City of Rochester Public Works Reminds Residents to Avoid Flushing Non-Flushable Items Down Toilet

ROCHESTER — The City of Rochester Public Works would like to remind residents to avoid flushing non-flushable items down the toilet while many residents are at home while social distancing efforts are in effect throughout the state.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces to help stop or slow the spread of COVID-19. 

Cleaning or disinfecting wipes are an easy and effective way for residents to sanitize homes, and the City of Rochester Public Works Department wants to remind citizens that disinfecting wipes should not be flushed down the toilet after use. The presence of such products in sewer lines and systems causes dysfunction and increases the exposure of city employees to biohazards.

“Wipes and other thick paper products can severely impact sewer pipes in your neighborhood and damage septic systems, causing blockages and overflow into your home,” City Services Director Peter Nourse said. “Sewer overflows create an additional public health risk in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Residents are reminded not to flush items such as cotton swabs, dental floss, feminine products or kitty litter. Only bodily waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Wipes labeled as “flushable” also should not be flushed.

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COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, has been declared a Global Pandemic by the World Health Organization and has moved Governor Chris Sununu to declare a State of Emergency in New Hampshire and President Donald Trump to declare a National Emergency.  

For more information, visit the NH-DHHS website and the CDC’s website by clicking here.

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