Beware the monster lurking in your sewer

A monster was recently discovered lurking under the streets of Whitechapel, in London’s East End. It was so enormous and posed such a potent threat to public health that when it was destroyed, parts put on display in the Museum of London.

The monster, found in 2017, was a 130-tonne “fatberg”, a congealed mass of oil and fat that had been flushed or poured into the sewer system over the years. The 250-metre long lump was eventually broken into bits by Thames Water and extracted by hose.

The problem

Coagulated fats and oils cause massive blockages in many city sewer systems, hardening into solid masses packed with wet wipes, sanitary towels and anything else put down toilets and drains. Not only are these lumps unhygienic, when they grow too large they cause flooding and have to be removed at considerable expense.

Causes

Although the Whitechapel fatberg was unusually large, similar blockages are becoming more common, partly because the population has increased and partly because of the proliferation of fast food and other meals with a high oil content. Sewers are now struggling to cope.

Prevention

Education is the best form of prevention. Awareness campaigns warn people to be careful about what they flush down the toilet or pour down the drain.

  • Hot oils and fats should be left to solidify and scraped into the bin.
  • Unfortunately, hot water doesn’t clear fat from pipes.
  • Hair and food traps in plugs reduce the amount of solids going into the sewer system.

Those responsible for drains and sewers also need to make sure regular inspections are carried out underground to prevent massive fatbergs from forming.

Drain and Sewer Services

Our engineers at Drain and Sewer Services are fully trained in unblocking techniques to deal with any size of problem. We use modern CCTV technology to locate problems and the latest jetting units for removing them before they grow into a problem.

We provide a full range of drain and sewer services to local authorities, business and homeowners. To find out how Drain and Sewers Services can help you, by calling our Aldershot office on 01252 312738 or email info@drainandsewer.co.uk