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It may not be visible from above ground, but in the bowels of Kaipara’s wastewater networks, rag monsters and fat-bergs are causing havoc and costing ratepayers money.
Kaipara District Council operations manager Donnick Mugutso says the only things going down the toilet should be the three P’s – pee, poo and toilet paper.
“Anything else, including rags, sheets, wet wipes, sanitary items, clothing and general waste, do not belong in your toilet,” Mugutso says.
“Flushing them through the system blocks pipes and does terrible and costly damage.”
Mugutso says wastewater networks are designed to process biodegradable waste, not items such as sheets, rags and underwear, which don’t break down easily.
“Rag monsters seem to be on the rise.”
Each time a blockage occurs, Council contractors have to dig up, repair and refit the wastewater grinder pumps. If rags manage to make it through the grinder pumps, they land in the wastewater treatment ponds, causing capacity issues as layers build up over time and compromise the treatment processes.
According to Water New Zealand, around $16 million each year is conservatively estimated to be spent on unblocking wastewater pipes across the country.
Rag monsters are created from a mix of items that are not meant to be flushed down a toilet. Wet wipes are one of the commonest nuisance items. Fat-bergs, made up of cooking oils, food waste and other solids also cause blockages.
Mugutso urges kitchen users to dispose of these in a compost bin or rubbish bin, rather than down the sink.
