Community members heading to Geelong Waterfront as the weather warms up are urged to dispose of wet wipes correctly when using toilet facilities.
‘Flushable’ wipes, baby wipes and make-up wipes don’t break down in the sewerage system and cause blockages and overflows.
A significant number of wipes were flushed down toilets at Eastern Beach over the New Year’s Eve long weekend. It resulted in the sewerage system failing and City crews clearing a metre-long blockage from the system.
The toilets at Cunningham Pier were also clogged during this time.
Please visit the Barwon Water website for more information on what can’t be flushed down toilets.
Up to 10,000 people a day are expected to descend on the Eastern Beach area over peak periods in January 2024.
The City of Greater Geelong has added resources to ensure this visitor attraction is well-maintained, safe and enjoyable for everyone.
This includes extra portable toilets, more dedicated cleaners, additional contracted waste collections and increased Community Safety and Regulation patrols.
Geelong waterfront needs local support
The City of Greater Geelong encourages visitors to take their rubbish where possible. This is to avoid bins filling up and attracting rubbish heaped on or around them.
Waste not disposed of in a bin can be blown into the surrounding land and water or spread about by wildlife.
David Greaves – Executive Director of City Infrastructure, said, “We ask that community members respect the facilities along our Waterfront and do the right thing.”
“Wipes, even the ones labelled as flushable, and items like nappies, cotton buds and sanitary items should always be disposed of in the bin. Unfortunately, these products are made from materials that don’t disintegrate when exposed to water. By using the bins provided for items that can’t be flushed, there is less chance of blockages, and our facilities are cleaner and safer,” he said.
Community members can report a blockage or other waste issues online or call the City’s customer service line at 03 5272 5272.
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