World Toilet Day reminder: If it’s not toilet paper, pee or poo it doesn’t belong in the loo

Today is the United Nations’ World Toilet Day and we're reminding people to flush only the 3Ps – pee, poo and (toilet) paper.

The UN observance day is about raising awareness of the need for all people to have access to safe sanitation.

Head of wastewater Jonathan Piggot says we’re fortunate in New Zealand to have wastewater collection and treatment services that protect people and the environment.

“Most of us don’t ever think about what happens to your pee or poo when you flush the loo, because we press a button and never see it again. But millions of people around the world are not so fortunate.

“Toilets and safe wastewater services are something we take for granted – but we need to look after them. The best way to do this is to only flush the 3Ps – pee, poo and (toilet paper).

“Everything else – like sanitary products, nappies, dental floss, cotton buds and wet wipes – should go in the rubbish bin, because they don’t break down and can block our pipes and cause overflows to the environment.

“As residents of Tāmaki Makaurau, we are all kaitiaki (guardians) of our waterways and need to do our bit to protect them.”

Most pipe blockages are caused by a combination of rubbish, and fats and oils, which shouldn’t be poured down the sink because they solidify when they cool and can cause fatbergs.

“We spend about $5.5m each year cleaning up wastewater overflows caused by these types of blockages, so we work hard to educate our customers about what can and can’t be flushed down the loo.”