More than 4,000 disgusting fatbergs were cleared across Leeds last year, it has been revealed.
Yorkshire Water revealed today [Tuesday] they removed more than 25,000 blockages in Yorkshire over the past 12 months with 16 per cent of them being in Leeds postcodes.
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The blockages included wet wipes, sanitary products, cotton buds being flushed down the toilets as well as fats, oils and greases being poured down the drains. These can become snagged and develop into large blockages that prevent sewage flowing through the network to wastewater treatment works
Yorkshire Water is now urging people in the city to only flush the pee, poo and (toilet) paper - the 3P's.
Mark Hammond, head of customer field services at Yorkshire Water, said: “Our teams were called to more than 25,000 blockages across our region in 2020. Clearing blockages caused by foreign objects, fats and wet wipes costs millions of pounds– money which could be spent on improving our network and innovative new technologies.
“More than 4,000 of these blockages were in LS postcodes and we would urge our customers in the area to think twice before flushing them, as one wipe may not seem significant, but when combined they create blockages that prevent our network operating correctly. In some instances, these blockages can lead to sewage flooding in homes and the local environment.
“Foreign objects, such as nappies, cotton buds and sanitary products also contribute to blockages across Yorkshire and we also experienced an increase in DIY materials blocking our sewers, particularly during the first lockdown period.”
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