Clark Lake sunrises and sunsets can be awesome. But this article is about neither. When you talk to the people who service the sewers, they will tell you that another Dawn holds special respect.
How so?
Try this. If a little gas or oil spills onto the water, you immediately see it spread its many colors. Next, apply a drop of Dawn. Within seconds, the mini oil spill disappears. A search of the internet reveals how this chemical action works. Here’s one of the explanations: “…detergent is composed of molecules with one end that is attracted to water and one end which is attracted to oils. Oils and water normally don’t want to mix, but the detergent acts like an intermediary and forms tiny bubble membranes around the oils, allowing them to be washed away by the water.”
Sewer techs will tell you that grease is the enemy of Clark Lake’s grinder pumps. They caution against letting any oily material go down the drain. But if oil derivatives are accompanied by Dawn, the problem is mitigated. Why Dawn? It has earned kudos from many directions. One of them was an NPR piece that dealt with birds contaminated by oil. When Dawn was applied, it removed the problematic grease or oil, but didn’t harm the bird (or the skin of humankind).
Conclusion? Dawn to the rescue. (This is not an ad).
Below Andrew, a DPW tech, on a sewer call yesterday.
Sewers continue to be a controversial topic in Columbia Township and Jackson County. Rates keep going up, and the troublesome SRI issue looms. But one thing is sure. The techs working for the Brooklyn DPW are dedicated to their tasks. They often work in unpleasant, Mike Rowe-type situations. These everyday heroes are also on guard 24/7. And that’s a good thing for every dwelling. A malfunctioning grinder pump can cause sewage to back up into your house. In conjunction with Columbia Township, the DPW has developed an easy-to-use emergency plan. When a call comes into 517-592-CRAP (2727), quick action follows.
This video, recorded in December 2020, illustrates the installation of a replacement pump, and how the work must be done in any weather.
Very informative, and entertaining as well.
Thanks Rick! Quick response time is great.
Nice article. The DPW workers who have answered our calls for ‘Help’ have swiftly arrived and stayed until the jobs’ completion – even though darkness had long-since fallen.
Our being mindful of what CAN go down the drain as well as what shouldn’t can benefit our entire lake community.
Thanks go to the workers who come to our rescue (even though they know that they’ll be doing ‘the dirty work’) and to Rick for reminding us of our responsibility.