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We are asking for help from the residents and businesses of Wolverhampton and Walsall, as between them the two areas have had around 32,000 blockages in the last five years, making them hotspot areas in the Midlands.

Sewer blockages lead, Grant Mitchell, says: “We know just how worrying it is for everyone at the moment and we want to reassure our customers that we’re working really hard to keep our essential services running.  And one of those essential services is unblocking clogged up sewer pipes.  

"On average, we clear around 47,000 sewer blockages every year across the whole of the Midlands.  But Wolverhampton and Walsall alone have contributed to 13% of those, and are now two of the regions sewer blockage hotspots.  And just lately things have got even worse as we’re seeing more and more blockages caused by kitchen roll and wipes.  

“We know that some people are having to resort to using a whole manner of things to substitute for toilet roll at the moment, but a sewer blockage is the last thing that anyone needs right now. The drains that take waste water away from your home are only a few inches wide and it doesn’t take much for them to get clogged up with kitchen roll, wipes and fat.”

It’s easy to assume that wipes just disappear when you flush the loo.  Or that the warm grease and fat left over from your dinner would be ok to pour down the sink, as long as you wash it down with a lot of hot soapy water. But the reality is that quite quickly the fat and grease will cool and solidify, mixing in with the wipes that don’t break down when you flush them, building up and creating ‘fatbergs’ which then block the drain or sewer.

Grant added: “Mostly, when we ask people why they flush wipes or wash fat down the sink, it’s simply because they don’t know that they shouldn’t.  So we’re asking for help from the people of Wolverhampton and Walsall to help reduce the number of sewer blockages in their area, and potentially save themselves a horrible situation.  It’s really easy to do the right thing - wipe out any greasy pans with a bit of kitchen roll, or pour large amounts of left over cooking oil into a pot or jar with a lid and put them into the bin.  Also, make sure all wipes, kitchen roll, cotton buds and other sanitary products go straight into the bin, not down the toilet.  Thank you.”

If you do run into problems, either with slow drains or a blocked sewer which is our responsibility it can be reported here or by calling 0800 783 4444.