Only flush the three Ps down the toilet: City

The City of Ottawa is telling residents to stop flushing disinfectant wipes down the drain (Photo courtesy: YouTube/City of Ottawa)

OTTAWA — Ottawa residents are being told to only flush the three Ps and stop putting disinfectant wipes in the toilet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Ottawa posted a new ad on YouTube this week saying “your toilet is not a green bin or a garbage can.”

The message is "there is no such thing as a flushable wipe" and residents should “only flush the three Ps – Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.”

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Manager of Wastewater Collection Hasnaa Zaknoun says “during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have noticed pump blockages and screening systems overloaded with wipes.”

Zaknoun says the city is asking residents not to flush baby wipes, makeup remover cloths and disinfectant wipes because they do not decompose in the sanitary sewer system.

“Flushing this material causes damage to the sewer system, and every pump blockage requires extra effort and cost,” writes Zaknoun.

“They may also cause sewer backups in residences, leading to costly plumbing costs.”

All the products should be placed in your garbage bin.

The City of Ottawa says these items should never be flushed down the toilet: