Public Advisory
Please Do Not Flush Disposable Wipes
Down the Toilet
Members of the public are advised to follow the Centers for Disease Control recommendations regarding cleaning surfaces with disinfecting wipes to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Members of the public, however, are reminded NOT to flush these disinfecting wipes, paper towels and/or similar items down the toilet. They must be disposed of properly by placing them in trash cans. Flushing these products down toilets will lead to clogs in the sewers and cause backups and overflows at wastewater treatment facilities, including the Joint Meeting of Essex and Union Counties, thereby creating an additional public health risk in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Even wipes labeled “flushable” should NOT be flushed down the toilet. They too can clog pipes and interfere with sewage collection and treatment. Wipes, including “flushable” wipes, and paper towels do not break down like toilet paper. As such, please dispose of these products properly so as to allow the Joint Meeting of Essex and Union Counties and its dedicated sewer operators to continue to protect the health and safety of the communities during this crisis by operating the system properly.
We appreciate your cooperation.
Hanifa Z. Johnson
Executive Director
Overview
Wastewater is primarily collected from the Joint Meeting's eleven member and four customer communities. Small portions of two neighboring communities (Berkeley Heights and Linden) are also served. Members (owner) communities include all or some parts of: East Orange, Hillside, Irvington, Maplewood, Millburn, Newark, Roselle Park, South Orange, Summit, Union and West Orange. The City of Elizabeth and portions of Livingston, Orange, Berkeley Heights, Linden and New Providence are currently served as customers by the Joint Meeting. The majority of the Joint Meeting service area, including all of the Joint Meeting trunk lines, is served by traditional gravity flow with the individual members or customers utilizing gravity and/or pumping facilities. This type of service allows for maintaining cost-effective wastewater collection and treatment for the service area.
