Message from Mayor Madden: Discharging Flushable Wipes

On Sunday, January 24, central dispatch notified our Sewer Department concerning a pump failure. The Green brook Road Sub - Pump Station had sent out the alarm that both pumps had failed.

This emergency prompted several members to come to work and immediately deal with this problem. The Jet Vac truck was also dispatched. The situation was dire as sewer backup into an entire district was imminent if they could not get the pumps up and running quickly. Using a hoist the two pumps were lifted from their base to determine the issue. They discovered that the problem was flushable wipes which clogged the impellers of both pumps thereby shutting them down. This congestion from the discharge of thousands of wipes entering the sanitary system has been a perennial problem. Exacerbating the problem has been the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since many people have been working from home there has been a dramatic use of the wipes along with bleach, cleaning products and other material being discharged into the sewer laterals. Since the wipes do not break down rapidly ( also feminine paper products ) they have a tendency to start clogs which lead to sustained blockages which may cause serious damage and needless expense. On the other hand, toilet paper will disintegrate very quickly.

Many types of wipes are not flushable at all; some varieties can take much longer to actually disintegrate than toilet paper. Baby wipes have plastic fibers in them and should never go down a toilet. Due to the plastic fibers that are carried along with the sewage , food particles, grease and other material will collect on these fibers. This can become the next total lateral blockage. In addition, this can quickly cause a backup into your home .

Disposable hand towels, cosmetic, and surface wipes do not disintegrate. Damage to your home and our sanitation system can occur rapidly if not controlled. Finally , they dramatically contribute to the materials that require additional expensive treatment . Unfortunately, these excessive sewer costs are passed on to our residents. And because “ flushable” wipes are similar in appearance to other consumer products including baby and cosmetic wipes, many people dispose of these products down the toilet as well adding to the problem since they are NOT flushable at all.

The bottom line is that our Middlesex Borough Department of Public Works asks you to ONLY put toilet paper down the toilet.

Please help us keep our sanitary system healthy while preventing costly emergency repairs and our homes safe from sewage backups.   

Thank you. Please stay safe.

Mayor John L. Madden