The Toilets in Corfu - Must know information!

[tonyco1]

This is a subject we don’t actually like talking about!!!!!

Ever wondered about the pedal bin by each toilet? (Note: there are a few exceptions to this - but 90% of rooms / Apt's are as below).

The Amazing Toilets of Corfu - this is information you will need to know about!
This is a quick guide for the uninitiated – of the strange system of Toiletry Hygiene in Corfu and some of the other Islands of Greece.
Right – now this info below came from an original info sheet from the resort. All the apartments are the same as far as I know
(Crazy Building Reg's.) - This is not a wind up !!! Only a handful of Buildings have upgraded to bigger sewer pipes.

Previous visitors to Corfu may remember the following:-
    The Sewer Pipes of Corfu are less than 4 inches in diameter – this compares to the 10 inch pipes of the UK.
    The Sewer Pipes mainly lead to a ‘type’ of individual septic tank – not main sewers as we are used to in the UK.
    This basically means that what you flush down the toilet is very limited in material and size – or it blocks the sewers.
    All apartments in Corfu usually warn customers not to put toilet paper down the toilet,
        certainly no Ladies ‘pads’ etc….. these items swell in water and block the sewers.

They usually ask you to put all toilet paper into the pedal bin next to the toilet! (Yuk! - not quite what we are used to!!).

    A blocked sewer caused by a guest will result in a charge of around €80 usually.
    A lined pedal bin is supplied in each Apartment’s Bathroom for guests to place their Toilet paper.
    It is changed daily and is quite the normal thing for the locals to deal with.
      - - -  Don’t feel any embarrassment over this practice – it’s normal working over in Corfu.


I suggest you do the same as us, as it’s quite alien for us Brits, (most Europeans in fact,) NOT to put toilet paper down the Loo.
but - as I nearly ‘copped’ a charge one year, I am now more careful.
I was lucky (but embarrassed), - as it cleared with a hose and didn’t need jetting or rodding out. I don’t risk it any more!!!!

This is the method we adopted:
We buy baby wipes from a Supermarket and place them in the Loo, as they clean easily.

Use baby wipes and then toilet paper to finish off your cleaning, placing the ‘slightly’ soiled papers/wipes into a Nappy sack first
then into the pedal bin, or directly into the Bib provided.

Sorry – a bit tongue in cheek – (or wipe in cheek - LOL)
but worth thinking about as it’s a good compromise to blocking the toilet up.

[stressed0506]

and..... how many of us have arrived home and continued to put paper in the bin by the loo in our very own bathrooms? I own up ... after being in sanstef for a month it usually takes me a few days to forget the paper in the bin habit!

[tonyco1]

Yes - me too!! LOL - after all these years it does not seem strange at all!

[tonyco1]

I thought this should get a read again for the newbies to Corfu!!
Essential reading - essential toileting!! LOL

[Paulene Dean]

Another little tip Tony & all is to take some cheap nappy sacks with you - any toilet paper can be put into nappy sacks, tied and then placed in the bin - makes the bathroom smell a wee bit nicer - excuse the pun
 

[tonyco1]

Yes = forgot to mention that - well done Paulene!
Make life bearable - LOL

[tonyco1]

News, I hear the charge is now over €100 to clear pipes in 2010!

[stockjockey]

I wouldn't recommend putting any paper whatsoever down the toilet.  If everyone follows your advice, then wherever you are staying, the pipes will block eventually.  The cleaners in the apartments and hotels are used to emptying these bins on a daily basis.  Please show some consideration for the person that may have to unblock the pipes.   If the hotel or apartment asks you not to put paper down the toilet, please abide by that rule. 

[Colin]

What a load of Crap! 

[spesh49]

I wouldn't recommend putting any paper whatsoever down the toilet.  If everyone follows your advice, then wherever you are staying, the pipes will block eventually.  The cleaners in the apartments and hotels are used to emptying these bins on a daily basis.  Please show some consideration for the person that may have to unblock the pipes.   If the hotel or apartment asks you not to put paper down the toilet, please abide by that rule. 

Totally agree we know the score use the bin provided

[tonyco1]

Yes Stockjockey,
How do I say this without upsetting you?? - - and it's not meant to, trust me!
I don't know if I know you, because I am sure that it wouldn't come across the same way if spoken face to face.
but there's no body language to lighten it up, so it comes across like you are in a bad mood.
I also don't know if English is your first Language, as you seem to miss any humour!

You seem to be taking a very Authoritive & Strong line with the way you write to us here on the forum.
Can I suggest you chill out a bit as you come across like the "Big Brother" of S S.
This is a Holiday Forum - not an Employee notice board, no one likes being told off!

Try to be a bit more friendly in the manner that you write and it will go down well!
You just can't TELL people what to do, but if you want to suggest nicely, it may work.

Please accept that this is said in the spirit of Forum friendship, and I really mean that!

By the way - I was a Plumber as a young man, so I know about pipework.
Best Regards and Yammas
Tony

[Lesley]

Is it actually the pipes or the water pressure that's the problem re blockages Even the new Athens airport has bins in the loos and as this airport was built only recently wondered why they never put bigger pipes in there? 

[Jimbo]

This thing about pipes is an urban myth. It's nothing to do with pipes.

The Greek sewage system uses ultra-violet light from the sunshine to sterilise the raw sewage. With this approach, you want only organic material, since the sunlight can't do much to break down bog paper and condoms.

The paper in the bin is burnt.

This is actually far more hygienic than flushing vast amounts of paper, latex and tampons down the drainage system as we do, and requires much less filtration. Any Brits finding it unpleasant will quickly adjust, and should take tour of a UK sewage plant, where people have to dig loads of flushed rubbish off the filters. It's crazy!

[Lesley]

Good Gosh sounds a pretty awful job to have to do.  I will def keep using the bin then......

[tonyco1]

You will find that most (if not all) premises in San Stefanos use Septic tanks,
I gleaned this info from George, Leonidas - some years ago when he was building the Olive press - he has the photos as well!
How they then treat it may well be as Jim states, after filtering out any non-organics!