February, “the month of love,” isn’t only about romantic gestures. This February, we remind you to LOVE your toilet and plumbing. Show your love by giving your toilets and drains only what they want — soap, water and toilet paper
Plumbing that works efficiently is something we can’t live without, so Toho Water Authority would like to remind everyone what items not to dispose of down the toilet or drain. No one wants a sewer overflow in their home or neighborhood. Not very romantic now is it?
Clogged Pipe Prevention
Cooking for a loved one on Valentine’s Day is a great idea, but pouring your cooking grease down the drain is not.
Incorrectly disposing grease, fats and oils can cause major damage to your sewer systems and treatment facilities. These slippery substances stick to the inside of sewer pipes and, ultimately, cause complete blockage creating a costly mess and harming the environment. To remove this buildup and prevent sewer overflows, the sewer pipes have to be constantly cleaned by technicians.
To properly dispose old grease, fats, and oils, let them cool, place them in a container/can and deposit them in the trash. This ensures our systems are working at optimum levels.
Toilet Paper Lover
Your toilet only has eyes for toilet paper.
You might think that paper towels and tissues are hardly any different from toilet paper, but in reality, they are not designed to break down in the sewer pipes the way that toilet paper is. The same goes for items such as feminine products and diapers which are designed to be absorbent and expand when flushed, causing blockage.
Why not Wipes?
Water, soap, and toilet paper are the only contents that should be disposed of down the drain or toilet.
Wipes, even those that claim to be “flushable,” should not be flushed down the toilet. They may be ‘flushable’ but they don’t break down as quickly as toilet paper. Wipes can easily get stuck to any grease found in the pipes and become tangled with machinery in the sewer systems. This leads to sewage backing up onto streets and inside homes. A sewage back up occurring in your home can be costly and messy.
To avoid this, here is a list of items that should not be disposed of down the drain or toilet.
Do Not Flush List:
- Wipes (including “flushable” wipes)
- Oils, fats, grease, or lard
- Feminine products
- Hygiene Products
- Kitchen towels or cloths
- Tissues
- Diapers
- Dental floss or whitening strips
- Cat litter
- Medicines or vitamins
- Hair
- Bandages or cotton swabs
- Dairy products or sauces
- Food scraps or baking goods
Remember, to ensure happy sewers and happy families, water, soap and toilet paper are the only things that should be disposed of down the drain or toilet. Mother Nature will love you too.
