WEF Highlights

Flushing household products – such as wet wipes for restroom use or cosmetic wipes for removing makeup – is a global issue for the wastewater sector. These products are often mislabeled as “flushable” despite their inability to disperse in conventional collections systems. Flushing them can result in costly and messy septic backups, environmental contamination, and […]

During the coronavirus pandemic, water utilities around the world are emphasizing the importance of flushing only the “Three Ps” — pee, poop, and toilet paper. In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) amplified the water sector’s plea, urging Americans only to flush toilet paper and dispose of all other items in garbage receptacles. The […]

A new public education campaign is relying on social media, community outreach and kid-friendly messaging to motivate residents of a Phoenix suburb to rethink their waste disposal habits. Developed by the Water Resource Management (WRM) department in Surprise, Ariz., the campaign invites residents to “Be G.R.O.S.S” — that is, Guardians Regarding Our Sewer System. It […]

Florida outreach campaign centers around spoof horror-movie trailer The horrors of fatbergs — those accumulations of grease, baby wipes, paper towels, and other trash that combine to block wastewater pipes — are very real for water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs). JEA, a public utility in Jacksonville, Fla., decided to have a little fun bringing these […]

On Dec. 22, a federal judge blocked the Nonwoven Disposable Products Act of 2016, a law proposed by the Washington, D.C. City Council that would discourage wipes manufacturers from inaccurately labeling their products as “flushable,” until the city issues a labeling rule. The first flushable wipes law in the U.S. was set to take effect in […]

The Let’s Talk Toilets Bill Stuffer communicates that only the three P’s – pee, poop, and toilet paper – belong in the toilet. The Water Environment Federation (Alexandria, Va.) released this bill stuffer to help utilities educate customers about the need to prominently label wipes that do not disintegrate during the treatment process with a […]

Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) advocates helped defeat a proposal in Congress that would have counteracted efforts to reduce damages caused by wipes that do not disintegrate when flushed. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R–Md.) offered an amendment that would have revoked a law passed by the Council of the District of Columbia. The local […]

Queensland Urban Utilities video series asks viewers to only flush the “three Ps” Queensland Urban Utilities (QUU; Brisbane, Australia) doesn’t shy away from trying new ideas to make a difference when it comes to water and garbage disposal. In October, QUU introduced their customers to the Rolls family. The animated toilet-paper rolls are featured in […]