Council Operations and Maintenance Engineer Stephen Rooney is urging people not to flush wet wipes down the toilet.

“Despite being advertised as ‘flushable’, wet wipes don’t break down like toilet paper. When they bind together they block our pumps that keep the sewage moving through the pipes,” he said.

Council staff then have to raise the underground pumps and manually clear them of the clumps of wet wipes and other debris that accumulates around them.

“Given the current Covid-19 situation, more people are using wet wipes in an effort to keep up hygiene practices. Unfortunately the material wet wipes are made from is not kind to our pipes and they should be placed in the rubbish bin instead,” said Mr Rooney.

“When it comes to what you can safely flush, people need to remember the three Ps – pee, poo and paper, anything else should be put in the rubbish.”

Mr Rooney asked that people consider the staff who have to respond when an alarm alerts them to a blocked sewage pump.

“It’s not the nicest job and it takes our staff away from essential work, so it would be good if people could wrap their rubbish and put it out in the council bag instead of blocking toilets, drains or the sewerage system.”

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