The “Flushability” Of Flushable Wipes

Baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, napkins, and paper towels all seem like they shouldn’t be a problem to flush, right? The packaging of some of these items even has “flushable” printed right on them. However, flushing these items down your toilet can sometimes cause expensive and unsanitary problems for businesses and homeowners. This is not a new concern for our wastewater facility, but it is important to remember the dangers of these items during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where flushable and sanitary wipes are popular for many individuals.

Flushing wipes, even those that are labeled “flushable,” and other non-toilet paper products can lead to clogs, backups, and equipment and pipe breakage. In some instances, it can even lead to raw sewage backups into people’s homes. Unfortunately, a homeowner’s responsibility for a sewer line extends past the property line to where the sewer ties into the city’s main line, and the cost to repair damages like this can be a significant expense for home and business owners.

For example, if you moisten a single sheet of toilet paper and rub it on your skin or a hard surface you’ll discover it will quickly fall apart. These products are designed that way. You want your toilet paper to disintegrate as fast as possible so that it can be easily processed through your plumbing and our treatment facilities.

If you do the same test with flushable wipes you can see that they will often hold together, creating problems throughout the waste management process. To dodge potential plumbing repair costs, it is always better to find an alternative way of disposing of these items than flushing them down your drains. Items that could cause clogs and blockages in your pipes include:

• Paper towels
• Napkins
• Kleenex or other tissues
• Diapers
• Wet wipes and baby wipes (even those labeled “flushable”
• Gauze/Band-Aids

Disposing of these items differently will help keep our community and facilities can and functioning. For any concerns or questions, please contact 765-364-5169.

Larry Kadinger, Dept. Head

Crawfordsville Wastewater Department

City of Crawfordsville