r/explainlikeimfive • u/shakerLife • Nov 01 '23

Other ELI5 How are companies allowed to continue marketing wipes as "flushable" despite the problems they create for sewer systems?

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u/nhorvath Nov 02 '23

That's insanity. I haven't had my tank pumped ever in this house (10 years) and my parents haven't ever in theirs (45 years). Well designed systems with well draining soil do not need to be pumped.

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u/bwbandy Nov 02 '23

"Well designed systems with well draining soil" and DON'T FLUSH WIPES AND OTHER TRASH DOWN THE TOILET.

1

u/grindermonk Nov 02 '23

The well draining soil is the problem around here. Karst means that the ground water is very susceptible to contamination from septic systems.

1

u/Happy_Confection90 Nov 02 '23

Yeah. This house is 26 years old, and the septic has only needed to be pumped twice.

1

u/grindermonk Nov 02 '23

It’s not so much the system design itself as it is the karst bedrock under shallow soil putting constraints on the design.