WATER authorities are pleading with the region's users to consider what they're flushing away as toilet paper disappears from Hunter shelves.
Hunter Water has asked residents to stick to only effluent and toilet paper when pressing flush on their toilets due to the major infrastructure problems paper towel, tissues and wet wipes can cause for pipes.
None of those substances break down effectively in the plumbing, potentially leading to costly and unpleasant blockages in the network.
Acting executive manager service delivery for customers Glen Robinson said it was a disgusting problem that was easily avoided.
"Unfortunately they are an issue for water utilities not only here in Australia but around the world," Mr Robinson said.
"It was only recently in late 2019 that we had to remove a 14-tonne blockage from our waste water treatment plant at Morpeth. The operation required specialist equipment and took several days to complete. We are now preparing to remove yet another one from the same plant."
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Hunter Water said there was no evidence drinking water had been affected and there was no need to buy bottled water due to coronavirus.
Thursday's downpour has also helped keep the region's dams full, with the Hunter's overall storage sitting 11.2 per cent higher than a month earlier and unchanged from a week before.
Only Tomago sand beds, down 0.8 per cent, has dipped compared to a week earlier. Chichester dam remained level while Grahamstown Dam and the Anna Bay sand beds recorded small rises. The Hunter's total storages remain seven per cent lower than this time last year.
