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Wastewater is produced when you do your laundry, shower, wash your hands, cook your meals, flush the toilet and do your dishes! However, not everything that goes down the drain is safe for the plumbing in your house or safe for the Township's sanitary sewer infrastructure.
The Township of Perth East has two wastewater treatment plants: in Milverton and in Shakespeare. These plants receive and treat the wastewater generated from your home.
The Township's sanitary sewer system is not designed to dispose of anything except human waste, toilet paper and wastewater.
Flushing any non-flushable materials down the drains at home can result in:
- damaged or blocked plumbing
- unexpected costs for the homeowner to clean and repair pipes in their home
- increased operation and maintenance costs for the Township to repair pipes or to fix equipment at a wastewater treatment plant
"Flushable" wipes, such as baby wipes, makeup wipes, personal hygiene wipes, and cleaning wipes can not be flushed down the toilet, even if the packaging states that they are flushable or septic system safe.
Besides disposable wipes, there are numerous other household items that should never be flushed down a toilet:
- personal hygiene products
- feminine hygiene products (pads and tampons)
- condoms
- cotton swabs
- dental floss
- paper towels
- fats, oils, grease (from cooking or automotive uses)
- pharmaceuticals
- household hazardous waste
Take a look at the Township's "Wipes Don't Belong in Pipes" handout to learn more!