SEWER BLOCKAGE CALL-OUTS MULTIPLY AS SEVERN TRENT ADVISES: STICK TO THE '3Ps' WHEN FLUSHING

ATHERSTONE and district have been urged to follow a special '3P code' as panic-buying of loo rolls just ahead of the coronavirus crisis has left its mark around households.

Water companies have been forced to issue fresh warnings after a dramatic rise in call-outs to sewer flooding and blockages due to the use of "toilet roll substitutes".

Severn Trent Water said it had received 3,000 reports of sewer blockages across its region in a fortnight – mainly due to kitchen roll.

The company described its workload as "much busier than usual".

It has taken to social media to post informative messages to thousands of households in Atherstone and across its 4.3 million customer base, urging people to a "binner not a blocker".

It warns: "Toilet roll alternatives are blocking up our sewers, please only flush the 3Ps: pee, poo and (toilet) paper.

"The last thing any of us need are problems caused by blocked drains in our homes, or for our neighbours.

"Please help us to help you and your neighbours by preventing unwanted blockages and put anything that isn't poo, pee or toilet paper in the bin.

Speaking of the rise in call-outs, the sewer blockages lead at Severn Trent Water, Grant Mitchell, said: "We know just how worrying it is for everyone at the moment and we want to reassure our customers that we're working really hard to keep our essential service running.

"In the last two weeks we've dealt with more than 3,000 reports of sewer flooding or sewer blockages in our area which is much busier than normal.

"And we're seeing more and more blockages caused by kitchen roll and wipes.

"We know that some people are having to resort to using a whole manner of things to substitute for toilet roll at the moment but a sewer blockage is the last thing that anyone needs right now.

"So we wanted to let everyone know that kitchen roll and wipes are not designed to break down like loo roll is – so please remember to bin them otherwise you could end up blocking your sewer pipes