You can prevent clogged pipes and protect our waterways by keeping these culprits out of the drain: medication, wipes, and FOG (fats, oils, and grease).

Putting these or other foreign items down the sink or toilet can cause expensive plumbing problems in your home or business. Even if these items don’t back up your pipes, unclogging and repairing our community sewer systems and wastewater treatment facility can lead to higher utility bills.

While medications dissolve in water, most aren’t removed when wastewater is treated. That means they can end up in our local waterways, where they hurt aquatic animals.  

Keep grease, wipes, and medications out of sinks and toilets. Always throw them in the trash. Learn more at protectyourpipes.org.  

Protect Your Pipes is an initiative of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in partnership with regional water and wastewater utilities.