LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An influx of garbage – including rags and wipes – is causing damage to sewer systems around Lake County and, most recently, in the city of Lakeport.

In the wake of the toilet paper shortage that has occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly due to the need to shelter in place – local officials last month began reporting damage to sewer equipment because people are putting wrong materials into the systems.

This week, the city of Lakeport reported that its sewer system is getting overwhelmed due to large amounts of garbage being put into it.

Lakeport’s sewer division operates and maintains nearly 40 miles of sewer main lines, eight sewer lift stations, and a secondary treatment and disposal facility.

The city said that its Public Works Department’s personnel are having to clean the system’s debris screen on a daily basis and maintenance at the sewer pump stations is also being increased daily.

“People are advised that the public sewer system is designed for toilet paper and human waste only,” city officials said in a Tuesday statement. “Not allowed are baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, ‘flushable’ wipes, paper towels, or latex and disposable gloves. Please deposit these items in the appropriate trash and recycle containers.”

More information is available from the Lakeport Public Works Department at 707-263-3578.

Lakeport isn’t the first to report these issues.

In mid-March, the Clearlake Oaks County Water District asked people to remember that rags, paper towels, baby wipes, napkins and similar items are not flushable and were causing problems with their sewer system.

Then, Lake County Special Districts reported similar issues, putting out the call on its social media accounts to the public to “stop using the public sewer system as a garbage can.”

The agency said that the staff at the Southeast Regional Sewer Treatment Plant are removing almost 4 feet of non-flushable items – including wipes, paper towels and rags – from the intake bar screen on a daily basis.

Special Districts said the garbage puts the system in danger of sanitary overflows which contaminate waterways and land, and can create backups inside homes. It’s also likely to increase sewer fees.

“We are aggressively working to identify any connection that is abusing the sewer system and putting everyone at risk. We have new equipment that may help us identify the households that are doing this so the extra costs to remove and address this can be passed on to the offending parties. Videos of non-flushable items in one’s lateral will result in penalties and extra charges for that customer,” Special Districts said on its Facebook page.

Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger told Lake County News on Tuesday that the problem doesn’t seem to be decreasing any.

“Since the shelter in place, we had one sewer spill that was caused by wipes and rags,” Coppinger said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.