If you’re an American, then you’ve probably heard of the halftime flush. It’s a popular Super Bowl myth that has been going strong for at least three decades now. The myth goes like this:
Sewage systems in various major cities have broken on Super Bowl day because millions of football fans went to the bathroom during halftime and collectively flushed their toilets at the same time.
Okay, it may have happened in 1984 when a water main broke in Salt Lake City during the Super Bowl’s halftime (even though they discovered that the incident was not related to the collective flushing that went on during that short time period), but that myth is totally false. Despite the fact that over 110 million people watch the Super Bowl and a high percentage of these people usually get up and walk to the bathroom during halftime, there has never been a problem with any sewer system during any Super Bowl game (knock on wood). Every single plumbing and sewer system in history has been able to withstand the increased output during that short time period.
Our nation’s sewer system is not on the brink of collapse during halftime each year, and you will not break it by flushing your toilet.
Sewer systems
Sewer systems are stronger than you think. They are built to withstand heavy loads and more sewage than they will ever receive. They are also designed to handle historic rainfall volumes and other types of extreme weather. If a sewer system can stay intact during a tornado, then it can definitely handle a little extra waste during halftime, also known as high-traffic bathroom time. Yes, the plumbing system does get a workout on Super Bowl day, but it’s actually due to clogged garbage disposals, kitchen sinks, and toilets. In other words, the only plumbing you need to worry about is the plumbing at your own house. The city’s sewer system will be fine. We promise.
Why this myth is not true
There are many different versions of this myth. One claims that 90 million toilets will be flushed during halftime, creating enough water to flow over Niagara Falls for 7 minutes. Another version warns about the possibility of huge volumes of toilet paper clogging up an entire municipal sewer system during halftime. There’s even one version with the wild claim that the great amount of water pressure created by the halftime flush will cause a sewer system to overflow. Whatever version you’ve heard, it’s not true.
Let’s be real here: not everyone runs off to the restroom as soon as halftime is announced. A good amount of people aren’t completely glued to the game and will relieve themselves whenever they need to throughout the game. The only ones who wait until halftime to rush to the bathroom are probably super hardcore fans of one of the teams playing in the Super Bowl.
Not only that, but the sewer systems are actually prepared to handle the heavy flow of water and human waste during the entire 30-minute break. Water pressure drops about 10 percent during halftime because, well, everyone’s flushing their toilets at the same time. To increase the pressure, many water plants across the nation turn on an extra pump.
In a nutshell, the halftime flush is not a surprise incident that will catch everyone off guard. Even though it’s highly unlikely that a sewer system will collapse during a Super Bowl’s halftime, sewer systems everywhere are designed to prevent it from happening. They got it under control, so flush away and enjoy the game!
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This is a guest post written by Simon. The owner of Simon’s Online Marketing Company an online marketing agency offering guest posting services, blog mangement, discussion marketing and various other online marketing services.
