Protecting Our Wastewater Treatment Plant

Your wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is one of the Village’s most important public facilities. Every drop of wastewater from homes and businesses is collected, cleaned, and treated before it is safely returned to the environment. This protects public health, local waterways, and the community we all share.

The plant uses specialized pumps, filters, tanks, and other equipment that operate continuously to clean wastewater.

After wastewater leaves your home, it travels through the Village’s sewer system to the wastewater treatment plant. There, it passes through several treatment stages that remove debris, naturally clean the water using beneficial microorganisms, filter out remaining particles, and disinfect it before it is safely released back into the environment.

The entire process depends on specialized equipment working together every day. When materials such as wipes, rags, or other debris enter the system, they can interfere with this process and damage the equipment that keeps the plant operating.

The wastewater treatment plant protects public health, keeps our waterways clean, and helps preserve the environment for future generations. Without proper treatment, wastewater could pollute streams, groundwater, and natural habitats.

Protecting the plant also protects taxpayer dollars. Preventing damage helps reduce costly repairs, keeps the system operating reliably, and allows Village resources to be used where they are needed most.

Protecting the wastewater treatment plant starts with simple everyday habits. Flush only toilet paper and natural waste, dispose of wipes and other household items in the trash, and keep grease, fats, and oils out of your drains.

Small actions taken by every household make a big difference. Working together, we can help keep the wastewater system operating efficiently while protecting our community and the environment.

Despite their name, products labeled “flushable” do not break down like toilet paper. Although they may pass through your home’s plumbing, they often remain intact as they travel through the sewer system, where they damage pumps, clog equipment, and increase maintenance costs.

The place for every wipe—including baby wipes, cleaning wipes, disinfecting wipes, and products labeled “flushable”—is the trash, not the toilet.

Knowing what belongs in the sewer system is one of the easiest ways to prevent costly damage.

DO NOT FLUSH:

• Baby Wipes
• “Flushable” Wipes
• Cleaning Wipes
• Disinfecting Wipes
• Paper Towels
• Tissues
• Napkins
• Cotton Swabs
• Dental Floss
• Cooking Grease
• Fats & Oils
• Food Scraps
• Medications
• Cigarette Butts
• Hair
• Rags or Cloth
• Bandages
• Plastic or Latex Gloves
• Any Other Household Trash

The equipment used to operate a wastewater treatment plant is highly specialized and expensive to repair or replace. Damage caused by improper flushing can require emergency repairs, replacement parts, and much maintenance.

Just this fiscal year, 2025–2026, the Village has spent over $300,000 in taxpayer dollars to fix problems caused by the wipes. This is an amount nearly as high as the full annual cost of operating the plant!

A properly operating wastewater treatment plant helps keep local streams, wildlife, and natural resources healthy by ensuring wastewater is thoroughly treated before it is returned to the environment.

By protecting the wastewater system, we are also protecting the environment that our families, neighbors, and future generations depend on every day.

Protecting Bloomingburg’s wastewater treatment system is a community effort. Every resident, business, and visitor can help by making responsible choices about what goes down the drain.

Together, we can protect our infrastructure, preserve our environment, reduce unnecessary costs, and ensure a reliable wastewater system for years to come.