The wastewater treatment plant at VanBibber Lake can treat over 100,000 GPD. Though we typically run somewhere around 35,000 GPD - 60,000 GPD.

In 2002, VBLCD bought the wastewater services and built a new treatment facility. The wastewater plant began operating in July of 2002. Prior to 2002, the wastewater plant was a 'package plant' which couldn't handle the daily load.

Common problems with the wastewater collection system (sewer)

Roots

Roots inflitrate at pipe seams and through corroded pipe. You can call VBLCD and have the line snaked, this is only a temporary solution. You can easily do the job yourself by using copper sulfate - you can dump it down the toilet drain.

Some items that shouldn't be flushed or washed down the drain.

The following list contains items that should not be flushed or pured down the drain at VanBibber Lake. Good rule of thumb: never flush anything but human waste and toilet paper. The following are items people commonly think are okay to flush but aren’t.

  • Sanitary Products - Coupled with a few roots and they’ll clog your pipes fast.
  • Disinfectant wipes - It might seem like an intuitive thing to flush, but wipes (baby wipes, facial wipes included) are made of materials that don’t break down. They can get snagged or bunched up together and clog up your pipes.
  • Femminine Hygen products - These items will not break down and will cause clogs in your pipe
  • Prescription Drugs and Over-The-Counter Medications - The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) advises you to dispose of medications by sealing them in a plastic bag and disposing of them in the trash. (While you’re thinking about what is in our water system, consider reading about water filtration systems and why even the Obama administration advises home owners to install water filters.)
  • Diapers - Don’t even think about it. Your chances of a nasty clogged toilet are astronomically high.
  • Paper Towels - We know it’s convenient to swipe the bathroom counter and toss the paper towel down the toilet, but you’re playing Russian roulette with a clogged pipe. Paper towels, even if torn into little pieces and flushed separately (which wastes a lot of water) will not break down and will cause clogs in your pipe.
  • Facial Tissue - Facial tissue doesn’t break down like toilet paper does, but there’s yet another reason not to flush it: to save water. It’s never a good idea to use the toilet as a trash can. You’re wasting anywhere from 2-5 gallons of water every time you flush.
  • Condoms - These cause more problems that you’d imagine, because they get tangled up in other stuff and cause clogged pipes.