"Flushable" wipes are not flushable, city officials in BA say

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — The City of Broken Arrow hopes to flush misconceptions about wet wipes down the drain.

At least, figuratively.

In a press release, Broken Arrow's Utilities Department said "flushable" wipes are "an oxymoron," and are causing issues with the sewer systems.

The City said wet wipes, which could be baby wipes, Dude Wipes, makeup remover wipes and more, are not safe for plumbing, septic tanks or the sewers, frequently clogging the lift stations that carry wastewater to the sewer plant.

When wipes clog the pumps in the sewer lift stations, it shuts them down. The City said this happened earlier this month at the Adam's Creek Lift Station.

When pump stations shut down, raw sewage can flow into manholes, wet wells, rivers, streams and ponds. At the worst, the City said raw sewage could come into people's home sinks and bathtubs, leading to illnesses and expensive plumbing and repair bills.

The City said utility workers have to manually pull wipes out of pumps with their hands to get pumps running again. On average, city employees manually remove 98 trash bags of discarded wipes from the city's 30 sewer lift stations.

To avoid causing issues with the water systems, only flush toilet paper. Wipes, even those advertised as "flushable," should always go in the trash.