Fatty build-ups and “unflushable” items such as wet wipes and nappies caused more than 1,100 blockages in Swindon sewers last year.
Thames Water engineers were called out to clear blockages around the town throughout 2019 and the company has now released the figures as it relaunches its annual Bin It – Don’t Block It campaign, urging customers to be vigilant about what they put down their sinks and toilets.
More than 700 blockages last year were caused by items which don’t break down in sewer pipes, such as wet wipes, nappies and sanitary products, while over 200 more were caused by fats, oils and grease poured down the sink.
These can combine to create fatbergs: huge, solid masses which are difficult to clear and can cause raw sewage to build up and flood homes, businesses and the environment.
On average, Thames Water spends £18 million every year clearing 75,000 blockages from its sewers, unclogging five house blockages and removing 30 tonnes of material from just one of its sewage treatment works every day.
Instead of pouring fats and oils down the sink, customers are advised to collect them in a container, such as a yogurt pot or jam jar, and leave them to cool down before scraping them in the bin. Wet wipes, sanitary items, nappies and other toiletries should also be binned rather than flushed down the toilet.
Matt Rimmer, Thames Water’s head of waste networks, said: “Sewer blockages caused by unflushable items being put down toilets and sinks pose a massive problem, risking raw sewage backing up in to homes or businesses and costing millions of pounds to clear.
“They can cause massive and disgusting fatbergs that take a great deal of effort and teamwork to clear and get the sewer working well again.
“We’d urge everyone to help by only flushing the 3Ps – pee, poo and paper – as well as disposing of fat and oils in the bin, not the sink.”
From 2017 to 2019, an average of 3.5 blockages were cleared in Swindon for every 100 households, slightly lower for the Thames Water region as a whole (four).
The number of blockages in Swindon in 2019 was a slight increase on the 2018 total and Thames Water is emphasising the importance of only flushing items that can break down in sewers.
The company’s network protection team also visits food establishments across the region, ensuring they are not putting fat, grease and oil down their sinks and that fat traps are installed and working properly.
Businesses that allow fat, grease and oil to get in to sewers can face prosecution, fines of hundreds of thousands of pounds and may even be forced to close.
For more information on the campaign visit www.thameswater.co.uk/be-water-smart/Bin-it
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