Divers swim 90 feet into sewage tank to remove massive fatberg
- 6 years ago
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA — A team of lucky divers were tasked with the job of plunging 90 feet into sewage tanks to remove a big old fatberg.
According to ABC 7, the Charleston Water System dumped the news over social media last week that specialized divers at the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Center had to be sent into a wet well to unclog a bunch of pumps backed up by a huge mass of flushed wet wipes.
The divers had to make their way through 90 feet of raw sewage with zero visibility and find the source of the blockage with only their hands.
And what did they find waiting for them? A massive fatberg of baby wipes, oil, fat, grease, tampons, string, hair and makeup pads.
According to officials, the biggest culprit in the fatberg was definitely the wet wipes.
It took the divers several fun-filled trips to extract the massive clumps of sewage-soaked wipes and clear the pumps.
According to the utility, the operation took several days of around-the-clock work to get everything moving again.
For a reward, the divers were treated to a proper hosing down from head to toe with bleach.
According the Charleston Water, the only things you should be flushing are #1, #2 and toilet paper. Words of wisdom to live by.
According to ABC 7, the Charleston Water System dumped the news over social media last week that specialized divers at the Plum Island Wastewater Treatment Center had to be sent into a wet well to unclog a bunch of pumps backed up by a huge mass of flushed wet wipes.
The divers had to make their way through 90 feet of raw sewage with zero visibility and find the source of the blockage with only their hands.
And what did they find waiting for them? A massive fatberg of baby wipes, oil, fat, grease, tampons, string, hair and makeup pads.
According to officials, the biggest culprit in the fatberg was definitely the wet wipes.
It took the divers several fun-filled trips to extract the massive clumps of sewage-soaked wipes and clear the pumps.
According to the utility, the operation took several days of around-the-clock work to get everything moving again.
For a reward, the divers were treated to a proper hosing down from head to toe with bleach.
According the Charleston Water, the only things you should be flushing are #1, #2 and toilet paper. Words of wisdom to live by.