Everyone is being urged to think about the effects that wet wipes can have on sewers and remember that one the 3P’s – pee, poo and (toilet) paper – should be flushed down the toilet.
The reminder comes as today marks one year since the previous Government announced a ban on wet wipes containing plastics during Earth Day. The water company continues to support this proposed change to help prevent the impact wet wipes have on the sewer network.
Grant Mitchell, Blockages Lead for Severn Trent, said: “We welcomed the ban when it was announced last year and would fully support it being proposed once again.
“While many of our customers do understand the issues caused by wet wipes, there are still thousands of blockages each year that could be prevented if wet wipes weren’t flushed down the toilet.
“We would like to see the ban implemented and brought forward into legislation to help everyone to understand the harmful effects that all wet wipes can have if they are flushed down the toilet.”
When disposed of down the toilet rather than into bin, wet wipes become a main offender in the formation of blockages and fatbergs in the sewer network. Even some products that say ‘flushable’ or ‘biodegradable’ on the packaging don’t break down like toilet paper.
These blockages are entirely avoidable and can lead to sewage spilling out of manhole covers elsewhere along the network, or backing up into peoples’ homes or gardens, which can be both unpleasant and costly to fix.
This is why Severn Trent always urges customers to ‘be a binner, not a blocker’ and always remember that only the 3P’s – pee, poo and (toilet) paper, should be flushed down the loo.
Grant added: “We work hard to keep our sewers healthy, but with customers following our advice and working with us, it will have a huge impact on the number of blockages we see.”
Severn Trent’s latest “Sewer Stories” campaign is asking everyone to ‘be a binner, not a blocker’, by showcasing the gross consequences of flushing the wrong things down the loo.
Other offenders that can cause big issues for customers are kitchen roll, cotton buds, nappies and sanitary products. When all these are congealed together with fats, oils and greases, which also shouldn’t be put down the sink, they create fatbergs and blockages, which in turn can lead to flooding in homes and gardens.
For more information on how to protect your home from blockages and flooding, and to listen our Sewer Stories visit stwater.co.uk/my-supply/sewer-stories
Anyone who has a problem, either with slow drains or a blocked sewer it can be reported at stwater.co.uk/in-my-area/check-my-area