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What NOT to Flush Down the Toilet
IT’S A TOILET, NOT A TRASHCAN - WHAT NOT TO FLUSH
People sometimes view the toilet as an auxiliary wastebasket - an easy place to dump all kinds of things and make them disappear with the push of a handle. Unfortunately, many of the items that often end up in the toilet can cause significant clogging problems, not only in your home’s plumbing but also for the Village’s sewer system and Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) processes.
There are only two things that can be safely flushed down the toilet - human waste and toilet paper. Any other item has the potential to clog up the system, regardless of how easily it appears to flush.
Common items that are often flushed that SHOULD NOT BE are:
- Wet Wipes (baby wipes, disinfecting wipes, flushable wipes)
- Facial Tissue
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Cotton Swabs
- Dental Floss
- Grease
- Paper Towel/Napkins
Often these items do not even make it past the lateral connection from your home to the sewer system, building up and clogging the line. If these products make it to the street, they can still plug up and damage the pipes and pumps that convey sewage to the WWTP, potentially causing overflows and basement backups that can be costly to repair. If those products make it to the WWTP, they can also jam up equipment there.
To help protect the investment we all have in our homes, the municipal sanitary sewer system and the Village’s WWTP, please dispose anything other than toilet paper or human waste in the garbage, not the toilet.
NOTE: Pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs also should never by flushed down the toilet or thrown in the garbage. When put down the drain, pharmaceuticals can seep back into the drinking water supply and be harmful to fish and wildlife. Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove these contaminants. Local (Saukville Police Dept.) and county drop-off sites are available to safely disposed unused/unwanted drugs and pharmaceuticals. Contact your local authorities for information and guidelines.