Tablelands Regional Council is battling nasty blockages at some of their sewerage pump stations and Mayor Joe Paronella says it’s a situation that can be easily avoided.
“Disposable nappies, baby and sanitary wipes, and incontinence pads don’t belong in our sewerage network,” he said.
“They do not decompose and instead get caught in our pumps, which causes blockages and sewage overflowing into gutters, drains and yards.
“Worst case scenario is that we don’t get there in time and the sewage ends up in our waterways.
“I’m pretty sure no-one wants to see that happen.
“It’s not fair on our staff either, who have to remove the pump and clear the blockage by hand.
“Disposable nappies, incontinence pads, wipes and other sanitary items need to be wrapped and placed in the red-lidded bins for collection.
“Only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed into our sewer system,” said Mayor Paronella.
The Water Supply (Safety & Reliability) Act 2008 states it is an offence to dispose of these items via the sewerage system and substantial penalties apply.
