In Oklahoma cities and towns one of the most frequent and potentially costly insurance claims is a sanitary sewer overflow (aka sewer back up). With the recent toilet paper shortage, many people have turned to purchasing and using “flushable wipes”. Please, don’t use these! Flushable wipes, though advertised as safe for sewer and septic systems, are not. They are not designed to be biodegradable, despite what the manufacturer puts on the label.
Items like flushable wipes, tampons, sanitary napkins, dental floss, diapers, cotton swabs, and bandages are not designed to be flushed down the toilet.
What can be flushed? Only three things: Poo, Pee, and Toilet Paper. These other items get caught up in fats, greases, oils, and debris in the sewer system and cause clogs known as “fatbergs”. This can cause a back up in your personal sewer line or in the municipality’s sewer lines. It can even make it all the way to the sewer treatment plant and destroy thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.
Protect your property, the property of your neighbors, and your municipality’s property. Only flush the 3 Ps (poo, pee, and paper). If you use flushable wipes or other products not biodegradable put them in plastic bags and place them in your trash.
This message was provided by your local municipality and Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG). OMAG is the liability insurance provider for most cities and towns in Oklahoma (for more information regarding this release contact Bill Tackett, OMAG Chief Risk Officer/Director of Risk Management).
