How to prevent blockages

In the kitchen

There are ways you can help prevent blockages in your drains. Read our tips for disposing of kitchen waste:

• Pour or scrape greasy or oily food waste into a container or jar
• Allow grease to cool in the container before throwing it in the waste bin
• Wipe and scrape utensils and plates before washing them and dispose of any waste with your household rubbish
• Consider using a Fat Trap or empty container to collect excess fat and oil
• Use strainers in the sink to collect food particles.

In the bathroom

Please only flush the three Ps – pee, poo and paper. Domestic waste pipes are typically just 4 inches wide and even bathroom products that claim to be flushable (like wet wipes) should be thrown in the bin instead.

Find out more about bathroom blockages

UK water companies respond to around 300,000 sewer blockages each year. Up to 75 per cent are caused by fat, oil and grease.

Are blockages my responsibility?

If you experience a sewer blockage, please phone us on 0330 303 0368 (calls charged at local rate). We will try our best to establish if the problem is in a public or private pipe.

Sometimes we'll be able to determine that the problem is in a private drain. If so, you'll need to contact a drainage company who can resolve the problem.

If we can't tell over the phone where the problem is located, we will visit the customer's home to investigate.

If the blockage is in a private drain we'll attempt to clear it – providing that it can be achieved reasonably quickly. We'll ask you to sign a consent form to allow us to work on your private drain.