Warning over fats as £3m spent unblocking drains

Fatbergs are a combination of sanitary items and fats, oils, and grease

Residents are being urged not to pour fats, oils and grease down their sinks after a water firm spent £3m fixing blocked drains.

South West Water (SWW) cleared 6,400 blockages across the region's network in 2023.

About 75% were caused by the combination of sanitary items and fatbergs, it said.

A national campaign, Unblocktober, is under way to change people's kitchen and bathroom habits, and improve the health of the UK's drains, sewers, and waterways.

'Proud of progress'

Its 2022 survey of 1,758 UK residents found 65% admitted to having poured fat and oil down the sink, rising substantially from 45% the year before.

SWW estimated 200,000 wet wipes were also flushed down the region's toilets daily.

It has been working with Environmental Compliance and Services (ECAS) to advise businesses how to better dispose of fats, oils and greases and has installed equipment that traps them, stopping more than 370,000 litres from going down the drains.

In one instance, SWW said it had used CCTV cameras in Hope Cove, South Devon, to spot where fats were starting to build up in sewers.

Marc Downes, operations manager at ECAS, said: “The response from the business owners we’ve worked with has been fantastic- we’re proud of the progress that’s been made."

Earlier this month, sewage spilled on to Cliff Road in Newquay after the network was overwhelmed by blockages.

SWW previously said it believed it was caused by fats, oils and greases.