They’re marketed as “flushable wipes”, but flushing these products could cause major toilet trouble for you and your neighbors. In recent years, crews from Jackson’s Department of Public Works have responded to a surge of sewer backups caused by personal care and cleaning wipes. Wanting to dodge more wipe worries, Public Works is urging residents to not flush wipes down toilets.
Making sure sewer mains are wipe-free is becoming a big duty for Public Works crews. One sewer line on the City’s southeast side has been flushed out six times over the past year due to wipe woes. When these products build up in sewer lines they can cause big clogs, possibly sending sewer contributions back into your home. Sizable clogs also have the potential for neighbors to experience sewer backups.
Director of Public Works Mike Osborn says despite the labels on packaging, flushable wipes do not dissolve like toilet paper. “These wipes take longer to break down, meaning they bind together and can easily cause sewer backups,” Osborn said. “Only toilet paper and human waste should be flushed. Wipes should always be disposed of in a trash can.”
Public Works says other materials such as diapers, hygiene products, towels and rags have also been known to cause sewer problems and should not be flushed. The City of Jackson thanks residents for heeding this warning and not flushing wipes!
