Local water dept. officials: If it’s not one of the 3 Ps, don’t flush it

With the issues the nation is facing these days, running out of toilet paper is no joke – especially when flushing what most people consider alternatives to TP could make it really hit the fan.

City officials around Cherokee County are reminding citizens -- if it’s not one of the three flushable Ps (pee, poo or paper specifically designed for the potty), don’t flush it!

“It is very important not to flush any wipes down the commode into our sewer system,” Wells city officials posted on the city’s Facebook page a week ago. “This includes wipes that say they are flushable. Our system cannot process them and it will cause damage to the sewer system. If we lose our sewer system the city utilities will shut down. In addition, DO NOT flush paper towels or facial tissues (Kleenex, et. al.). The only thing that can safely be flushed and will not damage our sewer system is toilet paper.”

Rusk City Manager Jim Dunaway said the city of Rusk’s wastewater treatment facility has also been having problems lately as residents flush the unflushable.

“People have begun flushing diapers, wipes, paper towels – none of this belongs in the system,” Dunaway said. “We’re asking people to refrain from doing that as we’re starting to see a substantial increase in the number of clogs in the system. We want to protect the public because not only is it pretty expensive to repair the treatment plant, it’s not real healthy if it backs up into your house.”

The cities of Jacksonville and reported Monday they’ve had no issues, as yet.

According to the website toilet-guru.com, toilet paper is manufactured with “shorter fibers than facial tissue, which in turn is made from shorter fibers than writing paper.” That design allows the paper to break up more easily during the swirling action and dissolve and decompose quicker in septic tanks and municipal sewage treatment systems.

The website, emergencyplanguide.org, further explains, “What to flush? Whether it’s every day, or in an emergency, the answer is the same -- pee, poo and (toilet) paper. Period.

“What do you do when you run out of toilet paper? Most people reach for a tissue. The problem? Kleenex, or tissue paper, is designed to hold together when wet – so it can block your toilet.

“What about baby wipes? Even if they are labeled as “flushable,” they too will clog the system and really mess up a septic tank, because they take too long to disintegrate.”

Other common household items that shouldn’t be flushed include condoms; feminine hygiene products of any kind; cotton swabs/cotton balls/bandages; dental floss; medications/pills; kitty litter/dried pet waste; hair; cigarette butts; and food/gum.