A WATER company serving Worcestershire and the surrounding area is asking people to be aware of what they should and should not flush down the toilet.

As part of last week’s World Toilet Day, Severn Trent Water is reminded customers products such as nappies and baby wipes should not be flushed, as they can block sewers and cause massive damage.

The company’s waste water manager James Jesic said the business spends millions of pounds every year cleaning sanitary products from the sewer network.

“Last year we were called out to over 55,000 sewer blockages in the region, of which three quarters were caused by people misusing the sewer system,” he said.

“And the figures show that the situation isn’t getting any better.

“The drains that take waste water away from your home are only a few inches wide and are only meant to take water, toilet roll and human waste.

“Remember toilet roll is meant to break down when it gets wet so it washes easily through the system.

“That’s not the case with things like sanitary products or cleansing wipes which can get stuck in smaller drains.”

He said sewer blockages can cause waste water to overflow into people’s homes and gardens.

“This is probably one of the most horrible things that can happen to your home and it’s entirely preventable,” said Mr Jesic.

“We’re spending millions of pounds every year sending teams into sewers with jetting equipment and sometimes even spades to dig out these blockages. That’s money that could be better spent elsewhere.”

Under UK law the homeowner is responsible for the portion of the water pipe until it either crosses the building’s boundary or joins another pipe or sewer.

Problems falling into Severn Trent’s responsibility can be reported on 0800 783 4444 or via stwater.co.uk.