Water Smart | The 3 Ps of Flushing

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The 3 Ps of Flushing

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The 3 Ps of Flushing

Your household's toilets AND your community's wastewater system was only designed to efficiently and safely dispose of 3 things.

1. Pee
2. Poo
3. Paper (toilet paper that is)

Anything else, and you not only risk backing up your own plumbing, but also all of your neighbors'! And no one likes a clogged toilet or sink.

The DO NOT Flush List

These are just some of the things that should NEVER go down a toilet.

All 'Wipes'
Bandages
Cigarettes
Cotton Balls and Swabs
Dental Floss
Diapers
Facial Tissues and Pads
Food Scraps
Household Garbage
Kitty Litter
Paper Towels
Women's Hygiene Products

It's REALLY NOT "Flushable" and "Disposable"

Unfortunately, the marketplace is full of products that claim to be "flushable" and "disposable" — especially wipes — but these products are rarely as advertised. Wipes don't readily dissolve in water, like toilet paper does, so they can easily get caught in sewer pipes and filtration systems.

That can mean blocked sewer pipes, treatment plant shutdowns, sewage overflows, and increased maintenance and repair costs. You can learn more about how wastewater treatment works here.

It's all very bad news for your plumbing, your community's sewer system, and your environment. So please, only ever flush The 3 Ps.

More Nasty Stuff

Water Smart - Illustrated Stream Pollution - Pictogram So, now we know so-called "flushable wipes" should never go down our toilets. But unfortunately, a whole lot more ends up down our sinks, toilets, and drains.

Your community's wastewater treatment plant is a biological treatment system, and not designed for garbage filtration, so the items listed below can have serious consequences to its operation. Reuse, recycle or dispose of them properly according to local guidelines.

Dangerous Chemicals

Water Smart - Dangerous Chemicals - Pictogram

Using your sewer system to dispose of dangerous chemicals is not only irresponsible, it can cause serious damage, and it's against the law.

Cleaning Products

Water Smart - Dangerous Cleaning Products - Pictogram

Certain household chemicals, such as bleach, should be used sparingly as they can affect the biological activity in wastewater treatment plants.

Fats, Oils, and Greases (FOG)

Water Smart - FOG Fats Oils Greases - Pictogram

FOGs, such as cooking oil and grease, build up in plumbing and sewer lines over time, eventually clogging them and leading to costly repairs.

Plastics, latex, and Rubber

$Water Smart - Latex Gloves - Pictogram$

Items such as latex gloves, condoms, tampon applicators and contact lenses, won't biodegrade in water, and can really gum things up.

Medical Items

Water Smart - Medications - Pictogram

Medications and medical implements such as needles, bandages and gauze, should never be flushed down the toilet or drain.

Other Bathroom Items

Water Smart - Bathroom Waste - Pictogram

It can be tempting to get rid of cosmetics, dental floss, cotton balls, and tissue by flushing them down. But these things can quickly clog up pipes.

Food Waste

Water Smart - Food Waste - Pictogram

Food waste should go into the garbage or ideally composted. Even if it goes through a garbage disposal unit, food waste can settle in pipes and cause blockages.

Household Garbage

Water Smart - Wipes and Paper - Pictogram

Even if it's small, anything that isn't Pee, Poo and toilet Paper can eventually create a clog in your toilet or drains.