Justin's Life

Chris M said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 6:33 PM

They do it because the old pipework system cannot cope with the things put down the loos.

El Stinko said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 6:35 PM

Yes, it seems disgusting. I think it must be because there are so many septic tanks. I have a septic tank and have learned more about them than I ever wanted to know. Firstly, you must only use septic tank-friendly toilet paper. Which, because there are so many septic tanks in Spain is just the normal stuff we find in Mercadona.
If you put a sheet of it in a glass with water and give it a shake you will see the paper dissolve into millions of tiny pieces. Whereas, for example, a regular Kleenex tissue will never dissolve and will forever swirl around in a septic tank blocking pipes. I regret to say I know this, as I have had to fish them out of my tank.
Many Spanish don't even know where their septic tank is, and never have them emptied. I have asked them and they just say, Oh yes it's over there somewhere. Don't you have it emptied? No. Out of sight, out of mind.
So I guess the bar owner is just playing it very safe, and if he, in doing so, persuades you not to use his toilet, then he's onto a winner.
As a potty trained Brit, I evacuate my bowels at about the same time every morning soon after I get up....so the problem would never arise!

Patricia said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 6:36 PM

Well I know you have to do this in Greece but I believe it is because of their plumbing system.
But why Spain? Do not understand that!!!!
I will have to ask some people in the village if they have heard of it.
Thanks for telling us Justin.

Jim Fraser said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 7:01 PM

The requirement to dispose of tissue paper into bins as opposed to flushing is a throw back from the days when toilet paper was made of a harder material...just like the old school toilet paper that used to hurt, and therefore did not dissolve quick enough to prevent the system from becoming blocked. Older Spanish properties also had small diameter drain pipes adding to the problem. It was also said that disposing of toilet paper into a system that terminates in a septic tank or pozo negro (black well) would cause the system to break down as the enzymes cannot digest the paper particles but this is not the case.

Low to medium grade standard toilet tissue will break down very quickly as does human excrement and therefore should be able to be disposed of into the toilet in question. In fact it is very rare for any of our service engineers to encounter anything other than fluids when cleaning drains.

On the other hand, baby wipes, moist toilettes and even the children's wipes (Kan-Do's) do not dissolve adequately for Spanish drainage systems and therefore can cause a blockage that in turn can lead to flooding and even major damage to your property.

Sandra said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 7:09 PM

Nice!!

Justin said:
Thursday, July 28, 2011 @ 7:12 PM

Thanks for that Jim. Great to have an expert "pipe in" with his comments ;)

Sorry, couldn't help the pun there!

ray said:
Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 12:15 AM

El Stinko---Too much information in the last line there ! I hope you always remember to do things in the correct sequence in the mornings.

Norman said:
Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 10:06 AM

standard procedure in Cyprus
baby wipes are are a huge maintenance problem with anywhere less than best flow and old systems everywhere are not usually best

elviriadreamer said:
Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 3:07 PM

I just assumed it was standard practice to bin it instead of flushing. So always have. We have to do the same in Turkey. We take loads of cheap nappy sacks...discreet and more hygenic, than just throwing the paper/wipes into the bin.

JANIE2003 said:
Saturday, July 30, 2011 @ 12:04 AM

GOD LIVE IN CIVILIZATION SPAIN AND IT WORKKS

Casalinda said:
Saturday, July 30, 2011 @ 12:41 PM

Up here in the mountains we have very poor drainage systems (not always linked up to new treatment plants) so in my house I have a discreet flip-top bin with a liner in it, and we all try to remember to use it So long as you wash your hands (as we all should do, even after a pee) there's nothing wrong with that. I remove the liner regularly.
My parents in the Lake District in the 70's had terrible problems with ear cleaning sticks that criss-crossed in the pipes and then jammed everything else. Really difficult to shift. So the message might be to use the bins provided, wash your hands and not be too fussy! :)

Lifeline said:
Monday, August 1, 2011 @ 12:09 PM

Same in Caracas, Venezuela where we lived for three years. They said that the drains could not cope! But can WE all cope with the pong! When we drive through France we consume the MINIMUM of fluid as many 'holes' still are advertised as toilets. However there are increasing numbers of new garages with lovely facilities opening up en route.

Ali said:
Friday, August 26, 2011 @ 5:09 PM

I would just like to poo poo this subject, and hope the next blog that Justin raises is much cleaner.

Paul Whitelock said:
Saturday, September 3, 2011 @ 1:43 PM

Having had a flood of sewage, toilet paper, condoms and sanitary towels across our front lawn within weeks of moving into our house in the campo near Ronda, I would venture to suggest that the old Spanish pipework systems cannot cope. So, it is a good idea to use a bin for toilet paper, sanitary towels, etc. Do we? No we forget, I'm afraid. Besides, none of us use condoms or sanitary towels, so those came from further up the hill!

Geliza said:
Wednesday, October 19, 2011 @ 11:25 AM

After having lived in spain these past 40 odd years I can tell you that most of these answers are in some way correct, but the real reason is that there are different types of septic tanks, the modern ones with several levels which filter through the sewage, the ones with no sealed bottom which filter slowly into the earth, and which you sometimes have to empty if you create more waste than can be filtered out, and the sealed ones which have to be emptied when they are full. Here in Baleares its usually the 'Ossifar' tanker that comes to empty them, at a price of course. So the reason for the paper bins is to maximise cost, there is more room for sewage in the tanks if there is less paper and so they have to be emptied less often.

Otivar11 said:
Monday, October 24, 2011 @ 5:20 PM

How horrible - if enough of us refuse to act in a 'third world' sanitary fashion, maybe standards will improve through neccessity. What next, go back to chucking the contents of bed pans out of upstairs windows like mediaevel Britain. After all, in our village there are no such problems and as I'm connected to the mains rather than a cess pit, I don't have to do it at home either.

Otivar11 said:
Monday, October 24, 2011 @ 5:56 PM

How horrible - if enough of us refuse to act in a 'third world' sanitary fashion, maybe standards will improve through neccessity. What next, go back to chucking the contents of bed pans out of upstairs windows like mediaevel Britain. After all, in our village there are no such problems and as I'm connected to the mains rather than a cess pit, I don't have to do it at home either.

Beverly Smith said:
Saturday, November 12, 2011 @ 8:13 PM

I have lived in an RV(Camper) for 6 years in the US & this is the way we have done it for most of those years. After we had to unplug a couple of times. Not fun. It isn't that bad & it is the same in Mexico, because of the antiquated drain systems. Also having had a sewage system at my home, know how tricky they can be. No not 3rd world, but GeeZ! relax & enjoy the differences of a different country. That is why we will be moving to Spain next fall.

heather said:
Wednesday, November 23, 2011 @ 12:42 PM

This has always been the requirement in Spanish bars etc even in towns where they are connected to mains drainage, guess the pipes cannot deal with it and notices are still found even in English run bars here on the Costa Blanca in 2011.
However I was rather gobsmacked when complaining to my English builder after moving into our newly built house complete with septic tank, that every time we flushed one of the two toilets it made a splashing noise in the bath, he advised us not to put toilet paper down the toilet but in the bin. This was in 2008, yes the 21st century, and he had installed the septic tank and the plumbing! We find it very hard to do its almost an automatic reaction, wipe and down the toilet. No serious problems so far and we still get the splashing noise in the toilet every time we flush.
After spending some time in Thailand I find the toilets with the hose, instead of toilet paper very hygeinic and I much prefer this practise, wish we had it in Europe!