Only Flush 3Ps - Pee, Poo and (toilet) Paper - take care of the Nairn Sewage system

A couple of readers have contacted the Gurn with their concerns for some of the pinch points in the town's sewage system given that some people unable to buy toilet roll will be using alternatives and flushing them with the potential to clog up the system. Obviously at this time of crisis it is sensible to avoid anything that could cause other health problems and divert resources from the authorities response to Covid-19.

 Here's a Scottish Water press release that deals with the subject:

Scottish Water has issued a reminder to flush only the 3Ps – pee, poo and toilet paper– to help keep the country’s sewers free from blockages.

Un-flushable alternatives to toilet paper which are not biodegradable are a major cause of sewer chokes resulting in flooding.

Customers are being asked to help protect the waste water network by sticking to the simple 3Ps guidance and flushing only toilet paper.
Peter Farrer, Scottish Water’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Alternative un-flushable items such as wet wipes, kitchen roll, cotton wool, tissues or other forms of paper can cause blockages in the pipes.

“Additional sewer chokes at this time of heightened concern around health could pose additional risk through internal flooding, as well as causing an obviously unpleasant disruption in the home.

 “We would urge people to flush only pee, poo and toilet paper in order to reduce the risk of internal sewer flooding. Such blockages are preventable and by following the simple 3Ps guidance together we can ensure the network is fully effective.”

Increases in the number of sewer chokes reported could place extra demand on response teams who are despatched to unblock drains. Currently Scottish Water responds to around 3000 sewer chokes every month. Around 1 billion litres of waste water are treated every day in Scotland.

The waste water drain which goes from a house to the public sewer is usually only about 4 inches wide, which is around the diameter of a DVD, meaning it can easily become blocked by a build-up of non-flushable materials.

Scottish Water customers can learn more about what they can do to keep the cycle running, what should not be flushed down toilets or poured down sinks and how they can save their drains, protect their homes, their neighbours’ homes and the local environment at www.scottishwater.co.uk/cycle.