Dealing with blocked toilets and sinks

Say no to blockages!

The Council often gets calls from worried tenants who are suffering from sewer blockages - particularly unpleasant if this gets onto your garden or driveway.

Often, it is difficult to identify the source of the problem as a whole street can be connected to the same drainage system. If someone innocently puts something down the loo at one end of the street, this may cause a blockage at the other end of the street.

The biggest no-no is pouring cooking fat down the sink. The fat sets hard, forming hideous 'fatberg' blockages. This prevents sewage from flowing and can cause it to back-up, especially when other unsuitable items, such as wet wipes and sanitary items, mix with the fat.

The drains connected to your home are only designed to take away wastewater, toilet tissue and human waste. Customers are sometimes confused about what should and shouldn't be flushed away and this is sometimes made worse by misleading 'flushable' labelling.

Often people think the term 'flushable' means the product will go down the toilet without clogging on its way. However, this does not mean that it will break down once it reaches the sewer and it could end up blocking your internal plumbing or the main sewer, causing sewage to back-up. The only product that should be flushed is toilet paper.

Five top tips to keep your drains flowing

• Love your loo: make sure that only wastewater, toilet tissue and human waste goes down your drains and into the sewer.
• Bin it - don't block it: wrap up sanitary products, nappies, wet wipes and condoms and put them in the bin.
• Think - not in the sink! after cooking, fat, oil and grease should be left to cool- it can then be disposed of in the bin or mixed with seeds and nuts to make a feeder for birds.
• Chemicals, solvents, engine oil and paint should be taken to your local Household Waste Recycling Centre.
• Medicines, tablets, syringes and needles should be taken to your pharmacist, local hospital or health authority for safe disposal.

For further information and guidance, visit Yorkshire Water - Bin It. Don't Flush It

Last update: 07/06/2011