Virginia Beach Public Utilities advises residents to help protect pipes and prevent blockages by not flushing “flushable wipes.”
Sanitary sewer pump clogged with “flushable” wipes.
Virginia Beach’s sanitary sewer system carries wastewater away from your home and to local wastewater treatment facilities, where it is cleaned before being returned to local waterways. It is designed to transport water, toilet paper and human waste only. Flushing any items other than these can lead to issues in your home’s plumbing or the City’s sanitary sewer system.
Pre-moistened wipes, even those labeled “flushable,” are a common cause of pipe blockages both in your home and in the City’s sanitary sewer system. Once wipes enter the sanitary sewer system, they can combine with other materials that don’t belong down your drain – such as fats, oil and grease – to create clogs in the pipes…