TEXAS’S NO WIPES IN THE PIPES CAMPAIGN

You may have heard of a spokeswoman who goes by the name of “Patty Potty,” preaching the good word of toilet etiquette in cities across the state of Texas.  Armed with a bright pink plunger and styled as a 1950s housewife, Patty Potty aims to educate the public about the dangers of putting objects into the toilet that are not one of the three Ps: pee, poo, and (toilet) paper.  She visits classrooms, industry conferences, and district board meetings.

The “No Wipes in the Pipes” campaign began in 2014 in an effort to inform the population of the dangers of flushing wipes that are falsely advertised as “flushable.”

“People are flushing all kinds of things down the toilet!” Patty points out. “It’s not a trash can, you know!  Some paper products and wipes are advertised as ‘flushable’ but they aren’t. Sure, they will flush down, but they won’t flush OUT.  Wipes don’t decompose… they get caught up in wastewater treatment plant screens and filters — and that costs money to clear and repair!”¹

Those in the wastewater industry are familiar with the cleanup that is associated with products that are incorrectly flushed down the lines.  As evidenced by the large amounts of rag material USST crews have removed over the years from various pipes and structures, these materials get caught in a facility’s screens, filters, and put undue stress on infrastructure.

Patty Potty was created to educate people in a fun way and encourages other cities to follow suit.  She offers products that cities can use to educate their citizens including mailing inserts, flyers, bumper stickers, coloring books, magnets, and bags, just to name a few.  Her products fund the campaign, along with sponsorship packages that are available to purchase. 

You can follow her on Facebook or Twitter, and you can catch all of her videos, including a newer campaign promoting the dangers of fats, oils, and greases, on her YouTube channel.

Spread the word and take the pledge with Patty:  No wipes in the pipes!

1 https://www.pattypotty.com/about-patty-potty/