utility pretreatment programs are finding themselves with new re-
sponsibilities and challenges, while still maintaining their tradi-
tional functions.
Panels to Examine Ongoing & Emerging Issues
Presentations at the
Workshop
will cover both traditional pretreat-
ment topics, as well as new issues of increasing relevance to pretreat-
ment programs. While setting local limits has been a core function
of pretreatment programs since the beginning, but utilities are still
challenged when new industries move in or unusual pollution situa-
tions arise. In the panel presentation,
Not Your Typical Discharger: Case
Studies for Local Limits
, utilities will demonstrate how they have dealt
with an array of unique circumstances. In
Clearing the FOG: Different
Strategies for Different Sources
, panelists will discuss the strategies used
to reduce FOG from both domestic and commercial sources.
Flushable wipes and other non-dispersible products are an increas-
ing problem for utilities, causing clogged pipes and pumps and in-
creased maintenance costs. Since most of these products are flushed
in people’s homes, public education and improved labeling of prod-
ucts are essential components to solving this problem. Panelists
in
Toilets are Not Trash Cans! Preventing Inappropriate Flushing
will up-
date Workshop participants on the efforts by NACWA, the Water
Environment Federation (WEF), and the American Public Works
Association (APWA) to work with manufacturers and retailers on
better “no flush” labeling and to educate the public on the appropri-
ate uses of toilets and trash cans.
In addition to other informative panels, the
Workshop
will feature
three roundtable sessions: one for participants to meet with other
pretreatment professionals from their EPA Region, and two for dis-
cussing common issues faced by other utilities. These opportunities
to network make the
Workshop
an invaluable experience.
A complete agenda for the
Workshop
– as well as registration, hotel,
and travel information – are available on NACWA’s
The
group rate of $155 per night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Portland is
available until Tuesday, April 23, and reservations may be made by
calling the hotel directly at 503.281.6111 or by visiting the
and identifying yourself as a NACWA participant.
Pretreatment & Pollution Prevention Workshop Offers
Unique Opportunity
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any consumer products, whether labeled as “flush-
able” or not, are flushed down the toilet and
then cause expensive problems in the sewer sys-
tem. NACWA has been working with the Water
Environment Federation (WEF) and the American Public Works
Association (APWA) on strategies to address this problem.
Flushable wipes have been one of the primary areas of focus of
NACWA, WEF, and APWA, as these products are clearly labeled as
safe to flush, but do not readily disperse in the sewer system. When
clean water agencies try to educate their customers that only toilet
paper should be flushed, the labeling on these wipes presents a con-
flicting message. While voluntary standards exist for the nonwoven
fabrics industry to determine whether their products should be la-
beled “flushable” or not, many utilities do not find these standards
sufficient. NACWA and WEF have worked with INDA, the nonwo-
ven fabrics association, on revising these standards.
NACWA, WEF, and APWA representatives, working with Costco,
have been successful in securing the agreement of the large national
retailer to modify the labeling of some products to include a “no
flush” logo. As a result, new packaging began appearing this year on
wipes that are not advertised as flushable. The associations plan to
talk to other retailers about package labeling, with a goal of promi-
nent “no flush” logos on all products that are commonly flushed.
Legislative Strategy Also Being Pursued
NACWA is also investigating a strategy to pursue national legisla-
tion that would require “no flush” logos on these types of products,
and also to potentially address the products that claim to be flush-
able. Efforts in Maine and California to pass this type of legisla-
tion were unsuccessful, but given the significant costs to clean water
agencies and the lack of regulation of these products, national legis-
lation may gain momentum.
The Association has established a resources page at
with videos, educational materials, presentations, and
other information about flushable wipes and other non-dispersible
products. Clean water agencies can reference these materials and
send in their own resources to post on the page as well. For addition-
al information or to share new resources, please contact NACWA’s
Director, Regulatory Affairs, Cynthia Finley at
NACWA Works with WEF, APWA on
Flushable Product Challenges
