Here’s What’s Causing Bloomfield’s Sewer Backups: Officials

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield municipal officials think that they’ve found the culprit behind a recent increase in “sewer backups” in the township: grease.

On Thursday, Bloomfield officials issued a plea to local business owners and residents, asking them not to dispose of grease in their toilets or sinks. Instead, people should throw away grease in the trash, especially if their pipes are old, officials said.

According to a joint news release from the Township Health and Human Services Department, in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and the Department of Engineering:

“Last year the township did a sewer cleaning and lining project in the Staples shopping area on Bloomfield Avenue, using machinery to clean out the sewer, put a slip lining that creates new room for sewage to flow… The township is also replacing broken sewer mains, to more effectively get waste to the Passaic Valley Sewage Authority in Newark. But business owners can also take simple measures to make sure they are not contributing to sewer backups. In fact, they have to.”

According to Bloomfield officials:

“Per a township-wide ordinance (link is external) adopted by the Bloomfield Board of Health in 2003, ‘Grease trap cleaning shall be done biweekly. A maintenance log including the time, date and signature of the person performing the cleaning shall be kept on the premises and... All food establishments must employ at their own expense a licensed plumbing inspector to conduct an annual inspection of their grease traps and connecting wastewater lines to ensure that waste oil and grease is being adequately removed from the wastewater being discharged into the sewer system and the wastewater being introduced into the sewer system is less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit.’”

The Passaic Valley Sewage Authority performs yearly inspections of Bloomfield food establishments. Licenses must be renewed for the future year, with late fees imposed by the Bloomfield Health Department, municipal officials said.

• See related article: Bloomfield Struggles With Water Contamination (What Comes Next?)

“The vast majority of grease blockages are caused by restaurant grease traps, but several incidents recently have been caused by improper disposal of grease in residences,” Bloomfield Director of Human Services Karen Lore said.

“Therefore, my department and all of the township departments are asking residents to be sure not to flush grease down toilets or sinks, but rather dispose of it in a small sealed container and--if possible--freeze, or refrigerate until solid, before placing in the trash,” Lore continued. “Clogged pipes lead to sewer backups, which can cause the township and homeowners thousands of dollars to fix, if not more.”

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page here.

Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Shutterstock