Help us to wipe out wipes

We’re asking homeowners to share horror stories about blocked sewers in their town, part of a Wessex Water crackdown on wet wipes.

Four blockage hotspots have been identified where our sewerage crews are regularly called out to clear wet wipes, many of which don’t break down and have been wrongly flushed down toilets.

This month we’re visiting Bridgwater, Yate, Melksham and Gillingham to offer advice to customers, who will also have a chance to win a £50 shopping voucher by completing an anonymous ‘Wipe Out Wipes’ doorstep survey.

Sewer misuse manager Mark Bailey said: “Sewer blockages can, in some cases, cause waste to back up into people’s homes and leave them with an unpleasant mess to clean up and an expensive plumbing bill.

“Wet wipes contribute to the vast majority of these blockages, which can also lead to sewers bursting and harming the environment – especially if this happens near a river or stream.

“We’ll be calling on customers to wipe out wipes and try swapping them for reusable alternatives, such as washable cloths or make-up removal pads, to minimise the risk of them causing further damage and to reduce waste.

“And of course we’ll be reiterating our advice to only ever flush the three Ps – paper, poo and pee – to stay blockage free.”

We’ve written to customers in the areas we’re visiting and won’t need to enter anybody’s home. For people who need to use wet wipes, we’re simply asking that the products are disposed of in the bin and not down the toilet.

More advice can be found at wessexwater.co.uk/stoptheblock