The Public Advised to NOT Flush Disinfecting Wipes, Paper Towels In Toilets
State’s Wastewater Treatment Plants may get overwhelmed, consumers may face In-home plumbing backups and blockages
The Monroeville Municipal Authority encourages residents to follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations to clean surfaces with disinfecting wipes to reduce the spread of COVID-19, it is important to discard those items in the trash, not the toilet.
Flushing wipes, paper towels and similar products down toilets will clog sewers and cause backups and overflows at wastewater treatment facilities, creating an additional public health risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
Even wipes labeled “flushable” will clog pipes and interfere with sewage collection and treatment throughout the system. Wastewater treatment facilities around the state already are reporting issues with their sewer management collection systems. The Authority is asking residents to not discard wipes in the toilet, but instead to throw them in the trash to avoid backups and overflow.
The sanitary system was not designed for individual nylon wipes and paper towels. The wipes and paper towels do not break down like toilet paper, and therefore clog the systems very quickly.
The M.M.A is experiencing numerous backups as a result of flushed wipes. Preventing sewer spills is important, especially during this COVID-19 emergency, for the protection of public health and the environment. Please do not flush disinfectant wipes or paper towels down the toilets.