April 16, 2025

Dear City of Belpre Resident, 

We are seeing an increase in the amount of non-flushable materials coming into the waster Water collection system.   These items are things such as:  baby wipes, napkins and paper towels and feminine hygiene products.   Many items are marked “flushable” however these items still create backups, clogs and damage to pipes and pumps within the collection system.     

We ask that our community members pay extra attention to what they are using and flushing and remind you not to flush anything other than toilet paper.  It is important to keep in mind that flushing other items can create expensive problems for homeowners along the collection routes and at your local facilities.   These items damage the operations of the equipment along the collection route causing raw sewage to back into peoples’ homes.  Because we are a public utility, the cost to clean up and repair these damages is unfortunately borne by the resident. 

We want to avoid all of these problems and allow our facility workers to focus on their jobs to keep our facility up and running. Properly addressing this issue requires each of us to be extra mindful. We ask that you pay close attention to what is being used in your home, and make sure you are only flushing toilet paper and properly disposing of all other materials.  

Along with not flushing the above listed items, we also strongly recommend not rinsing grease down your sinks as it can/will coagulate and solidify around the impeller on your grinder pump resulting in, at a minimum, diminished pumping capacity or even worse, total failure.

Thank you for helping keep our community and facilities clean and functioning! 

Joe Kirby 
Safety Service Director 

NOT flushable and must be disposed of in a waste basket: 

Paper towels • Napkins • Kleenex and other tissues • Wet wipes/baby wipes (Even those labeled as “flushable” wipes) • Diapers • Feminine hygiene products • Gauze/Band-Aids