How to avoid blockages
Discover how to protect your home, the environment and our sewer network from blockages.
Keep your home blockage free
Follow these simple steps to prevent a blockage from leaving you with a costly mess to get fixed.
Causes of blockages
We deal with around 13,000 blockages on our network every year at a cost of around £5m, with around 75 per cent of them involving disposable items.
The most common causes of blockages are:
- wet wipes, including those labelled flushable
- sanitary items, such as towels and tampons
- fats, oils and grease (FOGs) and food leftovers.
To keep your home blockage free, only flush the three Ps: paper, pee and poo.
Avoiding blockages in the bathroom
Wet wipes are one of the biggest causes of blockages because they don’t break down in the same way as toilet paper when flushed.
You should never flush any of the following items:
- wet wipes, including make-up, cleaning and baby wipes (even if they say ‘flushable’)
- nappies
- cotton buds
- plasters and bandages
- tampons and applicators
- sanitary and incontinence pads
- any other sanitary products.
You can help the environment by avoiding single-use items in general. Try using reusable alternatives where possible.
Avoiding blockages in the kitchen
Your drain is not designed to carry FOGs and food leftovers. When put down the drain, they can lead to blockages.
To prevent blockages in the kitchen:
- scrape leftover food into the bin
- wipe grease from plates and pans before washing
- Use sink strainers to catch any small bits of food.
- dispose of coffee grounds and kitchen roll in the bin.
The impact of sewer misuse
Flushing wet wipes and sanitary items down the toilet and putting FOGs down the sink can be expensive and damaging to both your home and the environment.
In your home
Blockages can lead to sewage backing up into your bathroom or kitchen through the toilet or sink. If the blockage is on a section of pipe you are responsible for, it will also leave you with an expensive mess to get fixed.
In the environment
During heavy rainfall, sewers can overflow and wipes and other disposable items can make their way into rivers and the sea causing river and marine pollution. Sadly, animals often consume these items which can result in them suffocating or starving to death.
Free waste devices
Our free waste devices help you safely dispose of things around the home that can often end up in the sewers. They will help keep your drains clear of blockages and unwanted plumbing bills.
If you’re a water supply customer, you can also claim free water saving devices by signing up to our handy GetWaterFit tool.
Your free waste devices will be processed and dispatched by Save Water Save Money on behalf of Wessex Water.
Check what devices you are entitled to
Before ordering your devices please check your postcode. If you are a supply customer you may be entitled to some water saving devices.
Check what devices you are entitled to
Before ordering your devices please check your postcode. If you are a supply customer you may be entitled to some water saving devices.