Did you know that all of the rivers and waterways in the UK are considered polluted? None are in good health. Especially in the South of England. It’s not surprising when you consider all the hell they have to go through on a regular basis. There’s legal dumping, illegal dumping and not to mention multiple accidents from burst pipes. In this blog, we’re going to talk about how your drains are contributing to the problem, because sadly, they are! But don’t worry, we’ll give you the power to remove yourself as part of the problem and then it’s up to you to promote the solution to your family and friends who aren’t members here.
What happens to the waste water in your home?
Flush a toilet. Rinsing of the sink. Drawing a bath. Taking a shower. These are the activities in our homes that we’re regularly carrying out, all of which lead to waste water being created and heading into your drains.
This drain, is your sewer. Believe it or not, your sewer is no wider than the height of your phone. It’s not very big and in some places it’s much smaller. Put it this way, your sink, toilet bowel, shower and bath, are all far bigger than your sewer drain. It’s not so much of a problem with your shower and sink drain, as these are small exits just like your sewers. But your toilet bowel paint a picture that is false. Just because it fits in the toilet, doesn’t mean it can’t get stuck further down the pipe.
All the wastewater in your home travels along the same pipe. There isn’t a separate one further down the line. It’s all lumped in together. So if you’re thinking that your toilet paper won’t interfere with the cooking oils you’re rinsing in the kitchen sink – you’re wrong.
All drains lead to treatment, but there are plenty of twists and turns where foreign items can get stuck and cause an issue. Issues that won’t always create a problem in your home, but absolutely will for the local environment.
Why do items get caught in sewers?
The problem with wet wipes:
Apart from the sewers themselves being relatively small, they’re also really old. They’re not designed to take away larger items and items aren’t all designed to be flushed with the same amount of ease as toilet paper.
There’s a reason why when aggressive wipers use toilet paper they end up with holes in the product. It’s designed to break down. If you’re such an aggressive wiper that you can only use a wet wipe, we suggest you rethink your strategy rather than using a product which ultimately, causes an issue to our environments.
Wet wipes aren’t designed the same way as toilet paper – they’re designed to be durable. Which is great for wiping up baby spills and chaotic messes in the home – but they shouldn’t be flushed. Ever. Even if the packaging says they’re flushable.
The issue with cooking fats and oils:
Now, wet wipes aren’t the only problematic item ending up in sewers, although they are responsible for the majority of blockages in your community. Cooking fats, oils and lards also pose a threat. But why does a liquid get caught?
This one, you can’t control. When you heat up oils, fats and lards they become a liquid. When they cool, they become solid. Making that 15cm wide sewer ever narrower. Creating an even harder route to the treatment facility for your waste water. Which inevitably ends up with more blockages in your local area, with more floods into the environment and more road closures as teams attempt to repair the issue.
What happens when a blockage occurs?
Ultimately, the environment pays every single time. When a pipe becomes so blocked that it cannot work properly, it becomes a pressurised area. Most of the time, it will appear as just liquid is leaking – after all, the liquid will flow much easier than any foreign products. But this water is contaminated and a threat to wildlife.
Sometimes you may end up with a road closure due to a burst pipe, other times you won’t even know it’s happened, but the worst thing that can happen is the blockage backing up into your home. While it’s unlikely, this would result in a bill that you’d have to pay (if the blockage happened within your property line). It’s an expensive bill and not one to risk for the sake of an aggressive wiper not learning a more delicate technique!
Many animals live in our rivers and waterways. All of which are under threat from a dangerous and hazardous water environment. In fact, water voles face significant threat due to the quality of water in the UK and are classed as endangered because of this. If you don’t want to protect your sewers and drains for your own sake, could you help protect these animals instead?
