News

School children across the Severn Trent region have had a chance to find out how important it is to love their loo as part of a special visit to mark World Toilet Day.

Representatives from Severn Trent presented special assemblies at a number of schools to remind youngsters that almost a third of schools around the world don’t have access to clean water.

Malcolm Smith, who visited schools in Warwickshire and Leicestershire, said: “On World Toilet Day it’s really important to remember that there are almost two and a half billion people without access to a working toilet. In fact, 844 million people around the world don’t even have a source of clean water close to home.

“That’s why we’re spreading this message to make sure young people appreciate what they have and spread the word about how important it is to help us look after the sewer system.”

Severn Trent engineers are called out to tens of thousands of reports of sewer blockages each year – many caused by items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet.Things like toilet paper break down really quickly when submerged in water in the sewers but there are many other items, like wipes, sanitary products and cotton buds, that can cause real problems in the pipes.

Malcolm continues: “We’re really fortunate in this country to have an amazing sanitation system that is among the most advanced in the world but we need our customers to help us avoid blockages in the sewers by only flushing the 3Ps – pee, poo and paper!

“We need customers to be aware of this because if they do flush anything other than the 3Ps there’s a chance it could result in sewer flooding in their homes, that’s something that nobody wants!

“It’s also really important to remember that homeowners are responsible for the pipes on their properties, so if a problem arises there they will have to pay out to get a plumber to fix it.

“So our simple message for World Toilet Day is love your loo and help us keep sewer pipes clear.”

World Toilet Day is a day to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis – a topic often neglected and shrouded in taboos.

Today, around 2.3 billion people don't have a decent toilet of their own. To find out more about the global campaign visit www.worldtoiletday.info

Anyone who runs into problems with either slow drains or a blocked sewer, which is Severn Trent’s responsibility, can report it at www.stwater.co.uk or by calling 0800 783 4444.