Water company urges Gloucestershire residents to stop flushing wipes
£21m per year is spent repairing damage caused by wet wipe blockages
It has been revealed, that an estimated 3.8 billion wipes are flushed into Thames Water’s network each year!
Thames water supplies water to parts of eastern and south-eastern Gloucestershire, including Cirencester and Bourton-on-the-water.
According to research, one in eight people admit to flushing wipes always or most of the time.
Thames Water say enough wipes are flushed to build 10 Big Bens!
They spend £21m per year in repairing damage caused by wet wipe blockages!
According to experts In sewers, wet wipes can accumulate and combine with fats oils and grease to form fatbergs, causing serious damage to the sewer network.
This also increases the risk of flooding and contributes to pollution in rivers and waterways.
Their new campaign is urging people in Gloucestershire to Bin It, Don't Block It.
Only the three P’s – Pee, Poo and (toilet) Paper - should ever be put down the toilet.
Tessa Fayers, Director of Waste and Bioresources at Thames Water, said ''Wet wipes contribute to thousands of blockages every year, increasing the risk of sewer flooding in our communities and harm to the environment.
We’re encouraging everyone to make one simple change by putting all wipes in the bin, even those labelled as biodegradable or flushable. Making that small change can have a big impact.''