Apparently, volcanic ash, especially when it gets wet, can clog pipes and drains.
When cleaning volcanic ash, it’s best to sweep ash off a roof, because “the addition of water will turn the ash into mud which can set like concrete, according to New Zealand government-owned earth and science research institute GNS Science.
TheĀ United States Geological Survey (USGS) also advises against using large amounts of water to clean ash off roofs, as this may cause the ash to form a “glue-like ‘cake’ material,” which will be difficult to remove and add more weight to the roof.
BiƱan City is doing something different with volcanic ash.
The local government is turning the ash into bricks.
“Kaya kailangan nating isako ang mga ito at hindi makabara sa ating mga canal,” BiƱan City Mayor Arman Dimaguila said. (Rough translation: We need to sweep the volcanic ash in sacks so it doesn’t clog the drainage.)
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