Don't flush sweatpants down the toilet, B.C. city warns after incident

A pair of sweatpants is seen in this file photo. (Shutterstock.com)

The City of Mission, B.C., has issued an unusual reminder to its residents: Don't flush clothing down the toilet.

"Over the holidays, public works crews discovered that a pair of sweatpants had caused a major clog in one of the city’s sewers," the city said in a social media post Wednesday. 

"To end up here, the clothing would likely have been flushed down the toilet."

In a statement, the city said its workers have removed many items from its sewer system that didn't belong there over the years, including food wrappers, dental floss, diapers and food scraps.

The city said crews "quickly got to work" removing the sweatpants and repairing the damage they caused, but the latest incident serves as "a good reminder" that only human waste and toilet paper should be flushed.

Even so-called "flushable" wipes can wreak havoc on the system and lead to costly repairs, the city said.

“Our collection system, pipes, and wastewater treatment plant run best when processing what they are intended for,” said Colin McLean, the city's operations manager for utilities, in the statement.

“This is a friendly reminder to stay sewer savvy for the good of our system. This will ensure everyone in the community continues to receive optimal sewer service at all times.”

Mission concluded its statement with the following list of items not to flush down the toilet or put down the drain:

• baby wipes
• “flushable” wipes
• feminine hygiene products
• bandages and wrappers
• condoms and wrappers
• cotton balls
• swabs and Q-tips
• dental floss
• hair
• diapers
• facial tissue
• hypodermic needles
• medications
• vitamins
• supplements
• cat litter
• chemicals and solvents
• cigarette butts
• food scraps
• coffee grounds
• disposable duster heads
• fruit stickers
• fats, oil and grease
• paint
• paper towels