Cherish Your Plumbing: A February Reminder
As we embrace February, “the month of love,” we recognize that it’s not just about romantic gestures; it’s also about showing some love to your toilet and plumbing. This February, consider demonstrating your appreciation by taking simple yet crucial steps: properly disposing of fats, oils and grease and placing wipes in the trash.
Efficient plumbing is a vital aspect of our daily lives, and Toho Water Authority (Toho) wants to remind everyone of the items that should not find their way into toilets or drains to ensure smooth operations.
Preventing Clogged Pipes
While preparing a romantic meal for Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) is a thoughtful idea, pouring cooking oils down the drain is not. Incorrectly disposing of fats, oils or grease can inflict significant damage on our sewer systems and treatment facilities. These substances create a coating inside sewer pipes, leading to blockages that require thorough cleaning to prevent sewer overflows. For proper disposal, fats, oils and grease to cool, place them in a container and then place them in the trash.
Toilet Paper Lover
Your toilet has a special affinity for toilet paper. Although paper towels and tissues may seem similar to toilet paper but they are not designed to break down in sewer pipes. The same applies to items such as feminine products and diapers, which are absorbent and can expand when flushed, causing blockages.
The Truth about Wipes
Water, soap, and toilet paper are the only materials suitable for disposal down the drain or toilet. Even wipes claiming to be “flushable” should not be flushed. They take longer to breakdown and easily adhere to grease in the sewers and become entangled in the machinery that transports sewage to treatment plants, leading to sewage backing up onto streets and into homes. Dealing with a sewage backup in your home can be both expensive and messy.
To prevent such issues, here is a list of items that should never be discarded 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.
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