Enjoy your Christmas feast but don’t help build a fatberg
Severn Trent have issued advice to homeowners about how to avoid blocked pipes this Christmas.
It comes after the company said that in the last financial year it had cleared more than 32,000 blockages, the majority of which were caused by the wrong things being flushed down the toilet or washed down the sink.
Now, the company has offered advice to ensure people can enjoy a blockage-free Christmas.
Severn Trent’s sewer blockages lead, Grant Mitchell, said: “Clogged drains and burst pipes should be the last thing customers need to worry about at this time of the year.
"We often mention ‘FOG’ to our customers – fats, oils and greases, but there are also many other unlikely suspects, such as gravy, sauces, soup and leftover food that can easily cause a problem in your household pipes.
“Once food waste reaches the pipes it hardens and can attach to other unflushable items, such as wet wipes and sanitary products, to create a blockage or even a 'fatberg', which is a horrible thing for anyone to experience, especially over the festive period.
“Many customers may not realise that they are responsible for the waste pipe running away from their home up until it either crosses the property boundary or meets with another waste pipe or sewer.
"Unblocking or repairing this section of pipe can be costly, but completely avoidable if you’re careful about what you put down your toilet or your sink.
"We’re sure that nobody wants to be responsible for creating a fatberg, and by binning FOG and food waste, rather than blocking drains and sewers, customers can ensure they stay firmly on our nice list this Christmas.”
Advice for in the kitchen:
Instead of pouring used cooking oil, fat, grease, gravies, soups and sauces down the sink or outside drains, collect it in a container, jar or tin and put it in the bin once cool
Wipe food waste before washing up – use kitchen roll or paper towels to soak up grease from plates and pans
Use a sink strainer to catch food waste before it reaches the pipe.
Advice for in the bathroom:
Don't flush wet wipes, sanitary products, tampons, paper towels and nappies; they don’t break down in the sewers and can cause blockages
Other toiletries such as razors, cotton buds and dental floss cause blockages if they are flushed down the toilet as well. Bag them up and put them in the bathroom bin.
