Over recent weeks, the world has found itself in an unprecedented situation with a global pandemic sweeping the planet. This has naturally caused widespread alarm and anxiety, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of infections, tens of thousands of deaths – and mass panic buying in the supermarkets.
One of the things that people in California and cities across the world are now having a problem with is being able to get their hands on toilet paper. For some reason, this was among the first things to go flying off the shelves and finding toilet paper available these days is like gold dust. Of course, for those who cannot find any toilet paper, extreme measures are necessary, and some have been turning to unusual alternatives. However, some of these are causing massive issues when it comes to the sewer systems.
The Need to Bag and Not Flush
With current social distancing regulations in place, finding a professional to deal with anything from damp basement walls to blocked pipes will be a problem. When it comes to the latter, many people are at risk of blocking their pipes because of the types of materials they are flushing down the loo in the absence of toilet paper. In addition, they are putting the sewer systems at risk, which could then create another huge problem for their communities.
One of the major issues in California during the Covid-19 situation is that many people have now taken to tearing up old t-shirts and using them in place of toilet paper. While this may seem like an imaginative solution, residents are being warned to remember that t-shirts are not designed to be flushed in the same way as toilet paper. Many people are using t-shirt pieces and then flushing them down the toilets, and this is already creating huge problems for the sewer systems.
People are also flushing other toilet roll alternatives down the toilet including baby wipes and other materials. It is important to remember that not only do these items cause a massive issue when they are flushed but the huge numbers of people that are doing it are making a bad situation even worse. It is resulting in pipe blockages in people’s homes as well as major sewer problems that could end up affecting entire communities.
Importance of Being Careful
Officials have pointed out that this growing trend has already created huge issues, and if it continues, the problems will continue to get worse. While some people may have no option but to use alternatives to toilet paper in the current situation, it is very important for them to be mindful about how they dispose of the materials.
Rather than flushing materials such as ripped t-shirts and wipes down the toilet, people should be using the trash in order to dispose of them. This will help to ensure they do not end up with blocked pipes, which can be expensive and difficult to sort out. In addition, it will help to reduce the risks to sewer systems.
