An Aussie council is urging residents to do the right thing in the bathroom, after revealing the enormous amount of “sewer gunk” they have to remove from the region’s sewerage system every single week.
Tweed Shire Council, which represents 94,000 residents in the north-eastern end of NSW, said crews are pulling out three tonnes worth of rubbish, baby wipes, sanitary pads, hair and even condoms each week — amounting to a staggering 156 tonnes of waste every year.
Acting Manager of Water and Wastewater, Elizabeth Seidl, reminded residents only to flush the 3Ps – pee, poo and toilet paper.
“We’re removing roughly three tonnes of rubbish and gunk every single week from the sewerage network,” Ms Seidl said, adding that any other substance flushed down the toilet will not break down in water.
“This can clog your home’s plumbing and turn into a sticky mess in the Tweed’s sewerage systems, which can lead to sewage overflows and sometimes end up costing the whole community in repairs.”
Baby wipes and toilet wipes — even ones that are marked as ‘flushable’ — are the biggest offenders, with blockages costing NSW $27 million each year.
And it’s not just what goes down the toilet that is causing the problem.
Unsuitable liquids tipped into kitchen and laundry sinks are building up ‘fatbergs’ inside drains. The severe blockages are made when oils and fats are poured down drains and mix with other non-flushables.
“Oil, grease and fats belong in the bin; not down the sink,” Ms Seidl said.
She noted that fatbergs have also led to pump failures at local wastewater treatment plants.
Medicines and household chemicals should also never be disposed of down the drain.
Common signs of a blockage include sinks, baths or toilets emptying slowly, toilets not flushing or overflowing, gurgling noises from drains or toilets, and wastewater overflowing near outdoor taps.
Wipes and other non‑flushables don’t break down and can end up clogging the sewerage systems. Source: Tweed Shire Council
Never flush these items down the toilet:
wipes of any kind (including those labelled “flushable”)
cotton buds or dental floss
nappies, condoms, tampons or pads
Never tip these liquids down the sink:
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