(WWJ) One of the unfortunate off-shoots of the "Stay Home" order in Michigan: What's being flushed down the toilet.
While Macomb County Drain Commissioner Candace Miller says there hasn't been a major impact so far on the sewer system, she told WWJ Newsradio 950 they have seen a massive 400% increase in wipes and other items that have no business being flushed.
"Personal wipes, baby wipes, makeup wipes, whatever. People are unfortunately are flushing down some of these latex gloves or paper towel, or what have you. ...Really, obviously you cannot do that."
Despite what labels may suggest, Miller said, even "flushable" wipes should never be flushed.
"You have to throw all of that in the trash," Miller said.
While she said the system is fine at the moment, it can't take this kind of abuse. "It's not designed to handle a huge increase like this," she stressed; and she doesn't want people to have to call plumbers right now. "The last thing we need with all of the challenges facing us is a sewer backup somewhere. You could have one in your own home."
Miller has sounded the alarm on wipes before — after a massive "fatberg" formed beneath the county — but it's becoming a big problem once again amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They certainly are impacting the ability of all of our pumps to operate in the sewage plants," Miller said. "And that's not just in Macomb; that's everywhere. Whoever's within the sound of my voice: Please don't be flushing anything down the toilet except toilet paper."