GR Officials Remind You: ‘No Wipes In The Pipes’

In this day and age when some of us may seek out substitutes for toilet paper because we ran out, the Grand Rapids Environmental Services brought back their catchy phrase, 'No Wipes In The Pipes'.

In a pinch, no one will blames you for grabbing a baby wipe or other hygienic wipe to complete the task at hand. Just don't flush it down the toilet.

The City of Grand Rapids has been trying to get you to stop doing this ever since they coined the phrase 'No WIpes In The Pipes' back in 2013.

Just because the package says "flushable" doesn't mean it's true.  Many items marked as disposable and/or flushable do not degrade like toilet paper. They can clog pipes and pumps and cause sewer backups into streets, businesses and homes.

Examples of what NOT to flush:

• Wipes of any kind (even those advertised as "flushable")
• Diapers (cloth, disposable, "flushable")
• Paper towels
• Feminine hygiene products
• Facial tissues

What should you do?

Place them in the garbage. Use old t-shirts or other cloth rags for cleaning. These can then be washed and reused.

But now they have reissued their reminder in the wake of runs of toilet paper from local stores. If you've found an alternative for TP, bless you, enjoy that comfy goodness, just throw it in the trash instead of flushing it! Save the sewer system!