Over the past 50 years our diets have changed for a multitude of reasons as explained by Dr. Sara Heger in the December 2024 Pumper Magazine in the story titled “How Does Diet Affect Septic Systems“. In the article Dr. Heger explains how our diets may contain more Fiber which adds to the solids content of our wastewater. How Fat has changed in our diets and based on the type and quantity of fat, how this can effect our pipes, tanks, and lines. And how Protein contributes to nitrogen and phosphorus comes into the wastewater and could causes issues downstream of the septic tank.
The article is about septic tanks, but I would offer that the same things that can cause issues in our septic systems — fats, oils, nitrogen, phosphorus — can also have some of the same issues with municipal wastewater treatment systems (or sewers). The issues may not be as concentrated as in a septic system, but the clogging with FOG (fats, oils, grease) along with other things we send down the drain can cause clogged pipes from the drain t the sewer and in the sewer itself. A story on the effect of FOG and other things in drains can be seen in the story titled “What is a Fatberg? The Gross Grease Giants Threatening Cities“.
Overall, as our diets change, we need to be aware of part of what we eat will end up in our waste and in our septic systems and sewer systems.
