You may have heard that you shouldn’t flush toilet paper in the toilet, but you may be confused about why this is the case.
If you’re thinking about going to visit Puerto Rico and wondering if you can flush toilet paper in the restrooms there or not, then this article is for you. Keep reading to find out!
If you are planning on going on a trip and heading to Puerto Rico, then here are some things that will help you find out if it is okay to flush TP in the public restrooms there or not. Let’s dive in.
Puerto Rico and flushing TP.
Toilet paper is generally made of either paper or a combination of paper and cardboard. Toilet paper is specifically designed to wipe away solid waste and clean your delicate areas. Toilet paper dissolves in water and can often be flushed. This requires an advanced system of drains and wastewater processing facilities though. These wastewater processing facilities make sure that the dirty water doesn’t get into the local rivers as this can cause a lot of problems. If these facilities have to process toilet paper as well, they have to be more advanced and this requires a big investment.
Not every country or city has this advanced system. This might be because the country is quite large or because they decided to invest the funds somewhere else. We have to keep in mind that Puerto Rico is an island so they don’t have the advanced infrastructure that is needed to process toilet paper.
This is why you might see a warning sign above toilets in Puerto Rico as you are not allowed to flush toilet paper. You should dispose of it in a bin. This bin is regularly cleaned. The dirty toilet paper is thrown away with the trash. It can take some getting used to at first but it is important that you do this as it can cause a lot of problems if you don’t.
In some areas of the world, the width of the drains is not big enough and toilet paper would clog them. Waste water would back up and make the toilet overflow. This can result in wastewater all over the house. Next to bad smells, it also results in a dirty house.
When those pieces of toilet paper break down, they create a very thick, sludgy substance that winds up jamming your household pipes and the local sewage systems. When these materials enter the sewer system, they cause major problems.
In some instances, it can be removed by flushing a lot but this is not always the case. A plumber will have to come out to clear the drains with a water jetter or an auger. This costs quite a lot of money. If there is a big clog, it might be needed to dig up the drain and open it up.
This is a lot of work and can result in a big expense. This is why restaurants and hotels in Puerto Rico are warning you that it isn’t allowed to flush toilet paper. You might get in trouble if they catch you doing it anyway.
Can You Flush Toilet Paper in Puerto Rico Restroom?
The short answer is “no”. Flushing toilet paper is actually disallowed in pretty much every public restroom in Puerto Rico.
So, when you go to the restroom in a public place and see signs that say “no flushing toilet paper” or “no TP flush”, you should listen and don’t do it.
You should dispose of the toilet paper in a bin next to the toilet as the drains can’t handle it.
You might think that “no flush” just means that you can’t flush toilet paper, but you can’t flush anything down the toilet. That includes items such as sanitary napkins, wet wipes, paper towels, and so on. These items can’t be flushed in any country though as they don’t break down and can cause clogs.
Plumbers often get called out to remove clogs that have been caused by wet wipes. It can be indicated on the packaging that you can flush them but most plumbers advise against it. They dissolve too slowly and cause a lot of problems. Especially if you have a septic system, you should be careful with this.
The Verdict – Should You Flush Toilet Paper in Puerto Rico?
When it comes to public restrooms, you should always follow the rules that are posted. In the restrooms in Puerto Rico, you shouldn’t flush toilet paper. Besides being environmentally harmful, it is also against the law. So, if you want to do the right thing and help clean up the city, you should always throw toilet paper in the trash can. Furthermore, you should never flush sanitary napkins either. These items are intended to be thrown away, not flushed.
This might be weird at first but you will get used to it. Enjoy your trip to this magnificent city!
