Melton West and Kurunjang are trouble spots for expensive sewer blockages caused when fats and other matter is poured down drains.
In the year to July, there have been about 450 blockages in Western Water’s service area, which extends from Lancefield to Eynesbury. Blockages cost the water retailer, and users, tens of thousands of dollars each year.
Western Water’s customer and community relations manager, Graham Holt, said Melton West and Kurunjang had a higher than normal number of blockages.
Mr Holt has urged residents to only put “ones and twos down the loo”, with blockages costing Western Water as much as $150,000 a year.
“That is just across the sewer plants,” he said. “In residential areas, that cost increases, depending on the time of day for the blockage and extent of damage done to assets and the environment.
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“If people could only put ones and twos down the loo, it would save customers money.
“Many people are flushing items that don’t break down – pouring fats and oils down the drain and, in some instances, flushing adult nappies or wet wipes,” Mr Holt said.
Mobile phones, dolls and toy guns have also been pulled out of the Melton recycled water plant.
“Typically, items gather at the sewer pumping stations, get caught in the pumps and cause failures,” Mr Holt said.
“And, in some towns, they get caught up closer to homes, causing blockages. It’s because people flush items down the toilet that just don’t break down, as toilet paper does.”
At the Melton recycled water plant, about 1800 kilograms of waste is removed from the site and sent to landfill each year.
Despite items such as liners and wet wipes being marketed as flushable, Mr Holt said they should not be put down the toilet.
“Adult wipes and nappy liners are particularly troublesome, as are fats and oils. If it doesn’t break down, don’t flush it down.”
