City Seeing Increase in Non-flushable Products, March 23

The City of Coos Bay wastewater operators have noticed a significant increase in non-flushable products (baby wipes, paper towels, t-shirts, etc.). When non-flushable products are put down the toilet, they can cause backups in your personal residence and in the city’s system. Sometimes these products can make it all the way to the wastewater plant before an issue arises. At the wastewater plants there is equipment to ensure that these do not go into the main processing equipment. The plants have dumpsters to collect these non-processible products (rags). Normally, half a dumpster is filled each week with rags, as of late; however, they are filling much faster than normal. Below is a picture of rags that can cause equipment failures at the treatment plants. Please only flush toilet paper down the drain. If you are using other materials, please dispose of these in your trash. Please think before you flush. Any questions can be directed to the City of Coos Bay Public Works Department at 541-269-8918.