SOUTH East sewer habits are causing problems for SA Water, with “troublesome unflushables” often blocking up wastewater pipes in the region.
SA Water has lifted the lid on the South East, with recent data showing the region caused 62 blockages by trying to dispose of fats and oils in the sink, along with wet wipes and other foreign objects going down the loo.
During 2022-23, Mount Gambier / Berrin was ranked second for regional centres recording the most blockages, with Naracoorte and Millicent also in the top 10.
SA Water senior manager of maintenance Lisa Hannant said the Millicent wastewater treatment plant saw a very high volume of wet wipes come out in the sewerage.
“Our operators are physically removing several kilograms of wet wipes from the plant’s primary treatment tanks each week, with no let-up in sight unless people change their flushing habits,” Ms Hannant said.
“Unlike toilet paper, which breaks down in around 30 seconds, wet wipes contain multiple layers of woven fibre and are designed not to disintegrate, causing them to clump together and block the flow of sewage.
“This means if they don’t cause blockages in our network of pipes or pump stations before even arriving at our plant, there’s a risk of damaging the plant’s infrastructure and reducing its ability to operate effectively.”
Ms Hannant said Mount Gambier / Berrin and Naracoorte were just as bad, which led to a lot of clogs.
“Millicent isn’t our only hotspot in the South East, with our treatment plants serving Mount Gambier and Naracoorte also sharing a similar experience, especially across our network of pipes and pump stations in these towns – and local residents are continuing to take a gamble every time they flush wet wipes,” she said.
“If we look at regional SA’s total of 318 sewer blockages during the past 12 months, two-thirds of these occurred at a property’s connection before even reaching our pipes – let alone our treatment plants – which increases the risk of an overflow inside your home, and trust me, nobody wants to experience this.
“Luckily, the solution is ever-so simple and all you need to remember is to only flush the three Ps – toilet paper, pee and poo – and put everything else in the bin to help protect your pipes and our sewers.”
SA Water spends around $2 million a year in redirecting non-flushable materials from pipes, pump stations and wastewater treatment plants to landfill.
