Hospital Pays After Clogging Sewer

has paid more than $6,000 to the City of Fredericksburg after medical waste clogged up a city sewer pump on multiple occasions earlier this year. The clogs have been so severe that the pumps have twice had to be removed for emergency cleaning. 

According to a July 15 letter from City Manager Bev Cameron to the CEO of Mary Washington Healthcare Fred Rankin, the Public works Department has noticed a spike in the volume of medical waste flowing through the sewer system in the vicinity of the hospital. Items like gauze, latex gloves, medical waste and trash bags, syringes and other items have clogged the city's Snowden sewer pumps at least 12 times since the start of the year. 

"The illicit discharge has become a source of continual clogging of the pumps at the Snowden sewer pump station and poses a constant threat of swere backups, flooding and associated health issues inside the various offices at the Snowden Office Park," wrote Cameron in the letter. 

Twice this year, on April 15 and June 29, the Snowden pumps were so severly clogged that they needed to be removed for emergency cleaning. Officials from Fredericksburg's Public Works Department met with Mary Washington Hospital Staff after the April 15 clog and showed them samples of the items that were clogging the pumps. 

Cameron says that the city determined the clogs were coming from the hospital by using hooks to capture debris upstream from the pumps.

"The hospital facility is the sole source of the illicit medical waste and debris," wrote Cameron. 

Director of Public Works Doug Fawcett said that his employees were relatively safe from direct exposure to any medical waste. 

"Keep in mind the context here," said Fawcett in an interview. "We're dealing with it in the context of raw wastewater. We're already not handling it or getting into it any more than we have to."

Cameron asked the hospital to reimburse the city for $6,700 for the expenses incurred following the April 15 and June 29 incidents. Cameron also asked that the hospital work to prevent such discharges in the future and to keep the city updated on their efforts. 

A response letter from Rankin sent on Aug. 1 included a check for the full amount requested. 

"I must apologize to the City of Fredericksburg as it appears we are not meeting these expectations," wrote Rankin. "Hospital executives and staff members are now very aware of the medical waste in the sewer and are diligently working to rectify the situation."

Rankin says that the hospital has installed signs in front of trash hoppers reminding employees to properly dispose of medical waste. The hospital also sent letters and memos to associates and staff alerting them to the sewer blockage. 

"We immediately communicated with staff to make sure they are up to speed on appropriate waste disposal, and we have signs posted throughout the hospital," said Debbie McInnis in a brief statement released to the media. "In addition, we have ensured signs are up in all public restrooms and patient rooms concerning disposal of waste."