Why You Don't Flush Toilet Paper in Mexico

[Susie Q Roo]

Our day started normally enough yesterday. We got back from the gym and decided how the next few hours would go. I would be eating some lunch and then cleaning our soon-to-be-new home, preparing to move into it, and Rick would be going into town to buy some supplies to do those last few things that need done to complete the new place. Rick headed out and then was back in the house in a few minutes. They'd dumped a load of gravel into the side of our van. Yikes! I came out and watched as he managed to wrangle out of it - no damage. But he wanted to check something in the new place before he left so I went back to our current place. Again, he returns in a few minutes, this time way more upset than a little gravel had made him...

For some reason, we had found some standing water in our new place the night before and could not determine where it had come from. There wasn't much, so we didn't worry a lot about it. However... when Rick went over yesterday, there was now a freakin' lake standing in our new palapa and it was a sewage water lake that stunk to high heaven. Every time anyone else near us ran water (ie: flushed their toilet), it came bubbling up into our shower. Mind you, our plumbing has, for the most part, never even been used. No one has lived in this space before so all the parts and pieces are practically new, including the pipes.

Buuuuutttt... we have one neighbor (UPstream from us ) who likes to brag that he doesn't have to toss his toilet paper in the can, he can just flush it. See, the rules of the world don't apply to him and since HIS system has never backed up, it's no skin off his back.

Have you ever seen Mexican PVC pipe? It's the same diameter as that used in the US, but its thickness is that of the box your Triscuits come in. It can easily be compressed nearly flat with one hand. Imagine what happens when it's buried under dirt, then driven over by vehicles, then sogged down by heavy rains, etc... yeah, it flattens. Liquid can still flow through, but solids (like toilet paper) just don't/won't/can't.

The powers that be in Paamul ordered workers to dig holes around us that filled up with more sewage water. They fished disgusting clumps out of pipes now and again and said "it's fixed now." Nope, holes are still filled with water. They order up the septic company to come out and pump the tanks out. There is still sewage in the holes, but now it's dark so all is on hold.

Meanwhile, Rick has been slogging through the disgusting mess all day, sucking it up with a shopvac, and trying to rescue books, clothing, tools, and other items from our storage room which has also succumbed to the deluge. Lots of things are ruined. I manage to get some of the trash cleared away, we empty out the bodega (storage room) and I scrub it with straight bleach. Finally, we throw in the towel for the day and keep our fingers crossed.

Thankfully, Rick left the cap off one of the temporary sewage connection pipes overnight. (We have several open spaces here for the RVs that come in the wintertime.) This morning, Rick discovered some more nasty water in the palapa but much less than before. Obviously, the problem hasn't been resolved. No one here seems to know what to do to fix things, so Rick is out now supervising the digging of large holes in his wonderful Spanglish. I've held off on returning to the new place as it all makes me just wanna throw up.

Now that you know what happens, DON'T FLUSH YOUR TOILET PAPER, okay?

[SunKneeMarie]

might want to stick a "Don't" in that last line...


so sorry, Susie and Rick... that is just awful and disgusting and many other crap related words....

[Susie Q Roo]

Originally Posted by SunKneeMarie

might want to stick a "Don't" in that last line...


so sorry, Susie and Rick... that is just awful and disgusting and many other crap related words....

Thanks Char... dunno where my "don't" went!

[znett]

Originally Posted by Susie Q Roo

Our day started normally enough yesterday. We got back from the gym and decided how the next few hours would go. I would be eating some lunch and then cleaning our soon-to-be-new home, preparing to move into it, and Rick would be going into town to buy some supplies to do those last few things that need done to complete the new place. Rick headed out and then was back in the house in a few minutes. They'd dumped a load of gravel into the side of our van. Yikes! I came out and watched as he managed to wrangle out of it - no damage. But he wanted to check something in the new place before he left so I went back to our current place. Again, he returns in a few minutes, this time in way more upset than a little gravel had made him...

For some reason, we had found some standing water in our new place the night before and could not determine where it had come from. There wasn't much, so we didn't worry a lot about it. However... when Rick went over yesterday, there was now a freakin' lake standing in our new palapa and it was a sewage water lake that stunk to high heaven. Every time anyone else near us ran water (ie: flushed their toilet), it came bubbling up into our shower. Mind you, our plumbing has, for the most part, never even been used. No one has lived in this space before so all the parts and pieces are practically new, including the pipes.

Buuuuutttt... we have one neighbor (UPstream from us ) who likes to brag that he doesn't have to toss his toilet paper in the can, he can just flush it. See, the rules of the world don't apply to him and since HIS system has never backed up, it's no skin off his back.

Have you ever seen Mexican PVC pipe? It's the same diameter as that used in the US, but its thickness is that of the box your Triscuits come in. It can easily be compressed nearly flat with one hand. Imagine what happens when it's buried under dirt, then driven over by vehicles, then sogged down by heavy rains, etc... yeah, it flattens. Liquid can still flow through, but solids (like toilet paper) just don't/won't/can't.

The powers that be in Paamul ordered workers to dig holes around us that filled up with more sewage water. They fished disgusting clumps out of pipes now and again and said "it's fixed now." Nope, holes are still filled with water. They order up the septic company to come out and pump the tanks out. There is still sewage in the holes, but now it's dark so all is on hold.

Meanwhile, Rick has been slogging through the disgusting mess all day, sucking it up with a shopvac, and trying to rescue books, clothing, tools, and other items from our storage room which has also succumbed to the deluge. Lots of things are ruined. I manage to get some of the trash cleared away, we empty out the bodega (storage room) and I scrub it with straight bleach. Finally, we throw in the towel for the day and keep our fingers crossed.

Thankfully, Rick left the cap off one of the temporary sewage connection pipes overnight. (We have several open spaces here for the RVs that come in the wintertime.) This morning, Rick discovered some more nasty water in the palapa but much less than before. Obviously, the problem hasn't been resolved. No one here seems to know what to do to fix things, so Rick is out now supervising the digging of large holes in his wonderful Spanglish. I've held off on returning to the new place as it all makes me just wanna throw up.

Now that you know what happens, DON'T FLUSH YOUR TOILET PAPER, okay?

I would imagine the solid waste would be more of a problem getting through smashed pipe, than toilet paper, although both are a problem. Not flushing the toilet paper will not resolve the issue of the pipes backing up due to being smashed.

Sorry about your mess!!

[gingele]

UGH! What a nightmare Hope you guys can get it resolved soon!

[Rissask]

Oh man....that is awful, guys. What a mess.

I never flush mine! Not even in the nicer hotels.

I know a lot of people do though....they really should get better about putting up signs though, some people don't get what the wastebasket right next to the toilet means.

[abachechi]

So sorry this happened Suzie! Sounds awful! Hopefully things clear up(no pun intended) and you actually get to enjoy your new house!

[Phil in Ottawa]

I feel your pain Susie.

We had a major sewer back up into our basement last summer. We ended up with black sludge all over the place. A lot of our stuff was also destroyed.

And the worst part is we had just (and I mean days before) completed having the basement finished with new drywall, laminate flooring, painting, etc. We had not even moved the furniture in yet

So I have a bit of an idea what you are going through.

Here's wishing you the best of luck with everything.

[4wheeled]

yikes! at least you hadn't totally moved in yet? sorry, you probably aren't ready for "on the bright side" comments yet.

there has to be a way to 'educate' the paper flusher!

hang in there.

[DavidB]

Can't you put in one way valve that prevents the "water" from coming back into you house. We did that with our sump pump line.

[Opatije]

Susie,

Based on my knowledge, drain fields will not clog. Filters will. Not sure what system you have but you should be able to use toilet paper since paper that collects in the chamber does in fact get broken by bacteria. However, if you have an old filtration system, you have to replace them regularly. My assumption is based on the fact that you don’t have the old “fosa septic” there in Paamul?

[Phil in Ottawa]

Originally Posted by DavidB

Can't you put in one way valve that prevents the "water" from coming back into you house. We did that with our sump pump line.

We had one installed on our sewer pipe after our incident.

[not a member]

Originally Posted by Opatije

Susie,

Based on my knowledge, drain fields will not clog. Filters will. Not sure what system you have but you should be able to use toilet paper since paper that collects in the chamber does in fact get broken by bacteria. However, if you have an old filtration system, you have to replace them regularly. My assumption is based on the fact that you don’t have the old “fosa septic” there in Paamul?

I remember asking people a similar question before staying in Playacar. I am a firm believer of "When in Rome, do as the Romans". I was told it was not an issue and to "Flush away". I would hate for my actions to cause any damage such as Susie and Rick have experienced.

Susie, what an awful thing to happen before moving in. I hope the two of you get this resolved quickly without any significant damage.

[raquelle261]

OMG - nightmare Susie!!! And talk about an inconsiderate **** next door......

[bufante]

Aww shit..that sucks. Sorry guys (pun intended).