South West Water (SWW) is urging people across the region to help stop blocked drains as it launches its new “Bin It, Don’t Block It” campaign.

The water provider says that in the past year alone, it has cleared over 7,000 avoidable blockages, with three-quarters caused by just two things: wet wipes and fats.

When flushed or poured away, these combine to form fatbergs, huge, solid masses that clog up sewers, lead to flooding and pollution, and cause serious damage to the environment.

SWW say the message is clear: small habits at home can help prevent major blockages. In the bathroom, that means flushing only the three Ps – pee, poo and paper, and putting wipes, even those labelled “flushable”, in the bin. In the kitchen, fats, oils and grease should be left to cool in a container before being binned, with food scraps and coffee grounds also disposed of safely.

Many sewers are surprisingly narrow; some are just 15cm wide. That means it doesn’t take much for them to block. Just one wipe or a little fat can start a blockage that grows into something much bigger, leading to flooded homes, damaged streets, and polluted rivers.

Richard Price, Managing Director of Wastewater Services at South West Water, said: “Blocked sewers cause serious harm – from flooding homes and gardens to polluting rivers, beaches and seas. Every wipe flushed down the loo and every bit of fat poured down the sink can trigger a blockage that disrupts lives and damages the environment.

That’s why we’re asking everyone to take part in our ‘Bin It, Don’t Block It’ campaign. By making simple changes like putting wipes in the bin and keeping fats out of sinks, we can protect our environment and reduce the risk of flooding.

These small, everyday actions really do make a big difference – helping to look after the places we all live in and care about across the South West.”