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Wet wipes cause fatberg the size of a 747
ITV ^ | 1 Sep 2014

Posted on 09/01/2014 1:39:32 PM PDT by Gamecock

Thames Water workers have been blasting a fatberg the length of a Boeing 747 underneath a road in west London. A ‘fatberg’ – a congealed mass of fat, wet wipes and other litter wrongly put down drains and toilets – formed under a 80 metre stretch of Shepherd’s Bush Road.

"A team of sewer experts from the company fought the ‘berg all last week The immense, solid blockage needed to be broken up and removed from the sewer to prevent sewer flooding to nearby homes and business." – Thames Water

But Shepherd's Bush is far from being the worst offender when it comes to fatbergs. Kingston-on-Thames had a 15-tonne fatberg removed from a sewer last year. But top of the fatberg league is Harrow, with a staggering 13,417 blockages reported in the last five years. Shepherd’s Bush trails behind with just 68.

“Wet wipes cling to the fat. Fat clings to the wipes. And pretty soon your fatberg is out of control and sewage is backing up into roads, gardens and in the worst cases flooding up through toilets and into homes.“We’ve found all sorts in this sewer – from tennis balls to planks of wood . It goes without saying they shouldn’t be in those pipes. London – bin it, don’t block it.” – Dave Dennis, Thames Water sewer operations manager


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: fatberg
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To: Gamecock

21 posted on 09/01/2014 2:01:18 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: Sparklite
When did they make that rule? Next you'll be telling me I can't flush old towels that don't match the decor anymore...

/johnny

22 posted on 09/01/2014 2:02:06 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Gamecock

23 posted on 09/01/2014 2:02:20 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously-you won't live through it anyway-Enjoy Yourself ala Louis Prima)
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To: Gamecock

24 posted on 09/01/2014 2:02:54 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
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To: gunsequalfreedom

That looks like a job for a Mexican.


25 posted on 09/01/2014 2:03:46 PM PDT by johniegrad
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To: gunsequalfreedom
My neighbor that rents out the place next to mine has a clause that must be similar, because if a plumber gets called out for something they cause (flushed tampons, whatever) they pay the bill.

/johnny

26 posted on 09/01/2014 2:09:36 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Gamecock

A British ton has 2240 pounds..

or 20 CWT (hundred weight)

112 pounds make 1 CWT

14 pounds make 1 stone..

:)


27 posted on 09/01/2014 2:26:59 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Gamecock

The volume of water allowed to flush toilets has steadily decreased. Problems related to flushed materials have increased. See a pattern here?


28 posted on 09/01/2014 2:42:59 PM PDT by July4
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To: Gamecock

Hey Ralph..tell Trixie I'll be home late tonight!

29 posted on 09/01/2014 2:46:00 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Islamopobia:The Irrational Fear Of Being Beheaded)
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To: Gamecock

Well, you have Godzilla and company taking out Tokyo, King Kong in NYC, and the birds in San Fran. It’s time for a fatberg to take out London.


30 posted on 09/01/2014 2:47:45 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("If you're litigating against nuns, you've probably done something wrong."-Ted Cruz)
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To: Gamecock

I am normally against government nanny-state but i think wet-wipes should be required to be bio-degradable

ANYTHING throwaway should be.

Why can’t the EPA make any actual useful rules


31 posted on 09/01/2014 2:49:51 PM PDT by Mr. K (Palin/Cruz 2016)
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To: Albion Wilde

“Ever wondered what’s in the Thames? Four tons of junk including dozens of shopping trolleys, 14 bikes, 35 skateboards, 14 bicycles, and three prams dragged from the Thames in major clean-up

Call the American Pickers!


32 posted on 09/01/2014 2:51:27 PM PDT by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra (Don't touch that thing Don't let anybody touch that thing!I'm a Doctor and I won't touch that thing!)
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To: Albion Wilde; MrEdd
You both are confusing storm drains and sanitary sewers. In the developed world they are two separate systems. Speaking as a plumber of 25 plus years, I can say without a doubt that the largest cause of sewer backups is flushable wipes and tampons. Neither of which should be flushed down a toilet.
33 posted on 09/01/2014 2:57:55 PM PDT by SunTzuWu
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To: Gamecock

“Fatberg the size of a 747”

They’re flying jets in the sewers in England again. Everybody else is OK with subway trains, but not the British. They have to have jets underground.


34 posted on 09/01/2014 2:59:03 PM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Gamecock
miralax photo: miralax miralax.jpg

That should clear any blockage....

35 posted on 09/01/2014 3:10:13 PM PDT by dragonblustar ( Psalm 103, Psalm 37:7, Ephesians 6:12)
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To: Albion Wilde

Your talking “storm” sewers.

This article is talking “sanitary” sewers.


36 posted on 09/01/2014 3:10:18 PM PDT by Cen-Tejas (it's the debt bomb stupid!)
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To: Gamecock

The answer is simple. Ban wet wipes. When the people get the message that throwing a wet wipe in the toilet is irresponsible, they cam wipe themselves with toilet paper.


37 posted on 09/01/2014 3:29:32 PM PDT by jonrick46 (The opium of Communists: other people's money.)
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To: Gamecock

“Fatberg, dead ahead!” the lookout shouted.
It was too late, the ship rammed the quivering mass and stuck like a bug.


38 posted on 09/01/2014 3:30:26 PM PDT by Darksheare (Try my coffee! First one's free..... Even robots will kill for it!)
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To: July4

unless it’s new construction with a properly sized main line, you can have problems putting low-flos in older housing. they may flush fine, but may not have enough water to get everything through the main ‘line into the city sewer.

good tricks for folks to consider is after a dump, to then take your shower in the same bathroom. or do some wash. or if you had cleaned a sinkfull’of dishes, let’the sink water down the drain. this way you’re using wastewater you’d be getting rid of anyway to help out. of’course you could always flush twice but may defeat the purposeof the low-flo.


39 posted on 09/01/2014 3:46:35 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: HossB86
Hey, hey, hey!!!! It’s Fat Al’berg!!!

I didn't know he was Jewish. :-P

40 posted on 09/01/2014 3:50:37 PM PDT by uglybiker (nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-BATMAN!)
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