Wipes Clog Pipes

Wipes on bar racks at Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant

Only flush the “3 Ps!” – pee, poop and (toilet) paper

You find yourself at the supermarket standing in the toilet paper aisle, but there isn’t a package of TP in sight. You hastily look around for an alternative and find a package of “flushable wipes.” Voilà, problem solved! Only one issue, those “flushable” wipes aren’t actually flushable.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is reminding customers and other residents of Northeast Ohio that these items should not be flushed, even if the packaging says “flushable.” You may witness them go down the drain, but they won’t break down like toilet paper. Your next phone call? The plumber.

The Sewer District’s three large wastewater treatment plants are better-equipped to remove wipes and other debris early-on in the treatment process, but smaller treatment plants, septic systems, local sewers and the plumbing in your house may not be so fortunate. To make matters worse, wipes can combine with fats, oils and grease to create massive clogs known as “fatbergs.” Other products that should be thrown in the trash include paper towels, tissues and disinfecting wipes. Respect your 3 Ps, your drains will thank you.

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