WESTBROOK (AP) — The Portland Water District and state environmental officials have launched a campaign to stop people from flushing baby wipes and other items down the toilet.

The purpose of the campaign launched Tuesday is to cut down on clogs which cause overflows and require costly fixes for homeowners and public wastewater facilities.

The water district installed screens at two pump stations in 2009 to catch materials causing several clogs a week. The project cost $4.5 million — an expense passed on to customers.

General Manager Ronald Miller said the screens pick up about 120 pounds of material each week and about 16 percent are baby wipes, even some touted by manufacturers as “flushable.”

Other problem materials include paper towels, napkins, tissues, feminine hygiene products and household wipes.