As a reminder, we do not allow the dis-posal of anything other than water and the “3 P’s” into our sewer collection system; Pee, Poo, Paper (toilet).

Flushing sanitary wipes, paper towels, “flushable” wipes, diapers, etc. cause major problems to our sewer collection infrastructure. These problems result in clogged pumps, blocked sewer mains, sewer backups, and other environmental hazards. These events are extremely costly, and expose our staff unnecessari-ly to raw sewage. Properly dispose of these items is in the garbage can after use.

Other consumer products contain ingre-dients that may harm water quality and the environment, such as plastic, fats, oils, and greases, and unused pharma-ceuticals should also be kept out of the sewer system and disposed of properly.

Hazardous wastes should also not be flushed down the toilet. The District’s treatment plant is a biological process and does not remove some hazardous chemicals. Many chemicals found in hazardous products are toxic. When these products are flushed down the toilet, thrown into the garbage, poured on the ground, or down storm drains they persist in our environment.

So what can you do?

• Avoid purchasing “flushable” items. Unfortunately, the majority of flushable items on the market don’t biodegrade quickly enough to avoid clogging the pumps and pipes.
• Recycle and compost food waste.
• Discard hazardous materials such as used motor oil, antifreeze, etc. properly. For disposal locations visit: spokanewastedirectory.org.
• Dispose of hazardous wastes at the Valley Recycling Center at 3941 N. Sullivan Road.