Keystone Central School District facilities staff on Oct. 28 reviewed a letter from the Bald Eagle Township Sewer Authority reporting that small items flushed at Central Mountain High School are increasingly clogging the authority's sewer baskets.

The district received a letter from Stifler McGraw, the sewer authority's engineers, listing items found in the collection baskets as rags, rubber gloves, vape devices, small alcohol bottles and other small debris "small enough to fit, and be flushed down a toilet," according to the Facilities Committee discussion. The authority reported maintenance frequency had risen from monthly to about every 10 days during the school year.

Facilities staff described options the township and its engineers offered, including installing an on-site collection tank and a basket/strainer system near the district's tennis courts below the CTC building. That equipment would catch debris before it entered the common sewer system and shift routine cleaning responsibilities to the district, staff said. The committee agreed to wait for a written estimate from the township on the cost of additional maintenance before deciding whether to build on-site controls or pay increased maintenance fees.

District administrators and board members also discussed noninfrastructure responses. Dr. Redmond said addressing the "root cause" by changing behavior in students is important and welcomed ideas such as tours of a wastewater treatment plant and targeted student education. Board member Elizabeth suggested student government could help spread the message that flushing prohibited items harms the wider community.

No formal vote or purchase was approved at the meeting; staff said they would report back after receiving the township's cost estimate and further engineering recommendations.