CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio – Just because product packaging indicates wipes are safe to be flushed down the toilet doesn’t mean they are. That’s the message Cuyahoga Falls officials are hoping to share with the city’s sewer and water customers.

Wipes that claim to be safe to flush have become ubiquitous in recent years for personal hygiene, household cleaning and more. But the so-called flushable wipes are not OK to flush down the toilet, according to Kelli Crawford-Smith, director for the city’s Neighborhood Excellence, Communications and Community Outreach Department.

Residents flushing wipes and sanitary products has been an ongoing issue for the city’s sanitation department, she said.

“We started doing a push to change behavior last year. There is a bit of a misconception about flushable wipes: though you can flush them at your home, they don’t degrade in water like toilet paper does, so they will clog our sanitary sewer system,” Crawford-Smith said. “You can only flush bodily waste and toilet paper. Anything else will clog the system.”