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Sewer or septic?West Chester waterFreeze, flood, and rootsSeasonal plumbing calendarBuying or selling a homeHow to choose a plumberHow we priceFrequently asked questionsAre flushable wipes safe for sewer and septic systems in West Chester?
The package says flushable. Your township, your pipes, and your septic tank disagree. Here is what actually happens to wipes after you flush them, and what to do if you have been flushing them for years.
Key takeaway: No. So-called flushable wipes do not break down the way toilet paper does. Westtown Township warns residents they clog both public sewers and septic systems. Only toilet paper belongs in the toilet.
Few products cause more plumbing calls than wipes. Baby wipes, cleaning wipes, makeup wipes, and the ones sold as flushable all end up in the same place: stuck somewhere between your toilet and the treatment plant or septic tank.
Our local governments say it plainly. Westtown Township tells residents that the spread of disinfecting and sanitary wipes has caused many clogs and problems at sewage treatment facilities, and that despite being marketed as flushable, these wipes do not break down, whether you are on public sewer or an on-lot septic system.
Why wipes do not act like toilet paper
Toilet paper is made to fall apart in water within moments. Wipes are made to stay strong while wet, which is exactly why they are useful for cleaning. That strength does not disappear in the pipe. A wipe can pass through the toilet and still be intact hundreds of feet later.
What happens inside your pipes
A wipe does not need to be the whole clog. It only needs something to catch on, and older West Chester homes offer plenty:
- Rough cast iron. About 42.6% of homes in the borough were built before 1940, and old cast iron drains develop a rough, scaly inside surface that snags fibers.
- Clay pipe joints and roots. Many older sewer laterals are clay pipe, and tree roots grow in at the joints. Wipes wrap around the roots and build a dam.
- Sags and offsets. Anywhere the pipe dips or a joint has shifted, wipes settle and collect grease and paper.
The result is a main line clog that clears with a cable and then comes back, sometimes within weeks. If that sounds familiar, the pipe itself may need a look. See drain cleaning for clearing the line, and sewer line repair when roots or damage keep causing it.
What happens in the public sewer
Inside the borough, wastewater flows to a system run by the Borough of West Chester, with two treatment plants and four pumping stations. Pumps and screens are designed for water, waste, and toilet paper. Wipes tangle into ropes that jam equipment, and removing them costs the whole community money. The main under the street belongs to the municipality, but the lateral from your house to that main is generally yours, so a wipe clog there is your repair bill.
What happens in a septic tank
Many homes in the townships around West Chester use on-lot septic systems. In a septic tank, bacteria break down waste and solids settle to the bottom. Wipes do not break down, so they add to the solids layer and fill the tank faster. They can also block the tank’s outlet or be carried toward the drain field, where solids do real and expensive damage. Some townships, such as Thornbury, require regular septic pumping, and wipes make that pumping more frequent.
What about wipes labeled septic safe?
A label is a marketing claim, not a promise about your pipes. A product can pass the manufacturer’s own test in a new, smooth pipe and still snag on a root in a clay lateral or a rough spot in hundred-year-old cast iron. Your plumbing, not the package, decides whether a wipe gets stuck. When the township responsible for the sewer tells residents not to flush wipes at all, that is the guidance to follow, whatever the label says.
What can go in the toilet
The simple rule is human waste and toilet paper only. Everything else, including wipes, paper towels, cotton balls and swabs, dental floss, feminine products, and cat litter, belongs in the trash. Put a small covered bin in every bathroom so the right choice is also the easy one. In rentals, put the rule in writing; our student rental checklist covers what to tell tenants.
If you have been flushing wipes for years
Stop now, and watch for these signs:
- A toilet that gurgles when the washer or tub drains
- Several slow drains at once
- Water coming up through a basement floor drain
- A main line that has needed clearing more than once
Any of these means the main line is partly blocked. Clearing it before it backs up is cheaper and far less messy than dealing with sewage in the basement. If you are on septic, have the tank inspected and pumped, and mention the wipes so the contractor checks the outlet.
Questions about wipes and drains
Are flushable wipes really flushable?
They will go down the toilet, but they do not break down the way toilet paper does. Westtown Township warns residents that wipes marketed as flushable do not break down and clog both public sewers and septic systems.
Can wipes damage a septic system?
Yes. Wipes do not break down in the tank, so they add to the solids, fill the tank faster, and can block the outlet or reach the drain field. That means more frequent pumping and a risk of costly drain field repairs.
How do I know if wipes are clogging my sewer line?
Common signs are gurgling toilets, several slow drains at once, and water rising in a basement floor drain. A plumber can clear the line and use a camera to see what caused it. Call (610) 788-0057.