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What to Flush?

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Many household cleaning products and baby hygiene products are labeled both disposable and flushable. While these products are convenient, they can lead to costly blockages in homes, businesses, and wastewater systems, ultimately leading to sewer overflows in our community and pollution in creeks, on beaches and in the ocean.

Unlike toilet paper, these products don't break down when flushed. They can cause blockages in private sewer laterals, especially in older pipelines that may have grease, roots, and/or other existing obstructions. Addressing these issues can be a nasty and expensive repair.  When in the public sewer system these items can collect and cause clogs in the City's sewer main lines or get tangled in pump stations requiring repair or possibly even expensive replacement of equipment.

Protect your property and the City's infrastructure by only flushing the 3 Ps: pee, poo, and paper.

Infographic on the items for flushing: pee, poop, and paper

The following items should never be flushed into the sewer system

  • Disinfecting wipes
  • Baby Wipes
  • Cotton Swabs
  • Toilet cleaning wipes
  • Mop or "disposable" mops refills
  • Paper towels
  • Moist towelettes
  • Any consumer items that is not toilet paper