We visit the toilet an average of 2,500 times a year and spend about three years of our life on the loo, yet often the humble WC, and sometimes the items we put down it, aren’t given a second thought.
 
To mark World Toilet Day 2008, the Consumer Council for Water is calling for consumers to look after your loo and use it responsibly by not sending inappropriate items down the drain.

Toilet cleansing cloths, face wipes, baby wipes, cotton wool, tampons, sanitary towels, condoms, nappies, razor blades and plasters, along with fats, oils and grease frequently make their way into the sewer system, even though they would be better off in the bin.

Research by the Consumer Council for Water showed that the majority of consumers are unaware that these items, unlike toilet paper, don’t break down and can get caught in pipes, building up a blockage over time. Blocked drains can either lead to expensive maintenance bills, or worse, sewer flooding.

Three quarters of sewer blockages are caused by people putting items they shouldn’t down the loo or the sink, and half of sewer flooding is caused by these blockages.

Any drains or private sewers that carry waste away from the home are the customer’s responsibility, (or landlord’s) both inside and outside the property boundary until the point where they connect with the public sewers.

The sewerage company is only responsible for public sewers. In most cases these are in roads or public open spaces but in certain circumstances they may run through private gardens.

Tony Smith, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water, said:

“Having your home flooded with sewage is very unpleasant and companies should provide the best customer service possible to prevent it from happening in the first place.

“Customers have a role to play too by using their toilets responsibly to help reduce blockages. People who put things they shouldn’t down the loo could be flushing money away as well.

The cost of having your own private drains unblocked can be expensive. If the public sewers are blocked, the sewerage companies’ costs in removing blockages get passed on to customers via sewerage bills.”

SEWER FLOODING FACTS
* Drains from the home are no wider than four inches (100mm) and are only built to carry water, toilet paper and human waste.
* If you find it difficult to flush your toilet or notice that water drains away slowly or bubbles in the bottom of your toilet, contact your sewerage company and clearly explain the symptoms. Do not try to flush the toilet again as this could cause internal flooding.
* If the problem is due to a blockage or fault in your private drain, you will need to hire a drainage contractor to repair it. Sewerage companies are only responsible for unblocking and maintaining public sewers.
* If sewage has entered your property from a public sewer, the company will send someone to visit you as soon as possible and help clean your property.
* Don’t forget to check your household insurance covers sewer flooding.
* You are entitled to a rebate of your annual sewerage bill (up to £1000) to cover damages to the inside of your property caused by flooding of a public sewer. Visit the Consumer Council for Water’s website for details.

More information about how to dispose of household waste appropriately is available here:, and can be found in a new leaflet from the Consumer Council for Water, which has been endorsed by Defra, the Environment Agency and Water UK.