You laugh, but people who believe the Tartarian Empire conspiracy theory point to this as one of the things lost after the “mud floods” lol.

These have a spring loaded flap in the center that lets out sewage if there’s a blockage downstream. Lets it out in the yard instead of your house.

As for opening, I use channel locks opened up all the way wide on two of the adjacent lugs and turn left.

Source: former sewer worker that would whipline these and televise.

I don’t have much power, so I just do my best in the system in which I’m born.

What’s funny is how much better I do it than the right wingers I know. I will probably retire very early, and they are check to check. I don’t even like this stupid system.