Wisconsin City Sewer System Clogged-Up by Flushable Wipes

By Amanda Antell | September 9, 2015

Category: Consumer News

A Wisconsin city says that flushable wipes are clogging up the city’s sewer system.

The city of Wadena has asked to join a flushable wipes class action lawsuit.

The city’s Public Works Director Dan Kovar had been approached by an attorney from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.

This proposition came when Wadena’s residents experienced a number of sewer backups, causing city officials to warn its citizens that these sewer problems could be related to the flushable wipes.

The city would not have to contribute any money to the flushable wipes lawsuit, but Kovar may need to donate time and give a deposition, if needed.

Kovar went on to say that each time a sewer backs up, it requires a city crew to identity where the blockage is, and then it must use special equipment to clear it. This costs the taxpayers tremendously.

Kovar’s limit had been reached when a particularly bad case occurred in a residential basement, which had the potential to block up to 20 homes on the same line. Even for the wet wipes that make it through the pipes and to the waste treatment plants, problems still occur.

According to experts, the flushable wipes plug up the pumps because when the wipes are sheared apart, the fibers will wrap around the impellers or shafts. Furthermore, these wipes are not biodegradable, so they have to be removed mannually from the treatment flow by plan workers.

Despite the numerous problems these wipes cause, the manufacturing companies do not emphasize this risk on their products. In fact the trade group for wet wipes, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA), encourages manufacturing companies to follow flushability guidelines that the group develops.

These guidelines are determined by the mass of the wipes after they are submerged and sloshed together for three hours. If the mass is reduced by at least 25 percent, the product is flushable.

This is proving not to be the case of most flushable wipes, as a recent consumer report suggested that it took at least 10 minutes to breakdown in a mixer, and that a toilet flushing does not have the aggressive churning methods needed to break them down.

Ultimately, experts are suggesting not to flush these wipes even if they are advertised as “flushable”.

The flushable wipe industry makes approximately $6 billion per year, with sales annually increasing five percent to six percent since 2007.

Wet wipes are moist towelettes that are used for adults and children, for personal hygiene and cleaning purposes. They are made from a variety of materials including paper, viscose fibers, and non-woven fabric.

To produce a soothing feeling for the consumer, these wet wipes are often moistened with water and other liquids that may be treated with softeners, lotions, or perfumes. The wet wipes that are advertised as “flushable” make up the majority of the market, but have been reportedly causing numerous problems.

Across the country, numerous consumers and city officials have complained that these flushable wipes have clogged up their toilets and have caused a number of sewer backups, pump breakdowns, and overflows. Each of these allegations have been traced back to flushable adult and baby wet wipes.