A PROBLEMATIC group of items, known as the “Unflushables,” continues to pose significant challenges for Goulburn Valley Water (GVW) staff. In the past year, the region has experienced 391 blockages, requiring the removal of various troublesome objects from the sewer system. While common culprits like wet wipes, tissues and paper towels are frequent offenders, GVW staff have also uncovered more unusual items, including phones, a snake, numerous coins, and even a pedestal fan found in a manhole.
GVW Managing Director Dr. Steve Capewell emphasised that these blockages not only incur financial costs but also divert staff from their regular duties, affecting the reliability of water and wastewater services. “We need customers’ help to keep our sewers healthy and limit the number of blockages and overflows. Several overflows occur inside a customer’s property, so you are doing yourself a favour by checking your flushing habits. Not only can blockages be expensive for us, if it’s in your home it can also be very costly for you.”
Dr. Capewell explained that the sewer system is designed to transport sewage from toilets and drains to a Wastewater Management Facility. Foreign objects disrupt this process, leading to blockages. Items that should be disposed of in the trash instead of flushed include tissues, flushable wipes, paper towels, nappies, tampons, sanitary pads, condoms, cotton wool balls, cotton buds, band-aids, medication, syringes, clothing, rubbish, toys, razor blades and kitty litter. Fats, oils, grease, food scraps, coffee grounds, tea leaves, paint, thinners, chemicals, motor oil, petrol, pesticides, and herbicides should also not be disposed of down drains.
For blockages, contact Goulburn Valley Water at 1800 454 500 if you’re unsure of the blockage’s location; otherwise, a plumber is best suited for property-based issues.
