Water Sector News
A snapshot of clean water stories from publications around the country, updated daily!
‘Flushable’ wipes wrecking havoc on city pumps, private pipes
Enjoy the “go,” but DON’T slow the flow.
“Please, don’t flush wipes down the toilet!” implores a notice on the Chatfield city website. “The only thing that should be flushed is toilet paper. It is the only paper designed to break down as it travels through the wastewater treatment process. Even if products are labeled as ‘flushable,’ don’t do it! Baby wipes, adult wipes, cleaning wipes — none of them should be flushed. Wipes are clogging wastewater systems all across the land, including right here in Chatfield. These items clog the pipes before they get to the treatment plant and cause costly backups to friends and neighbors. No wipes down the pipes!”
Chatfield wastewater treatment plant operator Chris Daniels stated that people have been flushing large amounts of wipes down their potties, resulting in reprehensible consequences.
“Yes, they have, because even if it doesn’t seem like a large amount, it builds up fast,” Daniels said.
City maintenance foreman Brian Burkholder explained, “It has been getting worse over time, and not only in Chatfield. Only toilet paper should be flushed because wipes don’t break down and they get caught in the sewer mains and plug them up. They also plug up the pumps at the wastewater treatment plant.”