World Toilet Day - Don't flush it, bag and bin it

18 Nov 2008

November 19 is World Toilet Day and the focus is on health through safe sanitation. In developed countries like Australia, it’s important to protect the high level of sanitation and health we enjoy by protecting our sewerage systems and waterways.

Power and Water Corporation provides 51,217 sewerage services through 1,042 kilometres of sewer mains in the Territory and processes 19,745 mega litres of what you flush away.

Whatever you call it, the thunderbox, crapper, loo, public convenience, can, dunny, potty, out-house, throne or ‘the John’ – the humble toilet is not a bin!

The toilet and sewerage system is designed to deal with urine, faeces and toilet paper, flushing other items down the toilet can lead to blockages and cause flooding (sewage also includes everything that goes into sinks and drains in your bathroom, kitchen and laundry).

However, that’s not the only problem. Other items can cause blockages at the treatment plant and if there is heavy rainfall, they may escape from overflow pipes directly into the river and sea. Marine wildlife can then be at risk as they mistake plastic materials for food. Sea birds have been found with condoms in their stomachs and turtles to have a wide variety of plastics in their stomachs.

Never flush or wash down the drain:

• cotton buds, cigarette butts, condoms or sanitary products
• Non-biodegradable items such as plastic bags, oils, chemicals, paints and pesticides
• Nappies, incontinence pads, surgical bandages
• Razor blades, syringes or other non-biodegradable pharmaceutical

Some of the more unusual items found in the sewerage system are toys (poor Barbie), mobile phones, keys and pens. While tree roots are a common reason for blocked sewer mains, Power and Water technicians undertake a sewer-cleaning program year round with the use of a special, mobile CCTV camera.

Contact: Media Manager

Phone: For media enquiries call 08 8985 8481