Austin Water Launches “No Wipes In The Pipes!” Campaign
Austin Water is promoting a public awareness campaign, "No Wipes In The Pipes!", advising Austin residents to only flush toilet paper and not to dispose of wet wipes in the pipes.
Austin, TX, September 23, 2026 —
Austin Water has initiated a new public awareness campaign titled “No Wipes In The Pipes!” The campaign aims to educate Austin residents on proper wastewater disposal practices, specifically concerning the flushing of wet wipes.
The core message of the campaign advises individuals to exclusively flush toilet paper and to refrain from disposing of wet wipes in their plumbing systems. This includes products labeled as “flushable” or “septic safe,” as these items can still cause significant issues within the municipal sewer infrastructure.
Wet wipes, even those marketed as flushable, are manufactured differently from toilet paper. They do not disintegrate quickly once flushed. Instead, they can accumulate and form large clumps that obstruct sewer lines, leading to costly blockages and backups. These blockages can affect both private residences and the public sewer system, potentially causing service disruptions and requiring extensive maintenance by the utility.
The initiative by Austin Water seeks to proactively address these problems by fostering a community-wide understanding of what can and cannot be safely flushed. By clarifying that only toilet paper is designed for disposal via the sewer system, Austin Water hopes to prevent future maintenance issues and associated costs. The campaign encourages residents to be mindful of their flushing habits and to choose alternative disposal methods for items such as wet wipes, paper towels, and other non-toilet paper materials. The contractor’s name for the campaign was not provided.
Story summarized from the original created by The Austin Common on theaustincommon.com, see more information here.
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