Severn Trent backs Unblocktober as the annual campaign returns

Do you know what should and shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet or poured into sinks?

If the answer is no, then Severn Trent is on hand offering helpful advice as annual awareness campaign, Unblocktober returns for another year. And if the answer is yes, it’s always good to get a refresher.  

The key message for everyone to remember is ‘Be a binner, not a blocker’ as waste crews at the water company managed to clear a staggering 28,782 blockages, which could’ve been avoided if incorrect items were not put down the toilet and sink.  

Grant Mitchell, sewer blockages lead at Severn Trent, said: 

“Our work preventing and clearing blockages is something we talk about all year round, but Unblocktober is the perfect time to reinforce the messages to our customers.  

“Only the three P’s, that’s pee, poo and (toilet) paper, should be flushed down the toilet and everyone should avoid putting fats, oils and greases down the sink. Just making sure you follow these steps can avoid awful blockages in your home.”  

Wet wipes are one of the worst things that can be put down the toilet. Even ones that say ‘flushable’ or ‘biodegradable’ on the packaging don’t break down like toilet paper, in fact, they just cause massive issues when flushed, including blockages that back up and cause sewage to flood into homes – something which is not nice for householders and costly to fix.   

Fats, oils and grease (FOG) that are washed down the sink are also a big contributing factor of blockages – they can create damaging fatbergs and lead to sewer blockages and flooding incidents.    

Around two and a half tonnes of wipes and other items which shouldn’t be put down the toilet are pulled out of our sewers, while recent Severn Trent announced that 14 million litres of FOG successfully cleared from sewers, saving customers unnecessary and potentially costly issues, which is the equivalent of SIX Olympic size swimming pools of fats, oils and greases.  

Grant added: 

“We clear a staggering number of blockages from the likes of wet wipes and other offenders such as nappies, sanitary products and even toys! We just want people to start thinking before they flush or pour anything down the sink.”  

Throughout Unblocktober, Severn Trent will be telling its ‘Sewer Stories’ once again shining a spotlight on the fantastic work the waste team does to prevent and clear blockages. 

If unflushables make it through the network to a Severn Trent sewage treatment works, it is the responsibility of the teams on site to deal with them. Unflushables are filtered out through the sewage treatment system, ending up in skips, where it can then be collected and taken to landfill.   

A spokesperson from The Lanes Group, which organises Unblocktober, added:

“Unblocktober is the first campaign driven by the British public and aims to continue to improve the health of our drains and reduce the environmental impact of our waste water. Now in our sixth year we are more committed than ever to continue to push the message to help people reduce their impact on the environment.  

“For too long, we've disposed of harmful substances down our drains, leading to the creation of massive fatbergs that obstruct our sewers, reducing their efficiency and costing substantial amounts to clear. These blockages can cause severe environmental harm and disrupt ecosystems, contributing to increased pollution in our waterways. Let’s take the pledge together and save our sewers and seas.” 

For advice about blockages visit:

http://www.stwater.co.uk/avoidblockages

...or to see our Sewer Stories visit for more information about the Unblocktober campaign visit:

http://www.unblocktober.org  

Anyone who has a problem, either with slow drains or a blocked sewer it can be reported here or by calling:

0800 783 4444