The Board of Directors for Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 142 (“FBCMUD 142”) would like to inform residents about an important issue that can negatively impact your sewer systems: Non-flushable items.
Although most sanitary wipes are advertised as flushable, contrary to popular belief they are not considered safe to be disposed of in your toilet. While toilet paper is designed to break down in our pipes, most wipes are made of synthetic materials and do not break down while traveling through the pipes. Over time the wipes and other non-flushable items build up in your the pipes and can create a blockage.
Should the wipes make it to the sewage waste water treatment plant, the facilities could be overworked trying to process the solid waste that does not break down. The result of flushing these products could mean major wastewater treatment issues for your home and community. By flushing any products other than toilet paper, we can not only create inconveniences in services but also incur very costly repairs.
Common non-flushable items:
• Baby products
• Cotton products
• Feminine hygiene products
• Contraceptives
• Diapers
• Dental floss
• Paper towels and tissues
• Medications
• Cat litter
• Cigarette butts
• Hair
• Gum
• “Flushable” wipes
• Cleaning wipes
These non-flushable items need to be disposed of in a trash can and not flushed down the toilet. The items listed are nonbiodegradable, meaning they are not capable of being broken down by living organisms. This is important because sewer waste water treatment plants use microorganisms to feed on and remove contaminants from the waste. These microbes cannot break down these items; therefore, they cause havoc in the sewer plant and cost money to clean and replace equipment. Just because the package says “flushable” does not mean the product is biodegradable.
By sharing what you’ve learned about the hazards of flushing wipes and the many suitable alternatives available, you can get more people on board with protecting your community’s pipes, sewage waste water treatment plants, and the environment.
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