Aussies in one major city, have been causing chaos in the sewer system by flushing down peculiar items like a kayak, teeth, vapes, and even car keys.
These unexpected obstructions have led Sydney Water to launch the “Toilet Blockers Anonymous” campaign, urging residents to stick to flushing only the “3 Ps” – pee, poo, and (toilet) paper to avoid clogging up the works with what they call ‘fatbergs’.
Fatbergs, those gooey conglomerations of fat, wet wipes, and personal hygiene products, tend to rear their ugly heads more often during the colder months. Sydney Water’s crews have been kept on their toes, responding to over 3699 blockage incidents between January and April 2024, with each incident costing a whopping $917 to clear.
Iain Fairbairn, Sydney Water’s head honcho for wastewater and environment, expressed concern over the surge in blockages: “Some people don’t think twice about flushing a tissue or dental floss, but the reality is non-flushable wet wipes, fats, oils and grease, as well as items like cotton buds and sanitary products are a significant threat to our wastewater network.”
Crews have discovered a bizarre assortment of items clogging the pipes, ranging from kids’ toys and golf balls to tea towels and face masks. Surprisingly, young men aged 18 to 29 are the primary culprits behind flushing objects.
To tackle this issue head-on, Sydney Water has launched a cheeky campaign featuring toilet blockers wrestling with the urge to flush the wrong stuff.
