Water commissioner: ‘Do not flush flushable wipes’ during COVID-19 pandemic

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash is calling for the public to be careful about what they’re flushing down the drain.

Amid the bulk-buying of toilet paper and other sanitary products, the commissioner’s office is expecting an uptick in the amount of flushable wipes and other items to enter the sewer system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The problem, he said, is that toilet paper substitutes and flushable wipes aren’t really flushable. Byproducts of non-biodegradable materials create what’s known as a rag in the sewer system.

“They don’t break down in the system like they should. They get caught in pumps, screens and filters and it can cost a significant amount to fix it,” Nash said. “We spend more than $300,000 a year cleaning the sewer system because of flushable wipes and items that clog the system and create sewer backups which can cause damage to residents’ homes.”

The water resources commissioner’s office is asking the public not to flush the following:

Personal and baby wipes

• Tampons and sanitary products

• Cigarettes

• Medicine

• Paper Towels

• Dental Floss

• Cleaning wipes and rags

• Cotton balls and swabs

• Cat Litter

• Condoms

• Facial Tissues

• Cooking oil or food (FOG which is acronym for Fats, Oils and Grease)

“With the demand for flushable wipes being heightened since the Coronavirus pandemic, I fear that greater pressure is going to be put on the system. The proper way to dispose of non-flushable items is to simply throw them away in the garbage,” Nash said.