HOMEOWNERS have been asked not to flush wet wipes after Severn Trent chiefs revealed removing them from the network is costing nearly £5million a year.
Water bosses revealed workers had been called out to more than 30,000 blockages in the region, of which three quarters were caused by people mis-using the sewer system and flushing things like wipes.
James Jesic, operations manager for Severn Trent, said: “Wipes are the biggest problem we’re dealing with at the moment, and what’s making the problem worse is that there are some wipes you can buy that are branded as ‘flushable’.
“They do indeed flush, in that they disappear out of your toilet, but the problem is that they don’t break up or dissolve like toilet paper, and so they easily get stuck in drains and sewers and cause blockages,” he added.
According to Severn Trent, about three and a half tones of wipes and other items which shouldn’t be flushed are dragged out of the sewer network every weekend, the same weight as a Range Rover.
“When wipes block pipes, it can lead to sewers overflowing and flooding into homes and gardens, which is one of the most horrible things that can happen to you,” James said.
Anyone who experiences a slow drain or blocked sewer can report the problem at www.stwater.co.uk or call 0800 783 4444.
