‘Don’t flush it’

Residents may be flushing more than paper towels and wipes down the toilet. They may be flushing their money and their health as well.

With the difficulty of finding toilet paper on the rise, Creston Wastewater Superintendent Jim Bristow has a message for those who are forced to find alternatives — Don’t flush it.

“Wipes labeled as ‘flushable’ are in fact, NOT flushable for the city’s sewer mains and lift stations,” Bristow said.

Toilet paper is designed to break up quickly when in water. Flushable wipes and paper towels do not.

In normal times, residents may have been able to flush wipes occasionally without noticing a problem. When this becomes more frequent or as more households flush items that were not meant to be flushed, backups can occur.

“Wipes tend to snag and catch in the system and ball up causing restrictions in the piping and pumps,” Bristow said. “This can cause sewer backups into homes and businesses and cause the city to spend thousands of dollars on repair and maintenance of equipment. ... Some of these clogs have to be cleared manually and could pose a danger to personnel.”

Residents and business owners are responsible for clearing and cleaning up backups inside their own buildings. This could mean inches of raw sewage in their basements or flooding their bathrooms.

Hiring a plumber to unclog the drain can cost over $100 per visit — if a plumber is available. Of the three plumbing companies in Creston who were available for comment Friday morning, only one services main line sewer backups. Their response time is usually within 24 hours, but they were already booked for today.

Besides being costly to fix and unpleasant to clean up after, backups can also ruin anything the sewage comes into contact with. Clothing items that have had minimal contact with sewage may be salvagable if washed and sanitized. Other items, such as books and other paper, stuffed animals, carpet, baseboards and even drywall, may need to be disposed of.

In addition, the bacteria from the wastewater and possible mold from excess moisture may cause health problems, especially among those who already have respiratory issues. The bacteria may spread on the clothing and shoes of someone who is not careful after cleaning the flooded area and contaminate the entire home, requiring more costly cleanup and risk to the residents.

Do not flush

Bristow said the following items should not be flushed down the toilet or washed down sink and tub drains:

• Wipes of any kind
• Feminine hygiene products
• Fats, oil, greases
• Bandages
• Cigarette butts and coffee grounds
• Diapers and dryer sheets
• Q-tips, cotton balls
• Tissue, paper towels, scrub pads
• Medication
• Paint, solvent, cleaners, poison, hazardous waste
• Plastics of any kind.
• Syringes, needles, sharps