Revealed: The ‘strange and spooky’ items found in our sewers
South West Water has revealed the unusual items found in the region's sewers as it warns of the risks of blockages and pollution.
With Halloween approaching, South West Water have revealed the “strange and spooky” things they’ve found while working beneath our streets.
South West Water is responsible for keeping more than 25,000 kilometres of sewers flowing across the region.
While carrying out routine maintenance and investigations, the water company says its teams “regularly” come across items that were “never meant to enter the sewer network”.
These include a pair of pants discovered in a pipe in Exeter, a “creepy” baby doll found in Exmouth, a buried children’s toy, a single shoe, and a sack of rubble.
“A baby doll blocking a sewer is certainly one of the more unusual things we’ve come across recently, but our teams often find items that simply shouldn’t be in the sewer network,” said Jay Harris, wastewater director at South West Water.
“Every day our teams work behind the scenes to keep the network flowing and protect the environment, often dealing with the consequences of things that have been incorrectly flushed or disposed of.
“While some discoveries can be surprising, they highlight an important message: the sewer network is designed to carry waste water, and unexpected items can cause blockages that put pressure on the network and increase the risk of pollution.
“That’s why we’re encouraging everyone to think before they flush this Halloween and help keep the network flowing.”
A blockage can cost up to £250 to clear, and could cause damage to your home or wider infrastructure, South West Water has warned.
It reminds customers to only flush the “three Ps - pee, poo, and paper”, and to dispose of other waste, including wet wipes, nappies, and sanitary products, in the bin.