Scottish Water is asking customers in Argyll and Bute to think twice about what they flush down the toilet and put down the sink after the utility firm’s data highlighted in the Argyll and Bute the total amount of choked sewers and drains for the year was 910 – and the worst month was July, when 108 blocked drains were attended.
Across Scotland, the data from 2009 showed around £6m was spent unblocking 36,500 choked drains and sewers – that’s 100 per day.
And it is not just sanitary items or fats, oils and grease that are causing trouble - a wild badger, a Mexican desert king snake and a goldfish are among a veritable Noah’s Ark of 20 weird and wonderful animals and items that have been found in Scottish Water sewer network.
False teeth are also one of the most frequently found items – and in a sign of the times, mobile phones accidentally dropped down the loo or drains are turning up in sewers and sewage works.
Mrs Jane McKenzie, regional communities manager, said: “When sewers, pumping stations and sewage works get clogged they overflow and sewage escapes into rivers. This endangers public health, wildlife and the environment.
“In Scotland it is estimated that a shocking 340 million items of sanitary waste are flushed every year and 55 per cent of all sewer blockages are caused by people disposing of cooking fat down their sink.
“Every year around £6 million of taxpayers money is spent by Scottish Water trying to fix these blockages and repair the damage. We need the help of the public to bring this cost down.
“It’s not a pleasant subject but unblocking clogged drains is even more unpleasant for our staff across Scotland. Don’t put cooking fat down sinks or drains and “Bag It and Bin It” is the message for items like sanitary towels and cotton buds - don’t flush them down the loo as they wreak havoc in our network.”
The Top 20 list in full:
1) A live badger in a pumping station well at Drongan. The SSPCA rescued him and he made a full recovery.
2) A live six-foot Mexican Desert King Snake at Dunfermline waste water treatment works.
3) A live goldfish, “Pooh”, turned up at Philipshill waste water treatment works in East Kilbride and is now a permanent resident at the works after an employee donated a tank.
4) A sheep fished out of a manhole chamber.
5) A fully grown cow in the storm tank at Gatehead.
6) A deckchair.
7) False teeth - one of the most frequent items.
A platoon of toy soldiers appeared at the Troqueer works in Dumfries. They are now mounted on the wall in the office.9) Mobile phones – these are getting found more often as they get smaller.
10) A live frog, recently found inside a pump right next to the propeller. When workers removed the lid he just hopped out and was on his way.
11) A pair of trousers at Kirkcaldy waste water treatment works.
12) An Action Man figure, still wearing his boots.
13) An orange that had been flushed down the loo.
14) Rings turn up frequently and are handed in to Police.
15) Watches also turn up frequently and are handed into Police.
16) A traffic cone.
17) A football.
18) A fully functioning clothes iron.
19) Timber – from a railway sleeper to small chunks of wood.
20) A parcel trolley.
This Top 20 pales into comparison with a story involving one of Scottish Water’s own workers. While out in the pub one night with his wife, he stuck his wallet in her handbag and the handbag got pinched. After stealing some money, the thief flushed the handbag contents down the toilet. Two weeks later, his colleagues in Dumfries found his credit card sitting on one of the screens at the works, having spent the last fortnight doing the rounds of the sewers.
In the case of large items – especially livestock – finding its way into the network, a major cause is manhole covers being stolen to be sold as scrap metal. Animals can fall into manhole chambers or tanks as a result.
Mrs McKenzie added: “Scottish Water is playing its part to improve the quality of rivers, watercourses and beaches for communities across the country. Rivers in particular are the lifeblood of so much of our inland wildlife. However, we need local people to play their part and help us protect our natural environment.”
For further information, call the Scottish Water press office on 01383 848 229.
Customers can visit www.bagandbin.org for more information.
What can be flushed
Human waste
Toilet paper (not too much and not the moist, extra strong type)
What shouldn't be flushed but bagged and binned instead
Sanitary items:
Towels, tampons, applicators, panty liners, backing strips, disposable nappies and liners should not be flushed, but disposed of responsibly with household refuse.
Also not to be flushed are all wipes, including baby, bathroom and toilet; and incontinence pads, condoms and femidoms, colostomy bags, bandages and plasters
Bin all of these:
Cotton buds, cotton wool, contact lenses and toothbrushes
Dangerous items:
Place razors and razor blades in a rigid container and put in the bin. Take syringes and needles to a needle bank (ask your GP for the location). Return medicines and contraceptives to your local pharmacy. When the label says 'disposable', it does not always mean it can be flushed down the toilet.
Fatty Facts
Here’s some fatty facts to provide food for thought:
• Fat blockages cause pollution, flooding, public health hazards and have major clean up costs
• Saturated fat causes the most problems. This is animal fat which goes hard when it cools
• Mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oil and rapeseed solidify when refrigerated so can caused problems in sewers in cold weather
