Ask Southern Water’s experts about ‘The Unflushables’ - items that could cause a sewer flood in your home - £150 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[AmeliaMumsnet]

Every year in England and Wales water companies deal with over 300,000 blockages, many of which are caused by common household items being flushed down the toilet. That’s why Southern Water, along with the Consumer Council for Water, have launched ‘The Unflushables’, a campaign to help people protect themselves from the misery of sewer flooding. Many products that have been labelled as ‘flushable’ can actually contribute to these types of problems, so, to clear up some of the confusion, the team at Southern Water are offering you the opportunity to ask some of your burning, sewer-related questions to their expert, Sharon Holdstock!

Here’s what Southern Water have to say: “‘The Unflushables’ campaign aims to help people know how to properly dispose of fat, oil, grease and unflushable items like wipes, tampons, nappies and condoms. It’s designed to help customers understand the impact a sewage flood in their house can have – and provide some hints and tips to help prevent it.”

Post any questions you might have about ‘The Unflushables’ - how to dispose of them, what can and can’t be flushed, or how to get into good habits to prevent sewer flooding, and we’ll pick 20 for Sharon to answer. Everyone who posts their questions will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky Mumsnetter will win a £150 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Here is some information about Sharon Holdstock:

Sharon is currently Southern Water’s Field Customer Engagement Officer, and has been with the company for five years. She travels to areas that have been affected by flooding caused by blocked drainage systems and advises people on what not to flush, giving talks and presentations around the community. She is passionate about this project, and about the importance of getting the message out to as many people as possible to help them protect their homes and the environment.

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw,

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Is it worth picking clumps of hair out from the sink or should they be left to deteriorate?

Personally I'd clear the hair as it'll cause a grimmer blockage long term. You can buy things for your plug that collect it.

I personally think you're better off even putting washable wipes in a baby nappy sack, as I explained upthread, the could block your down pipe. Which will lead to you needing it rodded / jet washed at high pressure. I know this as we used the same wipes, there was a slight kink in the pipe, one day after DH went to the toilet it decided to come up the bath/shower cubicles and sink. Rather grim.

is there a difference between fat and oil down drains, i'd always assumed oil is ok as liquid when cool

Good grief. I am shocked at most of the questions. How do people NOT know? I always assumed that nothing should go down your toilet other than toilet paper.
I have never put a tampon or a pad down there. No wonder our systems are blocked!!

As a sailor we always used to buy just 2ply toilet tissue as it breaks down so much more easily - why is that not promoted here for households? We see lots of adverts for thick and soft toilet tissue but I have yet to see one for environmentally friendly 2 ply ?

Tabbaz- i've never come across anything other than 2ply?

I only ever buy value stuff though.

Are some types of loo paper better/worse than others?

Can pressure be put on manufacturers for clear NON FLUSHABLE labelling?

Good idea to have this covered in schools along with first aid, managing finances, nutrition and cooking - life skills sort of thing?

Washing up a frying pan - after tipping excess fat into a pot to be chilled and later binned (fat going to landfill - is there a better place for it?) how is it best to wash up the frying pan without too much remaining fat going down the drain?

I am thinking: wipe with absorbent paper towel. Then wash up in hot water with plenty of washing up liquid to break down what fat remains.

I was always told by my mum that pouring oil down a sink was fine as long as you had hot water running. Is that true?

Can things like off milk or liquid food be flushed? It can't go in the food recycling (no liquids) and seems like asking for trouble to pour down sink.

Why are companies still allowed to label their products as flushable if they quite clearly aren't?

Can you flush cat litter that clumps?

Can we still flush those wet toilet paper wipes?

It is a good campaign however should be common sense not to put cooking fat down the drain or wipes in the toilet. One of my DCs did once flush all of his toy soldiers in the toilet, got justly chastised when I had to deal with the overflowing toilet and fish them all out.

Agree with others about the need for more information about fat and the kitchen sink.

Can you flush tissues ie ones for your nose?

can you flush moist toilet wipes

Is it ok to use borax to clean the loo?

Most people have a standard bin in their bathroom (rather than an enclosed sanitary bin) which makes them reluctant to bin items so flushing becomes the better option. Every household now has a food caddy which didn't used to be the case, which helps towards food recycling, a sanitary bin in the same way might help with this campaign. Any plans to support that, get it free/subsidised?

I've not seen food caddys anywhere?! Apart from my grandparents, they always had an open thing for bits for the compost.

What to do with cooking fats for example from the Sunday roast? Chicken fats can't be fed to the birds and they are still liquid so cant be wrapped in newspaper, I've been putting them in plastic bottles and old wine bottles and disposing of them in the general rubbish - is there a better why?

Is it ok to put long hair down the loo, e.g. from a hairbrush?

Which of the most common Unflushables can be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way, rather than general waste/ incineration?

Er are southern water coming back?!

Does the amount of water held in a cistern affect the thoroughness of the flush? So many cisterns are now smaller and designed to save water and those of us with larger capacity cisterns are encouraged to put a brick in them or similar. I don't think this is a great saving - surely it is far better to ensure a good flush by using lots of water?