Southern Water is urging people to stop flushing wet wipes, despite a ban on plastic wet wipes coming into force next year.
From May 2027, it will be illegal to sell wet wipes containing plastic, in a move aimed at reducing plastic and microplastic pollution.
However, Southern Water says the change will not solve the wider problem of sewer blockages, warning that plastic-free wipes can still cause major issues if they are flushed.
The company says wet wipes do not break down quickly enough in the sewer system, even when they are labelled as “flushable”. Instead, they can snag in household pipes before combining with fats, oils, grease and other debris to form fatbergs.
These blockages can overwhelm sewers and lead to serious consequences, including flooding in homes and businesses, significant clean-up costs and environmental damage.
Across the water industry, dealing with sewer blockages is estimated to cost around £200 million every year.
Southern Water says wet wipes are also a major source of visible pollution, with surveys finding an average of 20 wipes per 100 metres of UK coastline.
The company says removing plastic from wipes will help tackle microplastic pollution, but warned that changing the material alone will not prevent blockages.
It says the term “flushable” can be misleading, as wipes may disappear from sight when flushed but can still fail to break down in narrow household pipes and slower-flowing parts of the sewer network.
Southern Water says it has seen cases where flushed wipes have caused raw sewage to flood homes, destroying furniture, electrical items and personal belongings.
With the ban approaching, the company is urging people not to assume the problem has been solved.
Its advice is to only flush the three Ps — pee, paper and poo — and put all wipes in the bin.
Southern Water says the simple habit can help protect homes, reduce costs and safeguard the environment.
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