Blocked drains and loos: Make sure you know what you should, and should not, flush or pour away this Christmas

Don’t spoil the party with a blocked drain or loo this Christmas! (Image licensed to Southern Water)

Blocked drains, an overflowing loo or a flooded kitchen are the last things anyone wants when they’ve got a houseful of festive guests over Christmas.

But did you know that 60 per cent of blockages in the Horsham area in the last five years were caused by people putting the wrong things down the sink or toilet?

A full house can mean a chaotic kitchen and a busy bathroom so how can you avoid any mishaps?

Nationally it is estimated that 300,000 homes suffer from sewer flooding each year – with most of these caused by people putting the wrong things down their drains. So, during the season of goodwill, Southern Water will be spreading the word about how people can do their bit to protect their homes and communities from sewer flooding.

The ghost of flushes past…

Why can what you flush come back to haunt you? Because putting the wrong things down your drains can block or damage the sewers. If wastewater has nowhere else to go, it can back-up into your toilets and sinks and flood local homes and businesses. The mess is horrible, your favourite things could be ruined and the repairs can be costly. Because all our pipes are linked, your neighbours could be the ones who suffer too.

To protect homes and communities from sewer flooding, our dedicated FOG and Unflushables team investigates sewer blockages and shares tips to keep drains flowing.

Did you know that in the Horsham area alone, there have been 1,930 sewer blockages in the last five years? Almost 60 per cent of these were caused by the wrong things being poured into the sink or flushed down the toilet.

So, what shouldn’t you put down the sink or loo?

The Unflushables. These are things like wet wipes, cotton buds and period products. They often contain plastic and don’t break apart very easily, so they stick together in the pipes and cause blockages.

Fat, oil and grease (FOG). After they enter the sewer, FOG can build-up and harden like concrete and cause fatbergs to form, especially when unflushables get stuck in the congealed FOG.

Keep your celebrations in full swing

This holiday season, we want you to stuff your stockings not your drains, so here’s how you and your guests can help to keep your celebrations and sewers flowing:

- In the bathroom – You’ve heard of the Three Wise Men, but what about the three Ps? Only flush pee, poo and paper. Everything else goes in the bin – even products labelled ‘flushable’ or ‘bio-degradable’.

- In the kitchen – Preparing a turkey dinner with all the trimmings? Dispose of the leftover fat from your roast in the bin – never down the sink. Scrape your plates before you wash up, and collect cooled FOG from cooking in a used jar or container and bin it.

If you’re one of our many customers already disposing of household waste in this way, thank you.

If your New Year’s Resolution is to keep it clear, you’ll be doing your bit to prevent blockages and floods too – so everyone can enjoy a silent night.