Flushable Wipes Cause Drought-Time Sewer Clogs

0:00Water officials in Pasco County, Florida are sounding the alarm on sewer clogs from wipes in Greece, hitting hard during this drought. Flushable wipes in cooking grease are the top culprits, gumming up lift stations around the Tampa Bay area and forcing crews to use extra water just to clear them out. Utility workers pull out massive clumps of wipes daily, even those labeled flushable, because they do not break down like toilet paper. They have found everything from rubber gloves and ranks to odd items like bits of 2x4 and even pillowcases tangled in the pumps. Local folks admit the labels trick them into flushing baby wipes, band aids, or q-tips, but now they are rethinking it after hearing the warnings. The big worry is that clearing these backups guzzles precious water supplies when every drop counts in dry times. Drought slows water flow through the pipes, making clogs worse and raising chances of sewage spilling back into homes or streets with repair bills. That hit homeowners hard. Grease poured down drains builds up fast under these conditions too.

1:02Stick to flushing only toilet paper and human waste officials say to keep systems running smooth, save water, and dodge those nasty backups for. Good. Local news powered by AI. This is Tampa Bay News today. I'm Cory with the story.