An urgent message from Thames Water

16th April 2020

Hello,

I’m writing to you, and all Lambourn residents, because we’re having to clear many blockages at our nearby mobile sewage filtering unit, in Newbury Street and we’d love your help to prevent them.

You might have seen the tankers we’re using to manage the additional flows high groundwater is causing in our sewers right now. We’ve also installed a special filtration unit in Newbury Road, which runs 24 hours a day, filtering dirty water so we can safely discharge it.

Unfortunately, all the blockages make it very difficult to keep the jets clear and the unit properly running.

They’re also clogging up our sewers. This can cause the wastewater to back up, potentially flooding roads, gardens – and, in the worst cases, peoples’ homes.

What did we find?

These blockages are being caused by flushed wet wipes, kitchen roll, paper towels, sanitary products and even nappies. Together with cooking fats and oils – which harden and become incredibly sticky when poured down sinks and drains – they clump together and prevent the sewage flowing freely. The photo below shows how badly clogged with these things our filter unit gets in just five days.

How can you help?

Sewers are only designed to handle water, toilet paper and human waste – everything else belongs in the bin. With your help we can reduce and even stop future blockages. You’ll find lots of useful information and tips in the leaflet I’ve included with this letter.

To avoid blockages:

Don’t flush wipes down the toilet, even if they’re labelled as ‘flushable’. They’re full of plastic and won’t break down like toilet tissue.
Pop sanitary products and nappies in the bin, never down the toilet. They clog pipes and cause blockages.
Never pour fat or oil from cooking down the sink. Pour it into a container, let it cool and put it in the bin.
Please remember: bin it, don’t block it.

Why we’re still working during the coronavirus pandemic

We’ve been identified as key workers providing an essential service by the government, and we’re dedicated to keeping your water and wastewater services running smoothly. Performing routine repairs and maintenance can remove the risk of more serious issues like burst pipes. These can cause interruptions and problems for customers – something we’re very keen to avoid at this already difficult time.

The safety and wellbeing of our customers and our staff is of the utmost importance to us. We’re constantly adapting our ways of working, following the latest government advice, to keep our teams and the communities we serve safe, while ensuring we deliver our critical services to the best of our abilities. We’re rescheduling non-essential work, and we’re happy to consider any requests that give you peace of mind.