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Aussies Are Causing A 'Poonami' With Toilet Paper Alternatives

Aussies Are Causing A 'Poonami' With Toilet Paper Alternatives

Please stop flushing things like baby wipes, paper towels, clothes and rags down the loo.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Australians were warned earlier this month that flushing toilet paper alternatives was causing major issues with our pipes.

One water authority says it's now seeing an overwhelming increase in the number of blockages because people aren't tossing baby wipes, paper towels and even rags from clothes in the bin.

Brisbane's Urban Utilities spokesperson Michelle Cull told the ABC they were seeing a 'poonami' of alternatives ruin the network of sewage pipes.

"One of the most shocking sights, is the huge volume of wipes we're removing from the screens at our pump stations every day," she added.

This is a common scene playing out for water authorities around the country after the panic buying of toilet paper set in.

Because everyone was snapping up all the loo roll, many were left looking at other sources to wipe their private parts.

But you're supposed to chuck those alternatives in the bin, not the toilet.

RTL Trades general manager Mick Bradley said while you might think it won't be your problem down the line, it can cost you a fair bit.

"The majority of blocked drains are caused by people flushing wipes down the toilet and the costs can run into the thousands," he told the ABC.

"At a minimum, you'll be looking at around $400-$500 to have a CCTV inspection carried out and the blockage cleared."

South Australia Water highlighted this problem earlier in March by uploading some rank pictures showing a pipe literally bursting under the pressure of a clog while a tank showed all the mess that hadn't made it through the system.

SA Water

Anna Jackson from SA Water told 10 News First: "The three Ps - the paper, the poo and the pee can all go in the toilet. anything else, please put it in the bin.

"Whether its wet wipes, paper towels or baby wipes, they will block up the sewer network."

SA Water spends $400,000 a year on removing fatbergs, which is the technical term for 'a very large mass of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting especially of congealed fat and personal hygiene products'.

Sydney Water says you should only be putting the three Ps into the system.

SA Water

In a press release, the water authority said that some items might not work as intended.

"Even though wet wipes might state that they are flushable on their packaging, the reality is that they don't break down and cause blockages in Sydney Water's wastewater pipes as a result," a Sydney Water spokesperson said.

"Wipes can cause system chokes and damage to private sewer pipes. One Sydney resident reported a $16,000 plumbing bill to repair her private sewer pipes caused by her flushing wet wipes."

So please, stop flushing toilet paper alternatives.

Featured Image Credit: Unitywater

Topics: News, Australia