GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — A public service announcement from NEW Water: Don't flush dental floss down the toilet.
NEW Water in Green Bay treats millions of gallons of wastewater every day and returns the clean water into the Fox River. They want to remind folks not to treat your toilet like a trash can.
Sharon Thieszen, the field services manager at NEW Water, said they have one station in particular where dental floss ends up in their systems and it wraps around the pump and shaft, causing it to stop. This issue is costing NEW Water several thousand dollars per year.
He said it takes three people several hours to remove the floss; and it could cost them even more money if they need to replace equipment with stronger pumps.
"Our toilets and sewers are designed for the three P's: Pee, poo and toilet paper, and that's it," Thieszen said.
Flushing anything else could block your own pipe into your house or cause problems for your neighbor down the street. NEW Water said flushing other items can also have a negative impact on the environment as some products contain micro-plastics that are not good for public health.
Other things that are commonly flushing that cause problems are baby and cleaning wipes. Even if they are labeled flushable, throw them in the trash and not down the drain.
