May 28, 2026
Data Report Index
- The National Scale of UK Sewer Blockages
- The Wet Wipe Epidemic
- The "Flushable" Myth & Upcoming Plastic Ban
- Fats, Oils, and Grease (The FOG Crisis)
- Period Products and Bathroom Waste
- The Financial Cost to UK Homeowners
- The Bizarre Psychology of Water Waste
- The Environmental Toll of Blocked Sewers
- Conclusion: How to Protect Your Drains
Beneath the streets of the United Kingdom lies an intricate network of Victorian sewers and modern drainage pipes. This hidden infrastructure was designed for three things only: pee, poo, and toilet paper. However, modern consumer habits have transformed our drainage systems into subterranean bins. From plastic filled wet wipes to solidified roasting fats, the nation is treating its toilets and sinks as rubbish chutes.
The consequences of these flushing habits are not just unpleasant. They represent a multi million pound infrastructure crisis that leads to environmental pollution, flooded properties, and costly emergency plumbing callouts. In this comprehensive data report, the experts at Drain 247 have analysed the latest industry statistics to reveal exactly what British households are putting down their drains and the true financial cost of our collective flushing habits.
300,000
Sewer Blockages in the UK Every Year
£100m
Annual Cost to Clear UK Blockages
93%
Of Sewer Blockages Caused by Wet Wipes
The National Scale of UK Sewer Blockages
Every single day across the UK, water companies and independent drainage contractors are fighting a losing battle against blocked pipes. The sheer scale of the problem is difficult to comprehend until you look at the national data provided by industry bodies.
According to Water UK, the representative body for the major water and wastewater companies, there are an estimated 300,000 sewer blockages in the United Kingdom every single year. Dealing with these blockages costs the UK water industry and its customers approximately £100 million annually. This eye watering figure does not even account for the private callout costs borne directly by homeowners who need professional help clearing their domestic pipes.
When public sewers become overwhelmed by domestic waste, the results are catastrophic. Southern Water statistics reveal that more than 3,000 homes are flooded across the UK each year specifically because of blockages caused by fats, oils, and grease being washed into the sewers. When a blockage occurs, wastewater has nowhere to go but backwards. This causes untreated sewage to rise up through toilets, bathroom drains, and kitchen sinks, resulting in thousands of pounds worth of property damage.
UK Sewer Crisis: Real-Time Impact Dashboard
Since you opened this article, clearing blocked UK sewers has cost:
£0.00
*Based on the national £100,000,000 annual utility expenditure
822
Daily Blockages
Individual sewer obstructions dealt with across the country every 24 hours.
£273,973
Daily Spending
The financial burden placed on the water industry and customers each day.
8
Homes Flooded
Properties internalised with raw sewage daily due to avoidable grease blocks.
The Wet Wipe Epidemic
If there is one undisputed villain in the world of UK drainage, it is the wet wipe. The proliferation of baby wipes, makeup removers, and antibacterial surface wipes has created an unprecedented crisis in our underground networks.
Research by United Utilities indicates that the UK uses an astonishing 11 billion wet wipes every single year. While many consumers believe these products safely dissolve in water, the reality is entirely different. A landmark investigation into sewer blockages by Water UK found that wet wipes account for a staggering 93 percent of the material causing blockages in the national sewer network.
How are so many wipes ending up in the sewers? A nationally representative survey of flushing habits highlighted the scale of consumer misunderstanding. Around 17 percent of people nationally admit to flushing wet wipes down the toilet. Based on this survey data, it is estimated that 4.2 billion wipes are flushed each year, representing nearly 40 percent of all wipes sold in the UK.
The demographics of this issue are equally revealing. Data shows that of all the people who flush wipes nationally, 59 percent are female and 41 percent are male. The most commonly flushed items are toilet tissue wipes, which are often marketed as a premium alternative to standard toilet roll.
The UK Wet Wipe Epidemic in Numbers
Annual National Volume
Total Wet Wipes Used
11 Billion
Total Wipes Flushed
4.2 Billion
The Impact: An astonishing 17% of the British public admit to flushing wet wipes down the toilet, resulting in nearly 40% of all wipes sold ending up in the sewer network.
Who is Flushing?
17%
Of Public
Female (59%)
Male (41%)
The “Flushable” Myth and the Upcoming Plastic Ban
A significant part of the wet wipe problem stems from misleading packaging. Many manufacturers label their wipes as “flushable”, leading well meaning consumers to believe they are doing no harm. However, these wipes do not break down in UK sewer conditions. Instead, they remain intact, snagging on the rough internal walls of Victorian pipes and catching other debris to form solid masses.
To combat this, the water industry developed the “Fine to Flush” standard. Only products that pass rigorous disintegration tests and carry this specific logo can be safely flushed. Despite this, public confusion remains incredibly high.
The environmental impact has become so severe that legislative action is finally taking place. Research from UK Water Industry Research shows that wet wipes are linked to nearly half of all sewer blockages. In response, the UK government has signed a new law that will completely ban the sale of wet wipes containing plastic by May 2027. This landmark decision aims to protect the wastewater network from the microplastics that cause these wipes to bind together in the sewers. Until this ban takes full effect, water companies are universally urging customers to adopt a strict “bin it, do not block it” policy.
Fats, Oils, and Grease (The FOG Crisis)
While the bathroom is responsible for the wet wipe crisis, the kitchen is the source of the dreaded fatberg. Fats, oils, and grease (known collectively in the industry as FOG) are the primary binding agents that turn loose debris into concrete like blockages.
The Unblocktober UK Drainage Habits Survey provided a shocking look at how British households dispose of cooking waste. According to their research, 65 percent of respondents admitted to pouring fat and oil down their kitchen sink. Even more alarming, 11 percent of people say they do this after every cooked meal, and a further 11 percent claim to pour grease down the sink three times or more a day on average.
There is a common misconception that washing up liquid mixed with hot water will safely dissolve fat and oil. This is scientifically false. When hot fat meets dish soap in a drainage pipe, a chemical reaction known as saponification occurs. As the water cools in the underground pipes, the fat and calcium react to solidify into a soap like substance. This hardens and binds together with wet wipes and sanitary products to create immovable fatbergs.
Despite 80 percent of people knowing that fat, oil, and grease are a factor in the formation of fatbergs, the disconnect between knowledge and behaviour remains a major hurdle for drainage professionals.
The UK FOG Crisis: Knowledge vs. Behaviour
Of the UK public know that fats, oils, and grease cause fatbergs.
Admit to pouring fat and oil down their kitchen sink anyway.
11%
Of respondents admit to pouring cooking fat down the sink after every single cooked meal.
11%
Claim to pour grease down the drain three times or more a day on average.
The Myth of Washing Up Liquid
Hot Cooking Fat + Washing Up Liquid
+
Cooling Temperatures in Underground Pipes
=
Saponification
(Concrete Like Fatberg)
(Concrete Like Fatberg)
Period Products and Bathroom Waste
Beyond wet wipes, a concerning volume of other sanitary and personal hygiene products make their way into the drainage system every day. Southern Water statistics show that 45 percent of all blockages are caused by period products and wet wipes combined.
Their data reveals that an unbelievable 4.5 million period products make their way into the sewers every single day. Tampons, sanitary towels, and their plastic wrappers are highly absorbent by design. When introduced to the water system, they swell significantly and block narrow household pipes almost instantly.
Furthermore, items like dental floss, cotton buds, and even hair contribute to the chaos. Plumbers frequently use sink strainers to remove large clumps of hair that have bound together with soap scum to form dense, waterproof plugs in bathroom traps.
The Financial Cost to UK Homeowners
When a public sewer blocks, the local water authority bears the cost. However, when the blockage occurs within the property boundary, the homeowner is entirely responsible for the unblocking and repair fees.
The financial burden of a blocked drain can escalate rapidly depending on the severity of the obstruction. Based on 2026 industry pricing data from Drain 247, the average costs for domestic drain clearance in London and the Home Counties are substantial:
Manual Drain Rodding: For minor blockages caused by paper buildup or localised food debris, professional manual rodding typically costs between £80 and £145.
High Pressure Water Jetting: When fatbergs or compacted wet wipes block the main external drains, heavy machinery is required. High pressure jetting ranges from £150 to £250.
CCTV Drain Surveys: If repeated flushing of unflushable items has caused structural damage to the pipes, a CCTV survey is needed to identify the problem. A basic inspection costs around £100, while a comprehensive written report can cost up to £275.
Emergency Callouts: Drainage disasters rarely happen at convenient times. If a backed up toilet requires an out of hours plumber, homeowners can expect to pay an emergency callout premium of £80 to £100 on top of the standard labour rate.
Ultimately, flushing a “convenient” wet wipe or pouring leftover bacon fat down the sink can easily result in a £250 emergency plumbing bill.
The True Cost of Domestic Blockages in 2026
Manual Rodding
£80 to £145
Required for minor blockages caused by standard toilet paper buildup or localised food debris near the plughole.
Pressure Jetting
£150 to £250
Heavy machinery required when stubborn fatbergs or compacted wet wipes are completely blocking main external drains.
CCTV Drain Survey
£100 to £275
Necessary if repeated flushing of unflushable items has caused suspected structural damage. Includes a full written report.
Emergency Premium
+£80 to £100
An out of hours callout premium applied on top of standard labour rates if a backed up toilet requires an emergency nighttime visit.
Ultimately, flushing a "convenient" wet wipe or pouring leftover bacon fat down the sink can easily result in a £250 emergency plumbing bill.
The Bizarre Psychology of Water Waste
To fully understand the drainage crisis, we must look at the psychological habits of the British public. The Consumer Council for Water (CCW) released a fascinating report titled “Lifting the Lid: The Secrets of Our Water Habits”, which detailed exactly how and why people waste water in the bathroom.
The findings highlight some highly unusual behaviours. Almost one in five people surveyed across England and Wales (17 percent) admitted to running the bathroom tap simply to cover up the sound of them using the toilet. Londoners were particularly guilty of this, with 22 percent admitting to the habit.
Furthermore, 90 percent of respondents admitted to flushing the toilet twice after doing a “number two”. While this might seem like a harmless hygiene practice, the excessive volume of water being flushed unnecessarily places immense strain on local reservoirs and wastewater treatment facilities. The CCW report also found that 29 percent of people run their shower for longer than needed just to get some peace and quiet away from family or housemates.
These statistics paint a picture of a population that takes its plumbing infrastructure completely for granted, viewing drains and toilets as infinite voids rather than delicate, interconnected systems.
The Environmental Toll of Blocked Sewers
The damage caused by poor flushing habits extends far beyond household plumbing bills. When sewers block, the environmental consequences are devastating.
If a pipe is completely obstructed by a fatberg, the wastewater system utilises storm overflow pipes to prevent raw sewage from flooding residential streets. Unfortunately, this means untreated wastewater is discharged directly into rivers, streams, and the ocean.
The Marine Conservation Society conducts regular beach cleanups to monitor the health of the UK coastline. Their data is sobering. In 2020, they found an average of 18 wet wipes per 100 metres of coastline. To put this in perspective, this figure was just 1.7 wet wipes per 100 metres in 2005. This represents a 300 percent increase in just over a decade, highlighting exactly where our flushed bathroom waste ends up.
Water companies are increasingly facing severe financial penalties for allowing blockages to cause pollution. In one notable case documented by GOV.UK, an underground sewer pipe in Chislehurst became completely lodged with tree roots, fat, oil, grease, and debris. The build up forced raw sewage above ground, flooding a field and two streams before entering the River Shuttle. The incident killed dozens of fish and hundreds of invertebrates. As a result, the Environment Agency forced Thames Water to pay an £80,000 civil sanction to the South East Rivers Trust, plus an additional £20,000 in investigation costs.
The Devastating Environmental Reality
UK Coastline Pollution
Marine Conservation Society Beach Cleanup Data
*Average wet wipes found per 100 metres of coastline
Year 2005
1.7 Wipes / 100m
Year 2020
18.0 Wipes / 100m
The Impact: This represents a 300 percent increase in just over a decade, proving exactly where flushed bathroom waste ends up when storm overflows are triggered by domestic blockages.
Regulatory Case Study
Environment Agency vs. Thames Water (Chislehurst)
- The Cause: An underground sewer pipe became completely lodged with tree roots, fat, oil, grease, and debris.
- The Consequence: The buildup forced raw sewage above ground, flooding a field and two local streams before entering the River Shuttle.
- Ecological Damage: The untreated wastewater killed dozens of fish and hundreds of invertebrates.
Civil Sanction Penalty
£80,000
Investigation Costs
£20,000
Total Financial Penalty
£100,000
How to Protect Your Drains and Your Wallet
The statistics surrounding UK drainage are alarming, but the solution is incredibly simple. Preventing blockages, protecting the environment, and saving hundreds of pounds in plumbing fees requires nothing more than a change in daily habits.
The golden rule of UK plumbing is to only ever flush the “Three Ps” down the toilet: Pee, Poo, and Paper. Absolutely everything else belongs in a bin.
In the kitchen, the solution is equally straightforward. Never pour cooking fats, oils, or grease down the sink. Instead, allow the fat to cool and solidify in the pan. Once hardened, scrape it directly into the food waste bin. Before washing your pots and pans, wipe them thoroughly with a paper towel to remove any residual grease.
By understanding exactly what belongs in our drains, British households can single handedly eradicate the fatberg crisis, protect our beautiful coastlines, and ensure they never have to make an expensive late night call to a drainage engineer.
If you do find yourself dealing with a stubborn blockage, the professional team at Drain 247 is always ready to assist with high pressure jetting and expert CCTV surveys to get your system flowing perfectly again.
