BIN THE WIPES!

We suffered a potentially environmentally damaging event here last week.

Living as we do by the Toadsmoor stream we feel blessed with an abundance of wild life and plants as the stream wends its way down to the Frome. Luckily someone noticed an odd trickle of something coming from a stone wall retaining the bank of a neighbour’s garden and discharging into the stream. Severn Trent were called to investigate and found the main sewer which passes down the valley was blocked. Manhole covers were lifted and found to be near overflowing. Ever large pieces of equipment were bought in to try and clear the blockage. Finally, a 200psi jetter managed to release the object. It was an enormous plug of wipes - compressed into a solid mass – our valley’s very own ‘fatberg’. Working into the night, this ghastly thing then had to be removed, no easy or pleasant task for those doing it.

So please, if you live in the valley, or anywhere for that matter, DO NOT PUT WIPES DOWN THE LOO. They are sometimes labelled as ‘flushable’ or ‘biodegradeable’. They are not.

If you must use them, BIN THEM, but better not to use them at all.

ELIOT AND MEG WALKER

Toadsmoor