Improper flushing costs shareholders
PLUMBING
GRF Service Maintenance reports a growing incidence of blocked sewer pipes in the community, largely due to flushable wipes. That’s because most wipes labelled “flushable” are not biodegradable and cause major stoppages. GRF Service Maintenance Director Ruben Gonzalez reports that even though crews routinely pull wipes and other unflushables out of pipes, there are so many that they are clogging sewer pumps, which necessitates expensive repairs.
This is a problem across all Mutuals. In 2023, Service Maintenance received 2,797 stoppage requests, costing the respective Mutuals a total $210,949 over the course of the year.
Residents can help keep sewer lines clear of non-flushable or grindable items (in garbage disposals) to ensure a stoppage-free sewer system.
Toilets
Residents must not dispose of non-flushable items in toilets.
These materials do not disintegrate in water and stop up sewer lines. Do not flush (even when marked flushable) cleaning or baby wipes, paper towels, cloth towels, any type of rags, feminine hygiene products, facial tissues and diapers. Do not flush anything other than toilet paper.
Everything else should be disposed of in the trash.
Garbage Disposal
Do not grind any of the following items as they also create sewer stoppages: Bones, carrot and potato peelings, celery and rhubarb stalks, coffee grounds, eggshells, corn cob husks, onion skins, pea pods, grease, pills, rice or any other fibrous materials.
