Waste Water – How can you help?
What’s wrong with flushing wet wipes down the toilet?
- Over 70% of people flushing wet wipes think they’re biodegradable. However, they don’t break down in the wastewater system like toilet paper and can lead to blockages in your pipes and the sewer.
- Wipes can get stuck in both our system and your sewage pipes. A blockage caused by flushed wet wipes could cost you $1,000 to fix in plumbing bills.
- Wet wipes increase the risk of pipe breaks and then overflows to our local creeks and rivers. This has an impact on the natural environment for all of us.
- About 75% of all sewer blockages involve wet wipes.
- ‘Flushable’ wet wipes may clear your toilet bowl. However, they can combine with fats, oils and other things that shouldn’t be flushed to form big, congealed clumps – or ‘fatbergs’ – in the sewer.
What can you do to help?
- Help us keep our wastewater system working properly. You should only ever flush human waste and toilet paper.
Please dispose of the following items in your household garbage collection service after use:
- ‘Flushable’ wipes – Keep wipes out of the pipes!
- Rags
- Nappies
- Sanitary items
- Cotton buds
- Dental floss
- Fats and oils
- Cigarette butts.
To print this page click – NEV Water – Your Home – Waste Water – How can you help? – March 2018