'Flushable' wipes costing all

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"Flushable" wipes are causing taxpayer turmoil in cities everywhere, according to the City of Penticton.

To raise awareness on the "damage to city sewer systems" those wipes cause, Penticton is joining a coalition with other cities and several organizations to pass on the message. 

Wipes being flushed cost Canadian taxpayers more than $250 million to deal with each year, according to the Municipal Enforcement Sewer Use Group.

"There's a big problem lurking in our sewers," waste water supervisor Randy Craig said in a news release.

"Please let your family and friends know to never flush any wipes down the toilet, even if they are claimed to be 'flushable,' but instead dispose of them in the garbage."

Craig added that while 'flushable' wipes are marketed as being just that, he said they don't actually break down and cause blockages to turbines and pumps in sewer systems as a result.

In Penticton, Craig said the issue of those wipes being flushed has continued to grow.

"This presents a significant maintenance and repair cost to city taxpayers, and can block pipes which can lead to wastewater overflow into homes," he continued.

The coalition that the city has joined aims to create an "enforceable standard" for municipalities to cut down the amount of wipes in the sewer systems.