Water Sector News
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Sheldon Wastewater Personnel: Don’t Flush “Flushable” Wipes Or Several Other Things
Sheldon, Iowa — You know those flushable wipes that many of us have gotten used to using because they do such a good job? Yeah, well, the City of Sheldon says they’re not really flushable. That is, they’ll go down, but they cause headaches for those who have to deal with them in the sewer system.
The City of Sheldon has released a list of items that they do NOT want you to flush down the toilet or wash down the drain. Top on the list? Wipes of any kind — BOTH “flushable” and non-flushable. (flushable wipes, baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, makeup wipes, etc.)
Experts say that flushing of wipes cause cities to spend thousands on premature equipment repair and replacement. They say wipes snag on any imperfection in sewer pipes, catch passing debris and grease, and create a “ball” that will grow to plug the pipe. We’re also told wipes get drawn into sewer-line and wastewater treatment plant pumps and clog and damage them. Municipalities must manually clear out pumps or remove clogs.