Shortage Of Toilet Paper Causes Problems For Sewers: Coronavirus

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Officials are asking residents to stop flushing items that don't belong in the toilet, even if the packaging claims it is flushable. During the new coronavirus outbreak, toilet paper has been in short supply, so people have turned to other items such as paper towels and wipes.

But officials warn many items marketed as disposable or flushable do not actual break down like toilet paper is designed to do. Then the materials end up clogging pipes, tangling pumps and causing messy sewer backups into streets, businesses and homes.

The City of Annapolis explains on its website that sewers are designed to dispose of "very specific things." Using a toilet to flush other non-degradable items can cause a blockage in the line. Sewer pipes often are no bigger than four inches in diameter. Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis jointly own the Annapolis Reclamation Facility where wastewater ends up at. Officials emphasize that only the "three Ps" should be flushed: pee, poop and toilet paper.

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Matt Diehl, spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works, told Patch that grease and "flushable" wipes are the county's biggest problem and it is ongoing.

"We are always promoting that only toilet paper be flushed. Toilet paper is the only product that breaks down fast enough to not cause buildup in pipes. We are not yet seeing an increase in unexpected responses (pump failures) at the pump stations in general, but we are having issues at the Annapolis Water Reclamation Facility. The operators there are needing to clean/unclog the lead pump every single day and sometimes the second and third pumps, as well," Diehl said. "We have pushed and will continue to push the message that no other paper products (including wipes) other than toilet paper should flushed. It can can very costly and messier problems for public and residential wastewater infrastructure."

City of Annapolis spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson told Patch that there has been an increase in the types of items flushed that clog up the sewer system, including rags and wipes.

"These items don't break down in water like toilet paper and interfere with the machinery at the sewage treatment plant. Please don't flush wipes, tissues, rags, newspaper, etc.," said Stephenson.

The items that should never be flushed include:

• Baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, moist wipes (whether it says "flushable" or not)
• Diapers
• Rags
• Facial tissue
• Paper towels
• Toilet bowl Scrub pads
• Cleaning cloths of any kind
• Sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms
• Fats, oils, and grease
• Hair
• Dental floss

Anne Arundel County has created a video that describes the impact these products have on the system.

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