Wastewater treatment equipment is designed for the 3 P’s: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.
Our wastewater systems are designed to only handle pee, poo, and toilet paper. When you flush your toilet it goes to your neighbourhood pump station to move sewage to the wastewater treatment plant. The flushing of “flushable” wipes in particular, are increasing pump station maintenance and continue to cause problems.
Wipes may be one of the biggest offenders, but they aren’t the only things folks are flushing - we need your help.
Only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.
Wastewater is municipal water that leaves a home or building through a drain such as a toilet, sink, bathtub, dishwasher or washing machine. Wastewater from homes and buildings connected to the municipal sewer system travels through underground pipes to a wastewater treatment plant for treatment. If you live outside of the urban area, you have your own septic system. Septic systems are the responsibility of the property owner. Regardless of where you live and what system you use: only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.
| Toilets are not garbage cans. |
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Stop treating your toilet as a garbage can. Don’t be part of the problem resulting in sewer backups, flooded basements and costly repairs to wastewater treatment plants. Be part of the solution! Collectively we can make a difference. Remember only flush the 3 P's. Toilet paper was designed for a purpose - to be used in toilets. "Flushable" wipes twist and turn and mix with other products that shouldn’t be flushed like hair, dental floss, FOG (fats, oils and grease), etc. creating ‘fatbergs’ which clog the sewer systems. |
| But it says "flushable"! |
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Products that say they’re flushable, or marketed on the label that they are "flushable" may make it down your toilet, but they might not make it through the sewer - and they contribute to big problems. There are currently no regulations to specify which products can be labelled “flushable”. Cities around the world are developing standards to more accurately label whether or not products are truly flushable. Regardless, keep them out of the toilet! They don't belong there. Only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper. |
| No wipes in our pipes. |
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We know so-called "flushable wipes" should never go down our toilets. But unfortunately, a whole lot more ends up down our sinks, toilets, and drains. Only 3 things can go into the toilet Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper. Please do not flush disinfectant wipes or paper towels down the toilet. Even wipes labeled "flushable" can clog pipes. Wipes and paper towels can cause sewage back-ups, overflows and spills which are a public health risk, cause expensive property damage and threatens our environment. Clogged pipes can cause:
Only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper. |
| What is a Fatberg? |
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Fatbergs are large masses that can form in your home and in Muskoka’s wastewater pipes and pumps. They are made of fats, oils and grease (also known as FOG) that have been improperly disposed of down the drain and have cooled and hardened in the pipes and pumps. When fats, oils and grease combine with things like wipes and feminine products that have been improperly flushed, the fatberg grows into a giant mass. Fatbergs stick to the sides of pipes and slowly grow, as more waste sticks and hardens to the fatberg. Small amounts of FOG from several households can cause problems, and if left undetected, a fatberg can completely block wastewater flow. This can cause sewer backups into homes or businesses and lead to service disruptions, expensive repairs for property owners and damage to essential District infrastructure our community relies on every day. Only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper. |
What's that smell?
Your municipal wastewater facilities plays vital roles in keeping our water clean and our Muskoka environment healthy.
- Occasionally, or during certain times of year - you might notice odours in the air, but rest assured - we are in full compliance with our Environmental Compliance Approvals issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
Feeling the Heat
- The microorganisms responsible for breaking down your sewage are feeling the heat... literally!
- They're working overtime, because we're getting more sewage - this, with the recent spike in outdoor temperature increased flows has stressed them out, making it hard for them to keep up.
- We are in full compliance with our Environmental Compliance Approvals issued by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) - the wastewater is being properly treated and disinfected.
- As a result, the Wastewater Treatment Plant is experiencing some unpleasant odours - this is common sometimes, and it's under control.
One of the most significant odours you may smell likely not the wastewater itself, but are from the digested solids removed from the wastewater and, in particular, when they are transferred to tanker trucks to be disposed of offsite via land application as fertilizer. This is a normal part of wastewater operations - much like when septic tanks are pumped into the truck from your property - and your entire neighbourhood can smell it.
Help beat the stink by keeping our wastewater system healthy: only flush the 3 P's: Pee, Poo and Toilet Paper.