City officials issue ’don’t flush’ warning

Fran Brownell

The City of Pratt Wastewater Treatment Plant located on the east side of Country Club Road, just south of Sixth Street, could be in jeopardy of damage if Pratt citizens flush paper towels, Kleenex, wet wipes and other substitutes for toilet tissue, into the city sewer system. City officials have issued a "Do Not Flush" notification to prevent damage from materials that the city facility is not designed to handle.

Pratt City Offices are now closed to the public and, in the wake of apparant toilet paper scarcity in town due to COVID-19 awareness, a “Don’t Flush It” warning has been issued by city officials.

Pratt Public Works Director Russ Rambat, along with Pratt City Manager Bruce Pinkall hope to prevent damage to the city sewer system and Wastewater Treatment Plant by making the public aware of the consequences of flushing toilet tissue substitutes, down the city’s sewer system.

“It’s for everyone’s benefit,” Rambat said. “Things are out-of-the-norm and sewer problems can come back and bite residents, too.”

The items specifically listed that should NOT be flushed are paper towels, Kleenex, wet wipes, disinfecting wipes, dental floss, Q-Tips, cotton balls, diapers of any kind, pills and cigarette butts.

“All of these items do not break down easily and either build up in the pipes of both homeowners and city sewers and can cause sewage back-ups,” Rambat said. “These items also can cause damage as they collect at the wastewater treatment plant.”

The warning is posted on the City of Pratt website, along with information about city offices and affiliated closings.

The closings, which went into effect Wednesday, March 18, include Pratt City Hall at 619 South Main Street, Pratt Municipal Building at117 West Third Street, Pratt Law Enforcement Center at 303 South Oak Street and Pratt Community Center at 619 North Main, which also serves as headquarters for Pratt Senior Citizens lunches and other

There is also a direct link on the City of Pratt website to the John Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center, which as of mid-afternoon Central Daylight Savings Time, Thursday, March 19, showed confirmed 242,092 cases worldwide with China continuing to show the highest statistics in both confirmed cases and deaths with 81,155 confirmed cases and 3,249 deaths.

As of the same time and date, The United States ranked sixth in confirmed cases with 13,159 cases. Kansas currently ranks 25 in confirmed cases with only one death.

The City of Pratt website can be found at www.cityofprattks.com.