Warning issued regarding dangers of ‘flushable’ wipes
By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com
With hand hygiene at the top of everyone’s minds and toilet paper a hot commodity in the stores, many households are increasing their use of sanitizing wipes and “flushable” wipes.
However, local water authorities warn of a potential problem if anything other than toilet paper is flushed.
Pennsylvania American Water said flushing wipes, paper towels or other paper products not intended for use in wastewater systems, can lead to sewer backups and in-home plumbing issues that may be expensive to repair.
Jim Gable, senior manager of southeast operations for Pennsylvania American Water, said even wipes labeled as “flushable” or “biodegradable” can cause problems for local sewer systems and backups in residential homes.
Chuck Cardinale, manager of the Authority of the Borough of Charleroi, agrees.
“Flushing wipes not only causes clogging and backups in the sewer system, but it can also lead to damage to pumps at main sewage pump stations that can lead to major, and costly, repairs,” he said.
“Many sewer blockages occur between your house and our sewer main, where the property owner is responsible for correcting and paying for the repair,” Gable said. “During this already stressful time, we want to help our customers avoid blockages that could create costly plumbing emergencies.”
He asked residents to help aid the effort.
“Your dedicated local wastewater system employees continue to come to work every day and make sure your community’s sewage is being properly treated,” Gable said “We provide an essential service, so please help us out by putting wipes, paper towels and other products in the trash where they belong, not in your sewer system where they can damage our equipment and cause blockages.”
PA American and ABC have both implemented safety measures in response to COVID-19, including social distancing practices, and are encouraging residents to pay bills online or over the phone.
Additionally, both companies have suspended shutoffs and have reinstated service to bill-related shutoffs due to the importance of water service and hygiene.
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