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Posted: Mar 15, 2023 3:23 PMUpdated: Mar 15, 2023 4:42 PM

Flushing: Are You Doing It Right?

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Dalton Spence

Flushing is something that everyone (hopefully) does but the chances of you flushing wrong is higher than you might think. 

According to Water Utilities Director Terry Lauritsen, only two things should be flushed down the toilet. Human waste and toilet paper.

If you're flushing anything else, you could be contributing to the No. 1 cause of sewer backups and other problems in the City's wastewater system.

Lauritsen says, "Things like fats, oils, grease (FOG), and products that say 'flushable,' such as wipes, baby wipes and feminine products all end up coming up somewhere for someone to deal with later. Whether through a backup in the system or at the wastewater treatment plant," Lauritsen continues. "We also see a lot of dental floss, hair, cotton balls, and Q-tips. These items belong in the trash, not the toilet."

Here are some ways to keep FOG out of the system. Scrape and wipe dishes with your napkin before washing. Avoid garbage disposals or use a strainer to catch food, then trash it. Heavy grease: Cool it. Can it. Trash it.


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