The current drought gripping much of southern United States doesn’t seem like it will be letting up any time soon. This was according to a recent article on the Austin Post, and as KVUE ABC reports, many lakes feeding the state’s water systems have reached critically low levels.
Texans are engaging in water-conservation efforts to try and stem the effects of the drought. People, in typical Texan community fashion, are coming together to use less water in their day-to-day activities so that the taps don’t end up running dry for everyone. The water-conservation efforts include running shorter dishwasher cycles and scaling back on toilet water use by installing low-flush toilets.
With a lot less water running through the pipes, some people might think plumbing problems would be less of an issue. However, as a recent news report on KEYE TV reveals, running less water through sewage pipes is causing some unexpected problems.
Using less toilet water is causing some pipes to clog up. The smaller amounts of water in low-flush toilets are perfectly fine for flushing what the Washington Post and other news and government portals are labeling the three Ps—pee, poop, and (toilet) paper—but a large number of people are also chucking other products into the can. Feminine hygiene products, wipes, and large wads of paper easily clog up sewage pipes when flushed with less water.
Experienced Austin plumbers are all too aware of what happens when toilets get clogged up. Problems with the toilet can affect the whole plumbing system and occasionally cause sewage to back up and flood the house, causing massive water damage in the long term—as well as an olfactory imbroglio in the short term that tends to eclipse any long term effects in people’s minds.
Despite this being a drought-related problem right now, plumbers in Austin, TX, are quick to advise that anything besides the three Ps should not be flushed even after the skies let loose the rains again. To be absolutely certain that future commode-related mishaps never occur, they remind the public, toilets should never be used as a trash can. Experts have also noted that regulations on the amount of water toilets can flush might see the current 1.2 gallons currently being flushed reduced to a mere one gallon by 2016.
Of course, if your toilet has clogged, there really isn’t much that can be done about it except call in the pros. Especially with feminine hygiene products and wipes, which do not readily break down in water, a fair amount of elbow grease is often necessary to clear everything out—a chore that good plumbers, like Pure Plumbing Service, would be happy to help with.
(Source: A Gloomy Outlook for Continuing Drought, Austin Post, May 9, 2014)
