What causes sewer laterals to overflow?
Sewer laterals can become clogged and overflow for a variety of reasons: • Tree and/or bush roots wrapping around the sewer line • Disposal of items into sink and/or toilet that clog the drain: • Feminine hygiene items, including tampons and pads • Baby wipes and diapers • Paper towels • Dental floss • Disposable towels • Foods not meant for the garbage disposal such as chicken bones, corn cobs and egg shells • Cooking grease • Children’s toys All food scraps and non-dissolvable items should be thrown in a trash or compost bin instead of down the drain. Kitchen cooking grease should never be thrown down the drain. Instead, cooking grease should be kept in a tin or glass jar and then thrown in the garbage. In Carlsbad, about 50 percent of the 20 to 25 lateral line problems that the City hears about annually involve tree roots. The other 50 percent of problems are caused by people dumping grease or other substances down the drain.
