The public sewer system is responsible for carrying wastewater away from your home and into wastewater treatment facilities, where it is cleaned before being returned to local waterways​. Flushing items that should not be flushed can lead to clogs in the system. Public Utilities crews use valuable time and resources to clear these clogs and restore service in a process called deragging.

A large number of deragging incidents in Virginia Beach are caused by pre-moistened sanitary wipes. Even wipes labeled “flushable” cause a problem in the public sewer system; just because something can be flushed, doesn’t mean it should be. The public sewer system moves wastewater at a rate that does not allow for these wipes to break down, as the break down process for wipes can take over a month.

Once these wipes enter the public sewer system, they combine with other materials that don’t belong down your drain; such as fats, oil, and grease. This creates clogs in the pipes that can lead to a backup of raw sewage into your home or onto your street, and lots of money down the drain.

So, how can you avoid these problems in your home’s plumbing and the City’s infrastructure? Only flush the 3 P’s: Pee, Poop, and (toilet) Paper. The 3 P’s are the only materials your home’s plumbing, the City’s infrastructure, and the wastewater treatment plant were designed to handle.

Pre-moistened sanitary wipes do serve their purpose though, that’s why they’re so popular! You can continue using them, just don't flush them! Instead, toss them in the trash.

What Else Not To Flush

• Tissues
• Paper towels
• Any type of wipes
• Disposable diaper liners
• Cotton swabs
• Dental Floss​
• Feminine hygiene products
• Family planning products
• Cat litter
• FOG (fats, oil, and grease)
• Food scraps
• Anything other than the 3 P’s

This easy-to-do project will make your kids or students "What Not to Flush" experts in no time!

What You'll Need

• Two water bottles
• One pre-moistened "flushable" wipe
• A few squares of toilet paper

What You'll Do

• Fill the water bottles a little over halfway with water
• Place the wipe in one water bottle​
• Place the toilet paper in the other water ​bottle​
• Shake both at the same time for 3 minutes

What You'll Learn

• The toilet paper dissolves while the wipe stays mostly intact
• Wipes should not be flushed because they do not break down
• Wipes can causes tangles and clogs in your home's plumbing and the public sewer system
• Only flush the 3 P's: pee, poop, and (toilet) paper

• No Wipes in the Pipes Coloring Page