Watch what you flush is the message to Hillside and Sydenham residents.
Greater Western Water is asking residents in those two suburbs to be careful about what they flush down the toilet to help reduce the growing number of sewer blockages in their community.
There has been a 15 per cent increase on the number of sewer blockages across Hillside and Sydenham in the first 11 months of this year, with 73 sewer blockages occurring.
Flushed wet wipes, facial tissues and paper towels were the main cause of the increase.
Greater Western Water’s general manager operations and delivery solutions Graham Holt, said these products aren’t designed for sewerage systems and can cause damaging spills.
“Wet wipes, facial tissues and paper towels don’t break down the same way as toilet paper does and can get stuck in our sewer pipes, causing blockages,” he said.
“This can lead to sewage spills in both your property and nearby properties, or in public spaces such as parks and waterways.
“By only flushing the 3Ps – pee, poo and (toilet) paper – we all do our bit to help the network run smoothly and protect the environment.”
Mr Holt highlighted that flushing wet wipes down the toilet was a major problem.
“Wet wipes, even those labelled as flushable, don’t break down like toilet paper does and are one of the main causes of blockages in our network.
“The best way to dispose of wet wipes is to put them in your bin.”
The call out coincides with the development of a national standard that defines the criteria for material suitable for toilet flushing, along with appropriate labelling requirements.
Tara Murray
