Guidelines from the City of Carbondale of what NOT to Flush or Pour Down Drains
Date/Time
Date(s) - 11/25/2025 - 12/31/2025
12:00 am
Categories
CARBONDALE –
The City of Carbondale would like to advise residents of illegal materials that are not meant to go down drains.
These items are prohibited by City Code, and cause clogs on their own, but especially when caught up in tree
roots.
Below are some simple guidelines of what is not to be flushed or poured down drains and alternatives of how to
dispose of said materials:
“Wipes Clog Pipes”
Do not flush wipes of any type, even those labeled as “flushable”. These wipes do not break down like toilet
paper and are responsible for clogging sewer systems all over the country, including ours. Do not flush wipes
down the toilet, dispose of them in the trash.
Other Items to Never Flush Down a Toilet:
• Cotton products like cottonballs or swabs, and feminine hygiene products
• Cat litter
• Baby wipes, adult hygiene products, or disposable cleaning cloths
• Diapers
• Dental floss
• Paper towels
• Medications
Many of these items do not dissolve at all (or they dissolve too slowly) and will clog pipes or drains. Always
trash these items and do no flush them.
“FIGHT F.O.G. -Fats, Oil, Grease”
Do not dispose of cooking grease down the sink, even by diluting it with hot water. Fats, Oils, and Grease
(F.O.G.) harden as they cool, and stick to the walls of sewer pipes, causing costly clogs and overflows that spill
into our environment. To help prevent sewer system overflows, just pour oil and grease into a jar or can, and
when it is full, dispose of it in the trash.
“Cool It, Can it, Trash it!”
Here are some simple steps to follow:
• Pour F.O.G. into a can (a coffee can, or other lidded, non-meltable container works well.) CAUTION:
Make sure the storage can is cool before handling.
• Secure a lid on the can and store it to be reused until full. When the can is full, place it in the trash.
• When there is F.O.G. residue in a pan or on a dish wipe it with a paper towel before washing and throw
that paper towel in the trash.
• Place a strainer in the kitchen sink drain to catch food scraps and other solids, then empty the strainer
into the trash.
• For homeowners with garbage disposals, follow the same rules above and restrict disposing of F.O.G.
related foods through the garage disposal.
Questions? Contact the Carbondale Water & Sewer at (618) 529-1731.