Hockey sticks, hard hats and a python among the unusual items found in Hamilton sewer

A recent storm-spurred equipment failure at Hamilton's water treatment plant led to 48 million litres of raw, untreated sewage flowing into Red Hill Creek.

But sewage isn't the only thing that could end up floating there after a deluge of rain.

Hockey sticks. Large pieces of plywood. Hard hats. Flannel long underwear. Diapers. Rings. Fake teeth. Toys. Even a python.

In recent years, these strange, not-so-flushable items have poured into one of four huge screen motors at the Woodward Avenue treatment plant, said city spokesperson Jasmine Graham.

When these sieves are overwhelmed - like two were on Oct. 4 after a sudden spike in water flow - it leaves untreated sewage liable to flow straight into the harbour. In some cases, those larger items, known as floatables," join in.

The only materials that are properly treated and break down safely within the wastewater system are pee, poo and toilet paper," Graham said. When you flush other items, such as feminine products, wipes, dental floss or even hair, these items can create clogs in your pipes, pipes in your neighbourhood and the wastewater system."

Heavy rain bypasses - where there's a deliberate release of sewage because the Woodward plant is at capacity - occur on average 12 times a year.

Last year, with the plant capacity cut due to construction, it happened 34 times.

This year, it has happened 17 times - including six instances within a one-month span this fall that saw 831 million litres of partly treated sewage diverted into the harbour.

How much of that sewage contained unusual debris like hockey sticks or diapers is unclear, but Graham said solid items certainly play a role in overwhelming city pipes and treatment plants.

Graham added the city will soon launch a campaign that addresses how fats, oils and grease" can clog Hamilton's sewer pipes - as if heavy rain wasn't enough to worry about.

These clogs, which can grow to as big as dozens of metres long and wide, are commonly known as fatbergs' because of their destructive nature and large-scale size," she said.

Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com