Flushed wipes causing risk of sewage backups on Madison’s south side
A small neighborhood on Madison’s south side is creating issues for the greater wastewater system. Just one or two residents living in the housing located between Carver Street, Martin Street and Fish Hatchery Road are flushing non-flushable wipes that are accumulating in the sewer pumping station and impacting the sewer system.
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Wipes accumulating in local sewer pumping station
The wastewater pumping station on Dickson Place that serves the neighborhood is experiencing issues due to these flushed wipes.
In recent months, Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District maintenance crews have repeatedly needed to remove wipes from the pumping station to prevent sewage backups in area residences. If this pumping station has clogs or equipment failures from these flushed wipes, there is a larger risk of sewer backups to this neighborhood.
Wipes belong in the trash, not toilets
Never flush any type of wipes, even if they say “flushable” on the label. Put them in the trash.
The only things that should be flushed are human waste and toilet paper. Wipes, including disinfecting wipes, personal hygiene wipes, and baby wipes, do not break down in pipes or the sewer system, so they can cause sewage to back up in your home.
Non-flushable household items like wipes, paper towels, menstrual products (tampons, pads, etc.), condoms and tissues should always be placed in the trash or garbage can – not the toilet or the drain.
Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District will continue monitoring for wipes at the Dickson Place pumping station and neighborhood manholes.
Learn more about what’s okay to flush (and what’s not) on our nonflushables page or call the District at 608-222-1201 to report an issue.
Pumping station Photos
These photos of the wipes issue at the Lake Forest pumping station located on Dickson Place in Madison were captured on March 4, 2025, by the District’s Facilities Maintenance team.
