A Clean “Bum” May Increase Your Sewer Bill
PLEASE Don’t Flush WIPES (Sanitary/Baby/Kitchen) Down the Toilet!
The growing popularity of “flushable” sanitary wipes is causing sewer problems all over the country. The material doesn’t disintegrate as quickly as toilet paper and can jam machinery at the sewage plant. It causes possible plugs in your pipes and additional maintenance at the sewer treatment plant and pump stations. Templeton CSD is asking its residents to not flush disposable wipes into the sanitary sewer system. Many of the wipes state on the package that they are flushable, which they are, BUT they do not break down, like toilet paper, in the sanitary sewer system.
People’s use of disposable wipes has caused a dramatic increase in plugged pumps at the District’s lift stations, and also blockages in the District’s sewer lines. When the Utilities Department receives an alarm or phone call notifying them of a problem they respond 24 hours a day, which increases the cost of maintenance and ultimately the sewer rates being charged.
A new website – what2flush.com – notes that the toilet is only meant to flush the three P’s—pee, poop and (toilet) paper. It goes on to note that people have turned the toilet into a trash can. From medications and sanitary products to deceased pet fish and cigarette butts, if it fits, people flush it.
Flushing these types of items down the toilet causes home pipes to clog, wastes water (up to 1.6 to 5 gallons of water every time you flush) and, most importantly, can have a huge impact on our sewers.
Please make a point not to flush the following items down the toilet:
• Sanitary wipes
• Paper towels
• Diapers
• Baby wipes
• Facial tissues
• Tampons
These are made of materials that don’t break down and can cause all pipes to clog. The trash is the place for these items.
