In this Case, Not Flushing is the Courteous Thing to Do

You’ve heard about those pre-moistened flushable wipes that correct that not-so-fresh feeling?

They’re not flushable, despite labels advising to the contrary, and they’re creating some nasty clogs and backups for public works departments in West Des Moines, Waukee and elsewhere around the country to deal with, the Des Moines Register and Associated Press report.

In Waukee, the disposable wipes create clogs a couple of times a year. “It’s a messy job,” Waukee Public Director John Gibbons said.

In West Des Moines, the towelettes and sanitary products billed as disposable are creating problems in areas with low water pressure, individual septic systems, and in public restrooms in places like the Community Center in Valley Junction, which has an aging sewer system.

“These types of items certainly create a greater issue for sewer systems, especially those with older pipes,” said Bret Hodne, director of public works in West Des Moines. “People think, ‘Out of sight, out of mind,’ but someone along the line is going to have to deal with it if it doesn’t break down.”

Increasingly, public works officials across the country are piling up evidence that the supposedly disposable products don’t change much as they move through the sewer system, according to the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which represents about 300 wastewater agencies in the United States.

That group said that an increase in clogs coincided with ramped up marketing of the so-called “flushable cleansing products,” an estimated $6 billion-a-year industry.

One manufacturer, Kimberly-Clark Corp., said the problem wasn’t with the pre-moistened towelettes, but with products like baby wipes and other products labeled as non-flushable.

“We’ve seen the majority, 90 percent, are items that are not supposed to be flushed, liek paper towels, feminine products or baby wipes,” Trina McCormick, a senior manager for the company said.

Wastewater officials agree that the disposable wipes aren’t the only issue, but say problems have escalated as the products have grown in popularity.

In Bemus Pointe, NY, sewer officials installed basket-like traps to discover the source of a frequently clogged line, then contacted homeowners in the area imploring them to stop flushing the wipes.

A wastewater official in California got down to business.

“Only flush pee, poop and toilet paper,” he said, “because those are the only things that sanitary sewers were really designed for in the old days.”