GLENDALE, Ariz — Valley cities have one message for you in the wake of an unprecedented run on toilet paper: Stop flushing those wipes.
Both Glendale and Phoenix are asking everyone to avoid flushing those supposedly “flushable" materials. The reason why is pretty simple; they can clog up pipes and cause thousands of dollars to fix.
Glendale says fears of a shortage of toilet paper due to the coronavirus has only made the problem worse.
"Pipes can get clogged-up anywhere between the house or business all the way to the treatment facility. Large accumulations of paper, rags, etc. can cause damage to pumps and motors in the system" said David Nigh the Pretreatment Administrator in the Glendale Water Services Department. "Every sewer and wastewater provider is seeing the same issues. This is an ongoing problem but we have not seen a large difference in the last week. We anticipate the problems can get worse if people cannot get the appropriate paper products."
And while those baby wipes say flushable on the packaging, they really aren't. for its part, Phoenix says there are only three things that belong in the toilet: pee, poo, and (toilet) paper. Everything else goes in the trash.
"Phoenix has 5,000 miles of sewer lines, 29 lift stations (which help keep the sewer flow moving in the system) and three wastewater treatment plants," said Stephanie Bracken who works with the City of Phoenix.
One of those plants is the largest in the Southwest.
"We serve over 2 million people valley-wide at this plant, so its essential we keep our system and infrastructure in good shape," Bracken said.
Flushable wipes are not just a problem for wastewater systems. They can also be a real problem for your plumbing at home too. The repairs often take longer, and that can be more costly for homeowners.
Plumbing company Roto-Rooter has told their customers the same thing, and they add that facial tissue is not exactly the best idea either. But, Roto-Rooter says in the absence of toilet paper, you can use tissue in small amounts if you flush frequently.
"The only thing that should be flushed is toilet paper. Never flush 'disposable wipes', paper towels, napkins, diapers, personal hygiene products, medications, needles or fats, oils & grease" said Nigh.
So remember the next time you get ready to flush, remember there is no such thing as a "flushable" wipe.
