What NOT to Flush Down the Drain! You cannot flush anything down the drain that might clog the sewer collection system or anything that could damage the sewage treatment facility. This includes:

• Flammable or explosive liquids, solids, or gases.
• Fats, oils, or greases.
• Big chunks of garbage, sand, metals, wood, straw or grass, wastepaper, plastics, animal parts, glass, cat litter (including "flushable" cat litter), disposable diapers, sanitary napkins, tampons or tampon applicators, other bulky so-called "disposable" products, or similar substances.
• Corrosive substances (either acidic or caustic).
• Noxious or malodorous liquids, gases, or solids, including garden chemicals or substances that are toxic to the treatment facilities or workers in the facilities.
• Unused medications or other medical wastes (for options, visit the Northwest Product Stewardship Council website).
• Dye wastes or tanning solutions.
• Anything radioactive.
• Stormwater, surface water, or groundwater (including discharge from sump pumps), unless specifically permitted to do so.
• Septic tank pumpings or materials from pit privies or cesspools, unless specifically permitted to do so.

Why Can't These Things be Flushed Down the Drain?  The above types of materials can cause clogs in the sewer lines or damage to the collection system or treatment facilities. They may also pose safety threats to citizens and sewage operations workers.

Stormwater, surface water and groundwater have the potential to overwhelm the collection system’s capacity.  Some of the prohibited substances are not readily removed in the sewage treatment process, and therefore pose a threat to water quality when discharged with the facilities’ effluent (the treated water from a sewage treatment facility that is discharged into a stream, river, groundwater, or marine waters).  The collection system and sewage treatment facilities are publicly owned, which means we all pay for the associated costs of their maintenance. 
 
What Happens if I Don't Follow the Guidelines on What, and What Not, to Flush?  Violations of the municipal code concerning prohibited materials in the sewage collection system may lead to prosecution and conviction of a misdemeanor.

Need More Information? Contact the Public Works office.

• Physical Address: 924 7th Ave. SE, Suite A 
• Mailing Address:  PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507
• Download printer-friendly (PDF) directions to our office
• Hours:  Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Phone: (360) 753-8588
• Email:  Public Works