Don't Flush Wipes During Pandemic, PA Water Companies Say

With some Pennsylvanians turning to alternative solutions after finding toilet paper in short supply, the state's water companies are making a simple request — don't flush your wipes.

Flushing wipes, paper towels and other products down the toilet can lead to sewer backups and in-home plumbing problems, they say. That even goes for wipes that are advertised as being "flushable."

"Flushing or dumping the wrong things down the drain can cause problems in your local sewer system and cause blockages in your own home," said Jim Gable, senior manager of southeast operations for Pennsylvania American Water. "Many sewer blockages occur between your house and our sewer main, where the property owner is responsible for correcting and paying for the repair.

"During this already stressful time, we want to help our customers avoid blockages that could create costly plumbing emergencies."

Bucks County Water and Sewer Authority spokesman Patrick Cleary said that a northern California county is seeing a spike in sewage spills and officials there are blaming it on the increased use of wipes and other toilet paper substitutes.

"Public works officials all across the country are on the lookout for an increase in system backups because of the shortage of toilet paper due to panic-buying," Cleary said. "Wipes and other items not meant for the sewage system can cause lines to back up. So, the recommendation is trash it, don’t flush it."

Cleary said keeping the sewage lines open is vital for ensuring proper water treatment and for providing clean water to customers.

Watch this video from American Water on "Things That Should Never Go Down Your Drain":