San Antonio River Authority plea: Stop flushing those ‘flushable’ wipes
The San Antonio River Authority is urging customers to stop flushing wipes down the toilet — even if the product’s label says it’s OK.
In a March 26 Facebook post, the agency wrote that wipes are causing “significant issues” at local wastewater treatment plans, blocking pumps and screens that catch debris. It attached photos of accumulations of wipes and rags being pulled out of local sewer systems.
“Flushing wipes down the toilet, even if it is labeled ‘flushable,’ can cause sewer backups leading to major damage,” the river authority’s website says. “Wipes collect in sewer pipes, pumps and equipment causing clogs and blockages.”
Unlike toilet paper, wipes do not disintegrate in sewer pipes. And the sewer overflows caused by the blockages can contaminate homes, streets and the environment.
Disposable wipes, baby and wet wipes, paper and cloth towels, rags, towelettes, facial tissues, makeup wipes and feminine hygiene products all can cause serious damage to sewage systems. Residents should keep a small trash can by their toilets for easy disposal and cross out “flushable” claims on wipe packaging, the Facebook post said.
Proper disposal of wipes and other nonflushable items “keeps our wastewater systems working smoothly, protects our infrastructure and keeps our creeks and rivers free of contaminants.”
The San Antonio Water System agrees, writing on its website that while wipes seem harmless, they “clump together with grease, tree roots or get hooked on deformities in the pipe, creating long, mop-like clumps of gunk that form obstructions, clogging sewer pipes and damaging equipment.”