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Popular Bathroom Wipes Blamed for Clogs, Backups in Sewers Across US

 Increasingly popular bathroom wipes — pre-moistened towelettes that are often advertised as flushable — are being blamed for creating clogs and backups in sewer systems around the nation.
Wastewater authorities say wipes may go down the toilet, but even many labeled flushable aren’t breaking down as they course through the sewer system. That’s costing some municipalities millions of dollars to dispatch crews to unclog pipes and pumps and to replace and upgrade machinery.

EPA Fact Sheet Available for Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR)

The USEPA has a great deal of regulatory information available on their website www.epa.gov.  Of importance to many Operation Specialists’ currently is the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR).  EPA has a Fact Sheet available that addresses the revised regulation including timelines, monitoring requirements, and regulatory reporting.  To access an electronic version of the Fact Sheet please go to the following link:

Gas Drilling

Each year the Green Panel, consisting of more than a dozen environmental groups, identify bills of special significance known as “super bills”.  This year the  Environmental Conservation Committee listed the “Fracking Moratorium and Health Impacts Assessment” as a super bill.

The bill would enact a moratorium on certain types of natural gas drilling until May 15, 2015, and require the completion of a comprehensive health impact assessment.  This legislation (A.5424-A Sweeney) passed the Assembly, but the Senate has not yet taken action.