In this month’s edition of Community News, we’ll suggest what you should do before our meter readers call, explain why you should never flush ‘flushable’ wipes, and tell you about some of our latest projects.
Our friendly meter-readers.
Our meter readers are now out and about!
Our friendly meter readers are out and about visiting properties and taking meter readings for the next six weeks. Please ensure you provide easy access to your water meter and – where possible – keep your four-legged friends in a different area to your meter, such as inside, or in your backyard. If your meter reader is unable to access your water meter, for example due to a locked gate or dog – or you received an estimated meter read on your latest bill – you can submit your meter reading by emailing egw@egwater.vic.gov.au or calling us on 1800 671 841. If you’re not sure how to read your meter, email call us, or click here.
Even ‘flushable’ wet wipes cause blocked drains
Wet wipes often marketed as ‘flushable’ do not break down easily in water like toilet paper.
Instead, they retain their structure and can accumulate in drainage systems, leading to severe blockages that cause tens of thousands of dollars in pipe and equipment damage, and significant service disruptions. Water corporations across Australia are dealing with this major issue in their sewer networks – but there is a simple fix: wet wipes need to go in your bin, not your toilet. While toilet paper is designed to break down in water, wet wipes are not. Rather, because wet wipes are so durable, they clump together in sewer pipes and form large blockages.
At East Gippsland Water, we spend a significant amount of time each year responding to sewer blockages caused by people flushing wet wipes down the toilet.
It is also important not to wash cooking oils and fats down the sink, as they solidify in the sewer system and cause large, solid masses in the pipe that can block sewers. While we have a sewer-cleaning program – and teams ready to respond to sewer blockages – it is really important that we, as a community, play our part as well.
Let’s all put wet wipes, cotton buds, sanitary items, oils, fats and grease in the bin, not down the drain.
Even so-called ‘flushable’ wet wipes regularly cause serious pipe blockages.
An East Gippsland Water sewerage filtering machine (known as a ‘de-ragger’) jam-packed
with pipe-clogging wet wipes that should have been binned rather than flushed.
While most of East Gippsland is not experiencing the dry conditions affecting other parts of Victoria, water is a limited resource, so it is important to use it wisely. Did you know that about 40 per cent of all water used in the home is in the bathroom? Here are two simple changes that will make a difference – and they’re free:
• Shorten your shower – aim to cut one minute from your shower
• Make sure you turn off the tap when you brush your teeth.
Catch up on our latest projects in our July podcast
In this month’s Talking Water podcast, our host Damian Pratt talks with East Gippsland Water’s General Manager of Sustainability and Infrastructure, Neville Pearce, about the scope and scale of its services, and some of the fascinating projects that East Gippsland Water currently has underway right across the region. Click here to listen
Save water…and money!
Our Water Efficiency Rebate Program offers rebates from $30 to $1,500 on eligible water-saving products and upgrades. Upgrading your washing machine or dishwasher? Receive $150 credit. Installing a water tank? Receive up to $1500. And if you need help with your bill, don’t wait — reach out to the friendly East Gippsland Water customer team today on 1800 671 841 or click here for more information.