FAQ #89 – What About FLUSHING TOILET PAPER In Ecuador?

You may have heard us talk about flushing toilet paper in Ecuador in our other YouTube videos. This has sparked a lot of questions from concerned future expats so we wanted to set the record straight.

First, it is true that throughout most of Ecuador you cannot flush the toilet paper. This is mainly due to undersized pipes in older houses and buildings, and processing plants that aren’t setup to handle TP.

If you’re someplace that can’t process TP, there will be a small covered trash can or pale next to the toilet for disposal of it. And you’ll often see a sign in bathrooms instructing you not to flush any paper down the toilet.

After traveling in many countries, we’ve found that this isn’t unusual. Parts of Mexico, several Caribbean islands, most of India and a lot of Asia can’t process TP through the sewer system.

It might seem like a big deal at first, and kind of gross, but you get used to it very quickly and it’s not as gross as you might think since the bags are scented and the cans are covered.

Second, we’ve lived in three different homes here in Ecuador: a row home in Cuenca, a condo in Olón and a condo in Manta. In all three, were were able to flush the toilet paper because the sewer systems were newer. In Olón, the condo building had a septic tank that was pumped every couple years.

If you live in newer, expat-oriented housing, you will probably be able to flush the toilet paper in Ecuador. However, if you travel a lot and stay in hostels or older buildings, you may still need to put the TP in the pale. It’s not a big deal and you’ll get used to it quickly.

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