Pennsylvania American Water urged customers on Saturday not to flush sanitizing wipes down the toilet and not to pour grease or oil down the drain.
The Mechanicsburg-based utility said customers have increased their use of sanitizing wipes that, if flushed, can lead to sewer backups and expensive in-home plumbing issues.
“Flushing or dumping the wrong things down the drain can cause problems in your local sewer system and cause blockages in your own home,” said Mark Cross, senior manager of wastewater operations for Pennsylvania American Water. “Many sewer blockages occur between your house and our sewer main, where the property owner is responsible for correcting and paying for the repair. During this already stressful time, we want to help our customers avoid blockages that could create costly plumbing emergencies.”
The utility noted that in addition to causing blockages, grease can have an adverse environmental impact if overflow enters local waterways.
— JAMES HALPIN
