In August of 2016, the Orem wastewater treatment plant had its first experience with what was soon to be dubbed the Phantom Dumper.

While never caught, although there was a bounty on Dumper’s head, the non-toxic masses of fibrous goo the Dumper was putting in the sewer system continued causing havoc with the city’s filtration system.

While there has not been new evidence of the main Phantom menace, there is still a concern that Orem and municipalities around the world harbor numerous phantoms and most don’t even know they are one.

Neal Winterton, Water Resource Division manager, wants residents to know that items like flushable wipes, are not always flushable.

“We don’t have as big a problem as the Phantom Dumper,” Winterton said. “But we do have residents call us about clogged sewer pipes all the time.”

Typically the clogs come from either tree roots or baby wipes, according to Winterton. There are, however, many other things that get flushed that can cause major clogs in lateral pipes, including hair, grease, hygiene products, paper towels and more.

“We call them fatburgs, the giant blocks of grease that get stuck in the pipes,” Winterton said. He added that items like wipes get stuck or caught on the grease and soon the sewer lines to a home are clogged.

The clogs usually, if bad, flow back into the home, most often causing damage to basements, carpets, wallboard, etc.

Orem residents should follow the 3-P’s in the potty rule; pee, poo and paper (toilet), according to Winterton. That is all that should be flushed down a toilet.

With homeowners responsible for sewer pipes and connections to the city main, typically running up the middle of the road, a clog from even one or two baby wipes can cost several hundred to thousands of dollars.

When it comes to dumping and clogging, Winterton said, “Clogged-up equipment is a significant problem at our lift stations. Orem has eight.

“We want people to call us so we can help them understand where the problem is,” Winterton said.

While the city monitors what comes in through the sewer system to the wastewater treatment plant on a daily basis, Winterton wants to make sure that all those unknown Phantom Dumpers out there understand what their responsibility is to make sure the sewer system runs efficiently.