Toilet Paper Wipes Being Blamed for Nationwide Clogged Sewers

Why are sewers getting clogged nationwide?

Once in a while every house has a clogged toilet. Boy, that's ugly! Unclogging toilets is a pain — tools and chemicals are abundant in the marketplace for unclogging them. The best one, though, is baking soda, which every household will necessarily have.

But now it's not just individual houses having clogged-pipe problems. In western New York the problem has gone beyond homes and is affecting the entire community. The sewer pipes are regularly getting clogged, and waste authorities are trying to get to the root of the problem. So far they have identified the flushable wipes as the problem: it seems the moist wipes are not suited for flushing at all. They never break down, resulting in clogged sewer pipes.

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies has said they have been hearing complaints of clogged sewer pipes for the last four years — about the time flushable wipes got popular. Millions of dollars are being wasted in unclogging these pipes.

What are cities doing about it?

A few cities have recognized this problem and adopted the slogan "keep wipes out of pipes" — regardless of whether the wipes are labeled flushable or not. Feminine products, baby wipes, and paper towels are a sure way to clog the toilet. Some toilet papers break down better than others.

Is there a cleaner alternative?

Europe has embraced bidets. Maybe it's time for the US to embrace them too. They are cleaner and cost-effective — bidets are a clean alternative to toilet paper. Bidet is the answer to clean bums and pipes!