A framed fatberg donated by the Isle of Wight’s National Poo Museum is being taken into schools by Southern Water to help educate children about the dangers of blocked sewers.
Knightwood Primary School in Eastleigh recently welcomed Southern Water’s FOG (fats, oils and grease) and ‘Unflushables’ team during a morning assembly.
Tara Kennard, Class Teacher and Outdoor Learning Lead, has said:
“Our Year R children, the youngest in the school, were so engaged with the talk and the staff spoke highly about how relevant and easy the advice given to the children was.
“We are hoping this make a difference to the children’s choices when they use the toilet.”
Pupils learned how wet wipes, fats, oils and grease can build up in pipes and cause serious sewer blockages.
Students were also given the chance to see a mounted fatberg cast in resin up close. Fatbergs are solid masses formed in sewer systems from congealed grease, oils and non-biodegradable items such as wet wipes.
Matt Collins, FOG & Unflushables Manager at Southern Water, has said:
“We’re taking the framed fatberg on tour as part of our schools programme – it’s the perfect example to show students why we shouldn’t put wet wipes down toilets and fats, oils and grease down the sink.
“Our job is to lift manhole covers to check for blockages and talk to customers about the dangers of a blocked sewer pipe. Fat, oil and grease should never go down the drain. Instead, allow them to cool in containers and put them in the bin.”
Southern Water says it clears around 30,000 blockages every year, with around 66% considered preventable.
The utility company is reminding households to flush only the ‘3 Ps’ down the toilet – pee, paper and poo – warning that sewer blockages can lead to flooding affecting homes, businesses and the environment.
