Be careful what you flush

People are being urged by the Water Corporation to think twice about what they flush down the toilet.

Over the past five years the Water Corporation has spent almost $20.4 million clearing blockages from wastewater systems across WA.

Items such as wet wipes, paper kitchen towel and sanitary products should be disposed in a bin, because the material foes not break down in wastewater pipes.

Water Corporation South West regional manager John Janssen said crews had stepped up planned maintenance to clear potential blockages before they happened but the community needed to do its part.

“If a blockage occurs in Water Corporation’s wastewater network, then our crews have the unenviable job of clearing these blockages,” he said.

“Since the start of this year they have cleared 137 blockages from wastewater systems across the South West.

“I’m asking the community to do their bit to ensure our crews are only being called out to essential work and not to clear blockages caused by innocent things such as wet wipes, paper towels and newspaper being flushed down the toilet.”

Mr Janssen said even items marketed as flushable could not be flushed down the toilet.

“The only thing that should be flushed as the 3Ps — pee, poo and (toilet) paper — everything else goes in the bin,” he said.