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Wastewater
Whakaarohia i mua i tō pupuhi

Think before you flush

Only Pee, Poo and toilet Paper should be flushed down the toilet.

flush
Don't flush

We need you to do your bit at home and at work by flushing only pee, poo and toilet paper. Many products are advertised as flushable, the truth is that they don’t break down like toilet paper and end up getting caught in wastewater pumps, causing blockages.  On average there are 165 blockages in wastewater  pipes and about 150 blockages of pump stations in our district every year, costing $97,000.

You can help protect the environment and prevent wastewater blockages by following these practical tips.

Toilet 

What you put down your toilet can affect your pipes and the wastewater network. To prevent blockages only flush human waste and toilet paper.  Everything else should go into a rubbish bin, even wipes that claim to be flushable or biodegradable should be put into the rubbish bin.

Fats, oil and grease 

If fat, oil or grease is poured down your kitchen sink it cools and turns hard. When this accumulates it causes blockages. Running hot water will just move the problem further down the pipes. 

Trees and roots

As trees grow and mature their roots can reach pipes and damage them. The roots collect debris, obstruct flow and eventually cause blockages. Root damage in pipes can also cause stormwater to enter the pipes, during heavy rain this results in extra water at the wastewater treatment plant and may result in an overflow. 

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Page last updated: 08:44am Thu 09 December 2021

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