Water Resources commissioner urges residents to not flush wipes

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash encourages the public to take precaution and not flush flushable wipes down their toilets along with a list items that he has identified. The recent demand for flushable wipes and sanitary products to help address concerns relating to the coronavirus has led him to issue a release to inform the public on what not to flush and the proper way to dispose of these items during these uncertain times.

The public is encouraged not to flush the following items:

- Personal and baby wipes (anything that says "Flushable Wipes" are not flushable)
- Tampons and sanitary products
- Cigarettes
- Medicine
- Paper Towels
- Dental Floss
- Cleaning wipes and rags
- Cotton balls and swaps
- Cat Litter
- Condoms
- Facial Tissues
- Cooking oil or food (FOG which is acronym for Fats, Oils and Grease)

"We spend more than $300,000 a year cleaning the sewer system because of flushable wipes and items that clog the system and create sewer backups which can cause damage to residents' homes. With the demand for flushable wipes being heightened since the coronavirus pandemic, I fear that greater pressure is going to be put on the system. The proper way to dispose of non-flushable items is to simply throw them away in the garbage," said Nash.

For additional information, go to www.oakgov.com/water, find the commission on Facebook at waterresourceOC, or call 248-858-0958.

Published: Wed, Mar 18, 2020