If you can throw it in the trash, don’t wash it down the drain or flush it down the toilet.
When we flush our toilets and let used water go down our drains, it begins an important journey through our plumbing, into the wastewater collection system, and to a wastewater treatment plant where the water is cleaned and returned to the environment.
But Metropolitan Council Environmental Services and cities in the region are battling an ongoing problem: people are flushing materials like “flushable” wipes, feminine hygiene products, and rags or are dumping grease and oils down their drains and into our sanitary sewer system. This stuff doesn't dissolve in water, and it causes expensive problems like clogged pipes and pumps, and sewer backups into homes.
What we flush may also impact the environment. Flushing unused medications, hazardous chemicals, and other household items can cause these chemicals to enter the environment and even very low levels can harm aquatic life in our rivers.
Learn more about the problem and how to solve it: