Hartford Road Update – Please Help Us

As reported previously, the new Hartford Road Sanitary Sewer Force Main replacement project (the “Project” – located between (roughly) Route 38 and Union Mill Road) is substantially complete and has been working as expected. However, in May we experienced an operational problem related to the replaced sewer force main that was decommissioned as part of the Project.

On May 31st, pumps at the MUA’s nearby Larchmont pump station (located at the intersection of Hartford and Union Mill roads) were rendered non-operational, becoming completely clogged by “flushable” wipes. During our emergency response to address the clogged pumps, sewage flow was inadvertently redirected into the decommissioned force main, causing it to leak. Hartford Road was immediately closed to vehicles for evaluation and clean up, and was re-opened to traffic the following day. The MUA recognizes the inconvenience and regrets the continued closure of Hartford Road as we resolve sewer issues like these.

But, we need your help. Manufacturers of disposable wipes label their products as “flushable” and have spent hundreds of millions in advertising dollars convincing us of that. What they don’t tell us is that these products do not break down when they enter our sewer systems. This was the root cause of the May 31st clog at Larchmont pump station. The truth is this - with the increased use of “flushable” wipes over the past decade, our related wastewater emergencies have increased ten-fold. Put simply, toilet paper is made to break down in the wastewater system, while “flushable” wipes do not. And because they do not, these wipes must be removed as part of the treatment process, many times by hand. Please help us by only flushing toilet paper down your toilets.

Moving forward, additional work is planned at Larchmont pump station in the short term, which we do not anticipate having any significant impact on traffic flow. Our long-term plans include additional force main replacement in the adjacent section of Hartford Road. As we have done in the past, the MUA will provide information regarding detours of Hartford Road as they become necessary.



Clearing “Flushable” Wipes from one of 3 Clogged Pumps at Larchmont PS



MUA Employee Removing “Flushable” Wipes from Larchmont PS