Sewer officials beg people to stop flushing wipes and condoms

Not just anything can go down the toilet

Published September 23, 2013 1:33PM (EDT)

  (Feng Yu/Shutterstock)
(Feng Yu/Shutterstock)

Clogs and backups "in sewer systems across the nation" are causing major problems for America's wastewater system, reports the Associated Press.

Bathroom wipes, which sometimes are advertised as flushable, are not, sewer officials insist. Neither are tissues, paper towels, pads and tampons, make-up pads, various medical materials, condoms, dental floss or cat litter.

There's no way for wastewater officials to address the issue that isn't incredibly awkward. In upstate New York, they've resorted to tracing the source of clogs to specific houses and knocking on people's doors to teach them how toilets work. The Orange Country Sanitation District in California went with a public service campaign called "What 2 Flush," with the aim of teaching people about the "three p's": pee, poop and (toilet) paper.


By Lindsay Abrams

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Condoms Infrastructure Sewer System Wastewater