Over the past year, GVW water and sewer staff have tackled 391 blockages in our region, extracting items such as wet wipes, tissues and paper towels — along with some astounding objects — from our sewer systems.
Some of the more unusual items that have been recovered during unblocking work include phones, a snake, many coins and even a pedestal fan, found in a manhole.
GVW managing director Steve Capewell explained that these avoidable blockages not only cost money but also diverted staff from their regular duties of maintaining reliable water and wastewater services for customers.
“We need customers’ help to keep our sewers healthy and limit the number of blockages and overflows,” he said.
“A number of overflows occur inside a customer’s property, so you are doing yourself a favour by checking your flushing habits.”
GVW regularly promotes the three Ps (pee, poo, and toilet paper) in its Don't Flush It campaign, educating customers about what should and shouldn’t go down the loo or sink.
Sewer blockages peak in winter. To combat this, Standards Australia introduced guidelines in May 2022, defining flush-safe products and testing criteria for manufacturers.
Dr Capewell said the sewer system was designed to transport sewage from toilets and drains to a wastewater management facility or a sewerage farm, and foreign objects created issues with this process.
“Not only can blockages be expensive for us, if it’s in your home it can also be very costly for you,” he said.
Remember, your bin — not your toilet — is the right place for bathroom items such as wipes, tissues and cotton balls, hygiene products such as nappies, pads and tampons, household waste including clothing, toys and kitty litter, and any sharp objects or medications.
In the kitchen, scrape food waste into the bin or, better yet, your compost.
For greasy pans, wipe them with paper towels before washing.
These small steps help sewers and the environment.
Items such as fats, oil, grease, food scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, medication, paint, thinners, chemicals, motor oil, petrol, pesticides and herbicides should not be disposed of in drains.
If you are experiencing water not draining away in your sinks and toilet as it normally would, there may be a blockage in the sewerage system.
If this blockage occurs in the pipes or fittings on your property, the property owner will need to engage a plumber to resolve the issue.
If the blockage is in Goulburn Valley Water’s sewerage system, the GVW team will resolve the issue.
If it is unclear where the blockage is, contact Goulburn Valley Water at any time on 1800 454 500.
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