A 120-tonne fatberg, equivalent to the size of a blue whale, has been removed from a large trunk sewer in Oxford.
Multiple teams across Thames Water joined forces to remove the fatberg, which included congealed fat, oil, grease and wipes and took two weeks to complete.
The operation required careful planning due to the size of the pipe and underground depth, high gas levels elevated by the fatberg and the need to maintain Oxford’s wastewater flow.
Every year, Thames Water clears 75,000 blockages from its sewer network, at a cost of £18 million.
It is reminding customers about the importance of only flushing the three Ps down the toilet – Pee, Poo and Paper – as part of its Bin it, Don’t Block it campaign, as 60% of sewer flooding incidents are caused by sewer abuse.
Thames Water has cleared 35,178 blockages this year so far due to sewer abuse, including 23,556 wet wipe related blockages, 11,104 fat, oil and grease blockages and 518 third party blockages, such as concrete and other items.
Jamie Whitmore, Senior Project Manager said: “Our purpose is to deliver life’s essential service, so our customers, communities and the environment can thrive. Clearing this 120-tonne fatberg showcased the dedication, expertise and teamwork of our people across the business. The scale of the blockage and the conditions underground made this activity challenging and I’m incredibly proud, we were able to maintain the safety of our teams whilst continuing to provide wastewater services for Oxford.
“This is a powerful reminder of why it’s so important to only flush the three Ps down the toilet, so we can continue to keep our sewers flowing and reduce the risk of flooding, blockages and pollution.”
Fatberg ‘size of a blue whale’ removed from sewer in Oxford appeared first on Energy Live News.