Flushing wipes poses health risks for city workers, DPW chief says

The city put out an urgent plea Friday night warning citizens that flushing wipes down their toilets poses additional health risks for DWP workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the CDC recommends disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces, and wipes are an easy and effective way to do so, they are not designed to be flushed.

Rochester City Services Director Peter Nourse said the presence of such products in sewer lines and systems causes system dysfunction and increases the exposure of city employees to biohazards.

"Wipes and other thick paper products can severely impact sewer pipes in your neighborhood and damage septic systems, causing blockages and overflow into your home," Nourse said. "Sewer overflows create an additional public health risk in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Residents were also reminded on Friday not to flush items such as cotton swabs, dental floss, feminine products or kitty litter. Only bodily waste and toilet paper should be flushed down the toilet. Wipes labeled as "flushable" also should not be flushed.

Meanwhile, across the state a second COVID-19-related death was recorded with 187 diagnosed cases overall, an overnight increase of 29.

Like the state's first death from COVID-19, the man lived in Hillsborough County, is older than 60 and had multiple underlying health issues, according to a state Department of Health and Human Services news release.

The state has refused to provide any more information about either man or to be more specific as to where they lived.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the new cases are 10 adult males and 19 adult females. The new cases reside in Rockingham (8), Merrimack (4), Strafford (4), Grafton (3), Hillsborough County other than Manchester and Nashua (3), Belknap (1), and Carroll (1) counties, and in the cities of Manchester (3) and Nashua (2).

Sixteen of the new cases have no identified risk factors. Community-based transmission continues to increase in the state and has been identified in the majority of counties.

The remaining cases have either had travel to domestic or international locations or have had close contact with a person with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis. Four of the new cases are currently hospitalized; thus far, 30 patients of the 187 positive cases (16%) have been hospitalized.