Portadown just loves their sewers!

13 February 2024 12:12

NI Water is sending a special Valentine’s message to Portadown this year as they have shown they really love their sewers!   This new surge of love means we have had no blockages or out of sewer flooding in an area of the sewer network where we once had issues that had been caused by flushing sanitary items and wipes.

Peter Neeson, NI Water Wastewater Customer Field Manager for the area, explains:

“We are delighted our customers have ‘binned’ their old ways and are forming a new found respect for their sewers.  By changing their flushing habits the out of sewer pollution that was running into the local river has stopped.   We are really hopeful the ‘connection’ is strong and will last forever!   

“The people of Portadown were probably having their heads turned by those wipes that claim to be flushable (but aren’t) and tempted by the cute little cotton buds or sanitary items that couldn’t possibly do any harm (but do).    Like any relationship, it is easy to take it for granted, thinking the toilet would flush away anything that was put down it.   However, the wipes and sanitary items were just creeping through the sewers gathering other wipes and eventually creating a blockage.   This resulted in sewage flooding out of manholes onto the street, and, in this case, in a field that runs into a river. 

“A campaign in August highlighting this pollution of our local environment was entirely preventable if wipes and sanitary items were put into the bin rather than down the toilet has ensured there are no more blockages.

Peter concludes: “All joking aside, we all want to keep our environment healthy and clean.  We are delighted the public have worked with us to help spread the message, ‘your toilet is not a bin’ and hope they keep up the excellent flushing habits.   The rule is simple, ‘Only flush the 3 – Paper, Poo and Pee!”

Visit www.niwater.com for further information.

Ends

All media enquiries to NI Water press office on press.office@niwater.com