Thames Water campaign reduce sewer blockages

Thames Water are beginning a public information campaign on Monday September 22 to raise awareness of sewer blockages and how they can be avoided.

London has a major problem with sewer blockages. The main cause is leftover cooking fat being poured down sinks and combining with plastic wet wipes and other materials flushed down toilets to create fatbergs’. These solid masses restrict the flow of wastewater pipes and can cause sewage to back up across roads, gardens and even into homes. 

In the past five years more than 18,000 homes and gardens have been flooded because of avoidable sewer blockages across the Thames Water region.

Blocked sewers and pumps have also been a contributory factor in numerous pollutions of rivers and streams, and in the contamination of public open spaces.

Whilst the campaign will focus on some hotspot London boroughs, the problem is more widespread across other water company areas. 

Greater London may not be thick with trout streams (with some exceptions, of course!!), but if fatbergs are impacting sewage works in your area, your trout stream could be suffering as a result from poorly treated (or even untreated) sewage effluent hitting the stream. So, spread the word on fatbergs.