Sewer Savvy

Blocked drains can lead to closed offices, unhappy customers and hefty fines. Not to mention foul smells, expensive repair costs and damage to your reputation. That’s why we work closely with all our local business customers to help keep blockages to a minimum.

What causes blocked drains

In most cases blocked pipes are the result of the wrong things being flushed down the loo or poured down the sink. Tampons, wet wipes, cooking oil and fat are among the biggest offenders. The annual cost of cleaning sewers is £10 million, a cost we have to pass onto all our business customers. That’s because every year we clear 55,000 blockages, 75% of which are caused as a result of inappropriate waste disposal.

 

What can be done to help

As is so often the case, the most effective business tool is awareness. By simply educating your employees about drain blockages and the negative impact they can have on the business will greatly aid in keeping your drains clean. Below are just a few simple tips to share with your staff.

 

Avoid blockages

  • Train employees about used oil and food waste disposal 
  • Collect used oil in a container and arrange for a licensed waste contractor to collect
  • Scrape pots, pans and plates into the bin before washing up
  • Use sink strainers and empty collected remains into the bin
  • Recycle or bin food waste, including soups and sauces
  • Use grease traps and remember to frequently empty
  • Soak up spills with paper towels before mopping up
  • Place sanitary waste bins in all toilets and use signs to remind staff to use them

Thought for food service

To ensure pipe and drain blockages don’t affect your food service business, we recommend the following:

  • Install correctly sized equipment to prevent the discharge of fat, oil and grease into drains
  • Clean and maintain your equipment in line with the manufacturer’s instructions (a cleaning record must be kept and available on request)
  • Ensure all fat, oil and grease removed from the equipment is collected in a suitable container and disposed of by a licensed waste contractor (a disposal record must also be kept and available on request)

It’s important your waste contractor is licensed by the Environment Agency. Visit the GOV.UK website to find out more and to locate a registered carrier.