Sure, the package says they’re flushable.
But they’re not.
Those supposedly flushable wipes that have now begun to take the place of much-coveted toilet paper in the face of COVID-19 — and its ensuing toilet paper shortage — have started causing headaches for public works departments in the area as the wipes block sewer lines and wreak havoc at wastewater treatment plants.
Officials in Sierra Vista and Bisbee are imploring the community to stop flushing the moist wipes down the toilet. Because, even though the disposable wipes packages assure consumers that it’s fine to flush them, it’s not OK, says Sierra Vista Public Works Department Operations Manager Richard Cayer.
“It’s terrible marketing; wipes don’t break down like toilet paper does,” Cayer said Tuesday. “We’ve had a problem for a long time.”
Cayer said people were using disposable wipes even before the outbreak of the coronavirus, and the city’s sewer lines have been paying the price. But now, with the virus outbreak and the lack of toilet paper at grocery stores, the problem continues to be exacerbated.
Bisbee is stuck in the same mire, said Mayor David Smith.
“There have been several clogs (in Bisbee) as a result of the disposable wipes,” Smith said.
He mentioned that because Bisbee’s commercial and residential structures are much older than most of their counterparts in Sierra Vista, the sewer pipes are “smaller in diameter,” and it makes it tougher for materials that don’t disintegrate like toilet paper does to get through.
In a public service announcement issued by Sierra Vista Tuesday morning, city officials explained that “despite being advertised as ‘flushable,’ wet disposable wipes bind with fats, oils, and grease to block pipes in homes, clog the city’s sewer system, and cause headaches at the Environmental Operations Park, the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Unlike toilet paper, products like wipes, tissues, and paper towels do not break down on their own and often must be removed at the intake into the treatment facility.”
Cayer said the situation is not unique to Sierra Vista.
“As residents take precautions against COVID-19, communities across the country have seen an increase in these problem items clogging up their sewer systems.”
In response to the clogging of sewer lines nationwide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put out an advisory on Monday telling people to stop flushing the wipes down the pipes.
“Flushing only toilet paper helps ensure that the toilets, plumbing, sewer systems and septic systems will continue working properly to safely manage our nation’s wastewater. While the EPA encourages disinfecting your environment to prevent the spread of COVID-19, never flush disinfecting wipes or other non-flushable items. These easy steps will keep surfaces disinfected and wastewater management systems working for all Americans,” the advisory states.
“Preventable toilet and sewer backups can pose a threat to human health and present an extra challenge to our water utilities and their workforce. Flushing anything other than toilet paper, including disinfecting wipes, can damage internal plumbing, local sewer systems and septic systems. Fixing these backups is costly and takes time and resources away from ensuring that wastewater management systems are otherwise working properly ... “
Even officials at Fort Huachuca are advising against flushing the wrong materials down the toilet.
A message on the post’s Facebook page asks that everyone refrain from doing so: “Team Huachuca — We need your help. Sanitary sewer overflows are a threat to humans and the environment, please refrain from flushing any of the following items down the toilet: paper towels, sanitary wipes (including those labeled flushable), used feminine hygiene products, pieces of clothing, etc. Toilets are made for waste streams and toilet paper only. Any other material will cause an overflow and/or has to be removed at the Wastewater Treatment Plant prior to treating the water for safe reuse or recharge.”
Cayer said he and others at the city’s wastewater treatment facility have seen some “strange things” flow through the bar screen — the equipment that catches materials that do not break down when flushed — over the years.
But now more than ever, because toilet paper has become a precious commodity, it’s paramount that anything used to replace it is tossed in the trash can and not the commode, officials say.
“We need to discontinue flushing the flushable wipes,” Cayer said. “They don’t break down.”