Water company reveals the strangest things found in pipe network.
Rubber ducks, tennis balls and toys are among the unwanted items found recently by local water company crews whose job it is to keep the sewers clear.
This year Anglian Water says it has found some incredible things dumped in the local sewer network and is urging residents and businesses to clean up on their act and help keep the system clearer and less blocked up.
Wet wipes and sanitary products remain the leading causes of preventable blockages, but Anglian Water’s sewer maintenance teams say they regularly encounter items that leave them bewildered.
And while some finds can be amusing the reality, say experts, is that preventable blockages can lead to flooded homes and pollution.
“Our teams work hard to find and fix blockages on our sewer network each and every day,” said Regan Harris of Anglian Water. “We have enough sewer pipe in our region to go around the world twice, meaning our engineers remove an avoidable blockage nearly every five minutes in a bid to keep our sewers flowing, protecting the environment and our customers’ homes from flooding.”
In the Anglian Water region, 80% of sewer flooding issues are caused by blockages. Last year, the team tackled 37,000 blockages and removed tonnes of rubbish from the sewer network. Among them were car tyres, a TV, floor mats, a scooter and counterfeit money.
“Although some of the things we find down the sewer can be comical, this is the reality of what our teams face every day,” added Regan. “You wouldn’t use your bin as a toilet, so please don’t use your toilet as a bin.”
The water company is planning £86 million in proactive blockage clearance over the next five years and is asking customers to do their bit and put their wipes in the bin, rather than down the loo.
Their latest campaign, Just Bin It, helps customers identify what can or can't be put into their drains. More information can be found here.
