The Do's and Don'ts of Flushing
Know what should go down the drain that is sewer safe.
It’s simple, the toilet is only meant to flush the three Ps—pee, poop and paper. Human waste and toilet paper should be the only things going down the toilet. Unfortunately, over the years, people have turned the toilet into a trash can. From wipes, medications and sanitary products to deceased pet fish and cigarette butts, if it fits, people flush it. Flushing these types of items down the toilet causes home pipes to clog, wastes water (up to 5 gallons of water every time you flush) and most importantly can have a huge impact on our sewers, and not to mention our ocean.
To learn even more check out the What 2 Flush Fact Sheet.Â
For more What 2 Flush and OC San video content visit the OC San YouTube Site.
Other than the 3 Ps, the only things that should be going down the drain are soap and water.
Letting trash go down any drain in the house may cause pipes to clog and can eventually lead to sewage spills that harm the environment.
Some of the most common items we see come down the drain that belong in the trash:
- Dental floss and condoms both cause more problems than you would imagine.
- Hair always seems to make it past the plug.
- Kitty Litter (especially clay) will clog your pipes, even the ones that claim to be "flushable."
- Prescription drugs and over the counter medications contain chemicals that should not enter the wastewater supply.
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Sanitary products, paper towels, diapers, baby wipes and facial tissues are made of materials that don't break down and can create rag clogs in the pipes.
The Horror Story of "Flushable" Wipes in Pictures:
