A 50-kilogram fatberg blocking Sussex sewers has been destroyed. The "monster" blockage was found in Horsham’s sewage system after reports were received of it backing up. Using heavy jets and other equipment, Southern Water extracted the fatberg from the sewer.
Fatbergs, which form when things are discarded down the toilet or sink that shouldn’t be, such as wet wipes and oil, can cause manholes to overflow, homes and businesses to flood or pollution in nearby water courses. Southern Water deals with up to 50,000 such blockages every year. Sussex area sewer network manager Roger Williams said: “Sewer blockages caused by wet wipes and other unflushables like sanitary products and nappies combined with fat, oil and grease from home cooking or food establishments are all too common.
“Fatbergs are the number one cause of pollution in our area. Fortunately, we arrived in time to destroy this monster. “The addition of more than 20,000 artificial intelligence monitors which detect when sewers in blockage ‘hotspots’ are backing up is changing the game and enabling us to get to far more blockages before the problem turns into a crisis.
“But with 40,000 kilometres of sewers, it’s absolutely vital that people understand not to put the wrong things down loos or sinks. Fatbergs can wreak havoc on sewage systems (Image: Southern Water) “This blockage was on a major 450mm sewer so the chances are a food business is involved but domestic blockages are far more common. “Most people don’t realise their sewer pipe is only the diameter of an ordinary orange.
” Southern Water’s network enforcement and protection team has launched an urgent investigation due to suspicions that a food business may not be disposing of its waste properly. Mr Williams added: “The team will track down where fat is coming from and pay a visit. “Normally businesses will come into line and install grease traps as soon as they realise what’s happening but the team can and do mount prosecutions for businesses which fail to clean up their acts.
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