Don't Flush Paper... Reversed

Mossy · 04-23-2005

We recently hosted a foreign exchange student for 4 weeks. The kid was from an upper-middle class family from San Luis Potosi. Very clean and tidy. He shared the bathroom with me and our two boys. Soon after he arrived, I thought "damn, what died in this bathroom???" With 4 guys sharing one can, ranging in age from 3 to 30-something, you never know.... I soon discovered that our guest was discarding his used TP in the waste basket rather than flushing. He was pretty impressed once I enlightened him on US plumbing.

If you ever get a chance to host an exchange student, it's well worth your time and effort. The kids from Mexico seemed to be a throwback to how our kids probably behaved in the 50's and 60's. Certainly gave one pause for thought on our child rearing practices here in the US...

jsotherj · 04-23-2005

This is an interesting subject to me as this is one of my fields of expertise. Can anyone explain to me why this is a problem in Mexico. Is it undersized lines in the collection system, poor materials and or workmanship in the construction of the collection system, or some weird kind of treatment that has problems with paper??????

TRANSPOSTING - OOPS (JX2)

birdman · 04-23-2005

I think it may be a combination of all of the things you mentioned

Seakony · 04-24-2005

We have the same problems in the some of the places in the states too. My inlaws septic tanks get clogged up so the rule applies at their place too.

NorthMinnesota · 04-24-2005

Yuck! Can they update the septic system? We had some problems at our cabin and did some repairs and updates and all is well!!!

**denisea** · 04-24-2005

My in-laws have always had a problem with their well. They've had a new well dug more than once. So the rule at their house has always been...

"If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down."

Growing up in CT this was not an uncommon concept... for the same reasons that Seakony brought up.

Seakony · 04-24-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by denisea

My in-laws have always had a problem with their well. They've had a new well dug more than once. So the rule at their house has always been...

"If it's yellow, let it mellow.
If it's brown, flush it down."

Growing up in CT this was not an uncommon concept... for the same reasons that Seakony brought up.

The brown is always flushed at their place too and the trash is emptied several times a day. More when they have company.

Nerak936 · 04-24-2005

It was explained to us that the diameter of the plumbing pipes is much narrower and cannot easily accommodate the paper. In the newer construction I guess this problem was resolved.

**Heather** · 04-25-2005

It's funny how fast you get used to not flushing TP. When I visited home in Jan., I kept forgetting it was OK to flush it...I'm sure the friend I was staying with thought I was gross.

Quinn · 04-25-2005

ya... it took me a while to get used to that...

mfl*s queen · 04-25-2005

When we decided to purchase a Condo in Playa, this is the exact reason we would not even consider purchasing anywhere except for Playacar (new construction). I cannot even imagine not flushing the paper!!

jx2 · 04-25-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather

It's funny how fast you get used to not flushing TP. When I visited home in Jan., I kept forgetting it was OK to flush it...I'm sure the friend I was staying with thought I was gross.

TRANSPOSTING.....

We are on a septic tank, and when our daughter moved out we got it pumped - boy was it full! (Yuck I know) But I decided at that point only to flush 'brown' (Yuck I know again) toilet paper and I think it will lengthen the life of our septic tank and drain field by many years! So now when I go other places I still want to throw my 'yellow' toilet paper in the trash can!!

Critter · 04-25-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfl*s queen

When we decided to purchase a Condo in Playa, this is the exact reason we would not even consider purchasing anywhere except for Playacar (new construction). I cannot even imagine not flushing the paper!!

Well just make sure you get an upper level condo and not a ground floor because when all that paper gets to the city pipes it still has to go somewhere, and it will be the ground floor that backs up first

Banzoomba · 04-25-2005

The Toilet paper shoot with written instrutions

MWC · 04-25-2005

I think it may have something to do with the hardness of the water causing deposits that narrow the pipe opening (like artereosclerosis) ... so even in new pipes, it's a matter of time (unless minerals don't stick to pvc).

We got used to it, but I felt positively prosperous and decadent when I got to Cancun Airport and flushed away!

04-23-2005	#1 (permalink)
Mossy way into it Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 122	Don't Flush Paper... Reversed We recently hosted a foreign exchange student for 4 weeks. The kid was from an upper-middle class family from San Luis Potosi. Very clean and tidy. He shared the bathroom with me and our two boys. Soon after he arrived, I thought "damn, what died in this bathroom???" With 4 guys sharing one can, ranging in age from 3 to 30-something, you never know.... I soon discovered that our guest was discarding his used TP in the waste basket rather than flushing. He was pretty impressed once I enlightened him on US plumbing. If you ever get a chance to host an exchange student, it's well worth your time and effort. The kids from Mexico seemed to be a throwback to how our kids probably behaved in the 50's and 60's. Certainly gave one pause for thought on our child rearing practices here in the US...

04-23-2005	#2 (permalink)
jsotherj añejo Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Where the river meets the sea.... Posts: 1,879	This is an interesting subject to me as this is one of my fields of expertise. Can anyone explain to me why this is a problem in Mexico. Is it undersized lines in the collection system, poor materials and or workmanship in the construction of the collection system, or some weird kind of treatment that has problems with paper?????? TRANSPOSTING - OOPS (JX2) Last edited by jsotherj; 04-23-2005 at 02:00 PM.. Reason: TRANSPOST

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04-23-2005	#3 (permalink)
birdman añejo Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wa state Posts: 1,734	I think it may be a combination of all of the things you mentioned

04-24-2005	#4 (permalink)
Seakony añejo Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: no longer in Mesquite with nothing to do Posts: 10,150	We have the same problems in the some of the places in the states too. My inlaws septic tanks get clogged up so the rule applies at their place too.

04-24-2005	#5 (permalink)
NorthMinnesota añejo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 5,601	Yuck! Can they update the septic system? We had some problems at our cabin and did some repairs and updates and all is well!!!

04-24-2005	#6 (permalink)
denisea Forum Goddess Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: On the road to ruins... Posts: 7,025	My in-laws have always had a problem with their well. They've had a new well dug more than once. So the rule at their house has always been... "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." Growing up in CT this was not an uncommon concept... for the same reasons that Seakony brought up.

04-24-2005	#8 (permalink)
Nerak936 añejo Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 18,764	It was explained to us that the diameter of the plumbing pipes is much narrower and cannot easily accommodate the paper. In the newer construction I guess this problem was resolved.

04-25-2005	#9 (permalink)
Heather employee of the month Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Playa del Carmen Posts: 9,817	It's funny how fast you get used to not flushing TP. When I visited home in Jan., I kept forgetting it was OK to flush it...I'm sure the friend I was staying with thought I was gross.

04-25-2005	#10 (permalink)
Quinn beachaholic Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 442	ya... it took me a while to get used to that...

04-25-2005	#11 (permalink)
mfl*s queen reposado Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Far North Chicago Suburbs Posts: 1,324	When we decided to purchase a Condo in Playa, this is the exact reason we would not even consider purchasing anywhere except for Playacar (new construction). I cannot even imagine not flushing the paper!!

04-25-2005	#14 (permalink)
Banzoomba big sexy speedo guy Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Top of the Chesapeake Bay, Md Posts: 9,326	The Toilet paper shoot with written instrutions

04-25-2005	#15 (permalink)
MWC añejo Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 6,179	I think it may have something to do with the hardness of the water causing deposits that narrow the pipe opening (like artereosclerosis) ... so even in new pipes, it's a matter of time (unless minerals don't stick to pvc). We got used to it, but I felt positively prosperous and decadent when I got to Cancun Airport and flushed away!

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