No TP? DON’T Flush Wipes, Paper Towels Say Sanitation Experts

If you don't believe us, try this experiment.

Take a paper towel, wad it up a little, then see how many times it takes to flush it in the toilet, vs toilet paper. OK, don't really do that--the wastewater guys will get upset.

But it's to prove a point.

With the shortage of toilet paper due to selfish COVID hoarders, officials who oversee wastewater and sanitation plants in the Mid-Columbia and around the nation are letting people know: if at all possible, DON'T use or flush those wet wipes or paper towels.

Even the quilted double TP is designed to 'fall apart' in water systems. Once flushed, it rapidly tears apart at the slightest turbulence...including screens and filters and pumps. But wipes and paper towels usually don't.

Multiply them by the thousands, and  you end up with clogged sewer systems. The worst? When filters and pumps get clogged, cannot move the waste fast enough and then "glitch!" you have sewer backups.  Yikes! Or breakdowns that stall the system.

The same for septic systems.  They get backed up too. So, limit, ration, do whatever you have to do to use TP instead of wipes or paper towels.

Trust us, you would rather do that than have all the 'by products' come back UP through your sewer, or have a soggy spot in your yard because of a clog or break.

Unless you like what you see below (YouTube video-septic system)