Save Your Pipes

Your sink and toilet were made to dispose of certain things – not everything though!

Your kitchen sink

In the kitchen, your sink should be used to rinse and clean dishes and prepare for meals, like rinsing vegetables. Things like extra food – pasta noodles, large, bulky food scraps, and grease — fruit stickers (yes, those end up sticking to our wastewater infrastructure), etc. should be disposed of properly.

No wipes – why?

Disposable disinfectant wipes, baby wipes, and even “flushable” wipes cause serious problems in the sanitary sewer system. They simply do not break down easily (or at all) once they are flushed. Paper products other than toilet paper (e.g., paper towels) also do not break down once in the sewer line. No matter what the label says, don’t flush them, instead trash them. Other things to consider trashing:

•   Rags and Paper Towels
•   Disposable dusters and cleaning wipes
•   Diapers

•   Coffee grounds and egg shells (compost it!)
•   Feminine hygiene products
•   Dental floss

Common items flushed and what to do instead

In addition to wipes, be sure not to flush paints, solvents or medications down the toilet.

• 
  Dispose of paint and other Household Hazardous Materials at a proper waste disposal site.

• 

  Medication disposed of down the toilet or sink end up in our water supplies and damage the environment. Old or expired medications can be properly disposed of all year long at many locations, find a permanent take back location near you. Also, Placer County sponsors annual Spring and Fall Medication Take Back events, find details about an upcoming event here.”