Flushing wet wipes down the toilet causes 60% of sewage blockages - and you could be fined if you are caught.
Northumbrian Water is urging people in the North East not to dispose of any wet wipes down the toilet, including ones labelled as "flushable".
Unlike toilet paper, wipes do not disintegrate easily in the sewage system, so they cause blockages.
Read more: Northumbrian Water to track down those who flush wipes in South Shields
"When sewage can’t flow down the sewer pipes because of a blockage, it has to go somewhere else. This could be your street, garden or even back into your home through the toilet, or drains in your bath, sink and shower, flooding your bathroom and home."
Flushed wipes contribute to "more than 60% of sewer blockages in the North East", Northumbrian Water adds.
Northumbrian Water warns it can track down people responsible for flushing wipes and is currently targeting homes in South Shields and Jarrow.
Why you shouldn't flush wet wipes down the toilet
Wet wipes, unlike toilet paper, do not break down easily. They can clog up pipes and sewers. If sewers get blocked there is nowhere for sewage to go, which can lead to it backing up through pipes and into streets, gardens and drains. In some cases sewage blocked by wet wipes can shoot back up into toilets, baths, sinks and showers and flood homes.
Northumbrian Water says: "Many wipes are made from plastic, which means they don’t break down in water like toilet roll. Our toilets and sewer pipes are not designed for wipes. Even if the wipes aren’t in your toilet bowl, they might get stuck in the pipes near your home, or someone else’s."
Can I put 'flushable wipes? down the toilet?
No, Northumbria Water says.
The water industry is trying to lobby wipe makers to no longer use the term "flushable" to describe products and it is asking people not to dispose of any wipes down the toilet.
Northumbrian Water says: "The testing that manufacturers carry out, which is not in accordance with fine to flush, in order to ‘prove’ flushability, doesn’t accurately reflect the reality the conditions within a drainage system and therefore what happens to a wipe when it’s flushed.
"The mild turbulence as they’re washed through the u-bend really does very little and certainly doesn’t break them up and stop them from settling or snagging in sewers and contributing to blockages."
There are some wipes are labelled "fine to flush", which is different to "flushable". Northumbrian Water says "fine to flush" wipes go through more vigorous, independent testing. Northumbrian Water says fine to flush wipes are the only varieties that can be safely disposed of down the toilet, although it would still prefer people to bin all wipes instead of putting them down the toilet.
"We’d still rather you didn’t flush ANY wipe. It’s the only certain way to make sure your wipe doesn’t cause sewer strife," sats Northumbrian Water.
Northumbrian Water's message is simple: Bin the wipe. Don't flush it.
Can I be charged or fined for flushing wet wipes down the toilet?
Yes, Northumbrian Water says people who repeatedly break the rules and are caught flushing wet wipes can be charged for the cost of clearing the blockages.
People can also be prosecuted under the Water Industry Act 1991 "which is the law that makes it illegal to put anything into the sewer that can impede the flow of the waste that should be in there".
But how can Northumbrian Water catch people who flush wet wipes?
Northumbrian Water says its teams continuously monitor blockages in the system and investigate them. They use a special tool, called a porcupine, which is placed down a manhole, which traps wipes.
Letters are then sent to homes in the area warning them not to flush wipes.
If the problem persists, Northumbrian Water's team follow the pipe and narrow their search down to the street causing the blockage. That street's pipes get monitored further and another warning is sent.
"If the problem continues, we will then follow the pipes to find the property which is still flushing the wipes," warns Northumbrian Water.
A sewage maintenance officer is then sent to the property to talk to the occupant. If the wipes continue to be found, another final warning is dished out. If the problem continues, Northumbrian Water will invoice the home responsible for the cost of clearing the pipes.
Read next:
- North East council gets back £15m loaned to troubled Essex authority that has £1.5bn debt
- Metro boss says new trains 'can't come fast enough' after old fleet struggles in freezing weather
- More than 7,000 people have their say on plans to shut down leisure centres in Gateshead
Northumbrian Water among firms singled out by Ofwat as 'worst performing'
