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  4. Stop problems occurring
  5. Think at the sink

If you have a blocked toilet, drain or sewerage pipes, please refer to our Blocked toilets and sewers page.

Think at the sink

Putting the wrong things down your sink or drain can block and erode your pipes. This can cause sewage overflows inside your home. Overflows are extremely damaging to your property and very expensive for you to repair.

Putting the wrong things down the sink or drain also impacts our sewerage network. It causes blockages and overflows at our sewage treatment plants, which we have to clear and dispose of. This dramatically reduces the efficiency of the sewage treatment process, and it increases the overall cost of sewage treatment. 

Please do not put these nasties down the sink or drain:

  • Fats, oils or grease (from the kitchen or car)
  • Needles
  • Solvents, paint and turpentine
  • Chemicals, herbicides and pesticides
  • Plastics including food wrappers and apple stickers
  • Food scraps including egg shells, bones and cooked rice
  • Dairy products
  • Coffee grounds

Don’t confuse your sink for a rubbish bin. All of the items above should be placed in the bin, not the sewerage system. Don’t block it, bin it!

Could a fatberg be lurking in your pipes?

Managing food waste in your kitchen

  •  Use a sink strainer to prevent food scraps, plastic and fruit stickers from going down the drain
  • Scrape food scraps into the rubbish bin before washing dishes
  • Pour cooking oil and fats into a jar, then seal and dispose of it in the rubbish bin
  • Use paper towel to soak up left over cooking oil in pots and pans before washing them.





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