Slideshow: Wipes clog up SC wastewater system

The Charleston Water System is reminding people that wipes are not flushable - despite what the label may say. They posted multiple photos of their expedition into the sewage system to remove loads and loads of wipes.

They said a team worked 24/7 for days trying to get out all of the wipes at the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Plant on James Island. They documented the removal on Facebook.

They said that they started by using a series of bypass pumps to handle the normal daily flow. It took the bypass pumps three days to get the wet well back to normal levels.

After using the bypass pump, they sent divers 80-90 feet deep into the wet well (raw sewage) to search with their hands for the obstruction. This is when they found masses of wipes.

They said in a Facebook post they were expecting the obstruction to be wipes because of problems in the past. 

The divers also found a baseball and a big piece of metal. 

"Don't flush stuff like this. Joking of course, but you should only flush #1, #2, and toilet paper. The photo looking down into a pool of wastewater shows many other non-flushables. We made this pic low-res for your benefit," they said in a post.

They also shared photos of "wipe removals" from years past. 

After the divers did the "dirty deed", they took a "refreshing bleach bath". They said operations then returned to normal at the plant.

According to Post and Courier, one New York-based law firm, Robbins Geller, has launched a class-action lawsuit against misleading claims from the wipe industry. The lawsuit says the marketing of wipes is misleading, causing consumers to believe the wipes are flushable, when in fact, anything woven is not flushable.

Nonwoven, biodegradable wipes are able to break down in water because they are similar to toilet paper. However, most commercial wipes are woven and are more cloth-like.

The glop is not just wipes - it's also tampons, hair, string, makeup pads, oil, fat and grease. 

Copyright 2018 KXXV. All rights reserved.