Wipes Labeling Bill Signed into Law
On April 11, 2023, Governor Polis signed the wipes labeling bill that Metro has been supporting (SB-23-150).
The bill will become effective August 7, 2023, after a waiting period. The bill will go a long way to help educate Coloradans about what should and what should NOT be flushed.
Metro’s Kim Cowan provided testimony to the Business, Labor, and Technology Committee of the Colorado State Senate last Tuesday. Her testimony explained Metro’s support for a law to require “Do Not Flush” labeling on wipes packaging in Colorado.
Erin Bertoli, our Governmental Affairs Liaison, led Metro’s legislative efforts in support of SB23-150. Eagle River Water and Sanitation District worked with State Senators Dylan Roberts (D) and Perry Will (R) to have the bill introduced.
Kim’s Testimony
Metro employees are well aware that anything flushed down the sewer pipes — besides toilet paper — can be detrimental not only to Metro’s facilities but also for customers’ pipes.
As the Northern Treatment Plant (NTP) Director of Operations and Maintenance, Kim sees her team on the frontlines of battling wipes clogging NTP’s solids processing equipment every day. Since the NTP started up six years ago, employees have had to disentangle and remove wipes and rags from equipment frequently, causing disruptions and excess work.
Kim shared a statement of Metro’s support for this bill, focusing on the challenges that we have seen at our facilities, especially the impacts on safety to our employees who have to clean and repair the plant’s equipment, pipes, and tanks. She emphasized her testimony by giving the committee a fact sheet showing photos (see below).
Find out more about why wipes are not flushable in the fact sheet below.
