The first year of the programme concluded in March 2026, led by Anglian Water’s dedicated Blockage Reduction team in its hotspot areas. Combining sewer monitoring, technical interventions and community engagement, the team tackled blockages alongside their root causes.

 

Every year, Anglian Water teams remove more than 2,800 tonnes of rubbish from the company’s whole sewer network, highlighting the scale of the challenge and the need to address sewer misuse at source. Everyday unflushable items – such as wipes and sanitary products, alongside fats, oils and grease (FOGs) –  can cause serious problems when they enter the sewer network, building up and restricting wastewater flow. This increases the risk of blockages, flooding and pollution. But around 80 per cent of sewer blockages across the region are preventable because they are caused by items that should not be flushed or washed down drains, which is why Anglian Water is working to raise customers’ awareness of what not to flush.

 

With Anglian Water owning more than 76,000 kilometres of sewer network, efforts were focused on hotspot areas where avoidable sewer blockages were consistently highest, including Spalding, Canvey Island, Kettering and Soham. In these locations, the programme worked with local councils, education providers and community groups, alongside Anglian Water’s Just Bin It campaign, to raise awareness of sewer misuse and encourage simple changes to everyday habits that help prevent blockages before they occur.  
 
Connor Brailsford, Sewer Misuse Programme Manager at Anglian Water, said: “This programme was always about more than clearing blockages - it was about understanding what’s happening in the sewer network and working with communities to address it together. By having open, honest conversations in local areas, we’ve been able to share information and support people in making simple changes where they can. When customers understand the role they play, it really does help keep sewers flowing, protect homes from flooding and reduce the risk of pollution.” 

 

Monitoring data shows a clear reduction in the amount of unflushable material found in sewers following targeted work in priority areas: 

Soham: 75% reduction 
Kettering: 63% reduction 
Spalding: 48% reduction 
Canvey Island: 24% reduction 
Average across monitored areas: 52% reduction 


Alongside local engagement, Anglian Water use spiky, metal, hedgehog‑shaped devices to better understand where unflushable items, mainly wipes, were entering the sewer network.  The devices are placed at specific points in the sewer network to indicate what material is present and where issues may be developing, giving the company better insight into what is entering the system and where preventative action is most needed. 


This targeted prevention work is supported by Anglian Water’s partnership with Environmental Compliance and Services (ECAS), which focuses on stopping fats, oils and greases (FOGs) entering sewers by working directly with food businesses. Together, the partnership has prevented around 10 million litres of fat from entering the sewer network, helping to reduce blockages and protect services for customers and communities. 


Paul Louth, Water Recycling Director at Anglian Water, said: “I want to thank customers in these hotspot areas for making small changes at home which, alongside the commitment of our colleagues, helped reduce unflushable items in sewers by 52%. By encouraging people to remember that only the three Ps – pee, poo and paper – belong down the loo. For everything else, Just Bin It. 
 
“Through our teams taking these clear, practical messages directly into communities as part of our Just Bin It campaign, we’ve seen a real difference on the ground. But we’re not done there. As we move into year two, we’ll be building on this strong foundation, including using hedgehogs in new hotspot areas to strengthen how we work together and continue protecting our sewer network.” 
 
Anglian Water’s top tips to help avoid flooding: 


- Bin all wipes - even wipes that say they are ‘flushable’, ‘plastic free’ or ‘fine to flush' belong in the bin, because they don’t break down like toilet paper 

- Bin fats and greases - once cooled, use kitchen roll to wipe leftover fat and grease from cooking pans or trays then bin it.

- Connecting correctly to the sewer - make sure that any new appliances, or gutters and drains on new extensions, are connected into the right part of the sewer. 
 
Customers can find the full list of tips to avoid blockages at Anglian Water’s website.