Western Water has reminded its customers that toilet paper is the only kind of paper that should be flushed.
Panic buying triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic has stripped many supermarket shelves of toilet paper and people have stocked up on tissues, paper towel and baby wipes as alternatives.
However Western Water acting chief operating officer Paul Clark said those products are not designed for their sewerage systems and could lead to sewer spills.
“Toilet paper is the only product that is designed to break down properly in our sewerage network,” Mr Clark said.
“Paper towels, tissues and wipes don’t disintegrate the same way as toilet paper and can get stuck in the pipes or cause fatbergs to form in the pipes.”
“This can lead to sewer spills in the home or in public spaces, like parks and waterways.”
Western Water also said customers should avoid ‘flushable’ wipes as there is no current Australian industry standard that provides criteria to manufacturers on how to make them compatible with our sewer systems.
“While we wait for the development of a nationally agreed standard, our advice is to play it safe and only flush the three P’s – Pee, Poo and (Toilet) Paper”, said Mr Clark.
Ewen McRae
