TP shortage has some flushing wipes and clogging pipes

With shelves empty and toilet paper still not easy to find, flushable wipes are in demand, however, municipalities warn: Do not flush them.

Social media posts show utility crews across the country dealing with the fallout from wipes flushed that block the sewer lines.

"They’ll cling to the side of a sewer pipe which usually has grease in it, or roots. Over time they accumulate and block the sewer line," said Ed Buchan with Raleigh’s Public Utilities Department.

Buchan says blocked sewer lines can cause back-ups into your home.

He says many things people flush, including wipes labeled "flushable" aren’t.

"A bag of marbles is flushable, but we don’t want that in the sewer system as it will never break down. Same with a wipe, they don’t break down," Buchan said. "They have the half life of uranium, so they last a long time."

He added that nearly half of the sewage "spills" in Raleigh over the last 10 months were caused by wipes.

So if you use something other than TP, Buchan says, "Put them in the bin for the win!"

So that the city doesn’t end up with clogged sewer lines and you don’t end up with raw sewage in your home.