Wipeout: Toilet Paper Shortage Prompts Plea In Livingston

LIVINGSTON, NJ — They’re known as “the three P’s”: pee, poop and paper (of the toilet variety). And they’re the only things that should ever be flushed down your commode, even amid the coronavirus crisis, Livingston officials say.

Earlier this week, township officials put forth an unusual plea to residents, asking them to avoid flushing “bad news” materials into their toilets. That includes paper towels, tissues and napkins, all of which can wreak havoc on the local sewer system.

It also includes sanitary and baby wipes – even those labeled “flushable” – which have seen increased use due to chronic, coronavirus-related toilet paper shortages, officials said.

“Despite claims of being ‘flushable,’ wipes of any kind don’t break down like toilet paper does,” Livingston officials wrote. “Instead, they clog pipes and affect sewer and water treatment systems. They should not be flushed at any time.”

As such, the Livingston Water Pollution Control Facility is joining other utilities in the state and around the country, and asking residents to use some common sense when going number two or throwing away COVID-19 garbage.

Livingston officials wrote:

"While toilet paper is in short supply due to some overbuying, and people find themselves using disinfecting wipes at a higher rate, utilities across the country are experiencing problems with sewage systems clogged by items that should not be flushed down the toilet. The Township of Livingston reminds residents that items other than human waste and toilet paper should not be flushed. To avoid sewer blockages, backups and overflows, damage to treatment equipment, and numerous other potential issues, dispose of all other items in the trash."

“With so many other pressing issues and concerns, the last thing anyone needs right now is a clogged sewer line or backup and overflow in their home,” town officials urged. “The good news is that this is easily avoided.”

“Remember… wipes clog pipes,” officials said, referencing a Twitter hashtag that many industry sources have been using as a call to action.

• See related article: People Are Leaving Coronavirus Garbage All Over Essex County

The problem has already been rearing its head in New Jersey.

“We have noticed an uptick in the amount of clogged main sewer lines,” the vice president of an East Hanover-based plumbing and heating service recently told The New York Times. “We are pulling baby wipes out of the line and we’re seeing paper towels and Lysol wipes. These items are things that should never be flushed down the toilet.”

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