Having spent much of another Tuesday/Wednesday mopping up overflowing shared-pipe sewage from my patio last week - much like I did in March, (which resulted in me missing The Cleaning Show in London) and prior to that in October, I was intrigued to learn that July is Flush Smart Month in the US and that a group called the Responsible Flushing Alliance ( https://www.flushsmart.org ) is attempting to educate citizens on good flushing habits. From my discussions with the Lanes for Drains technician employed on this occasion by Thames Water to clear the blockages that were creating an unpleasant hazard on my property, I learned that we could do with a body like the RFA here… 

  

This is the fourth annual Flush Smart Month during which the organisation spreads smart flushing tips via social media and engagement with wastewater agencies across the country. “Smart flushing’s critical for preventing costly damage to our wastewater systems, protecting the environment from pollution and ensuring the uninterrupted flow of vital public services,” it argues. This year its main thrust is tackling the flushing of wipes by families with small children and it has produced a downloadable toolkit to help everyone spread the word. "We know from our annual national flushing survey that 60% of people with children in their households are flushing non-flushable items," it says. "We're asking people to change their habits and inviting them to become part of the solution for healthier infrastructure and a cleaner environment. Inappropriately flushed items, especially non-flushable wet wipes labelled with the Do Not Flush symbol, can cost hundreds of dollars for homeowners and potentially millions of dollars wastewater agencies.” 

  

Cleverly, the RFA’s working with social media influencers to educate through humour and songs, since music aids learning and helps with retention. RFA's hope is to lodge fun, catchy tunes into the heads of many parents, ensuring responsible flushing stays top of mind. Last year, it used humour to spread the word with a creative investigation to uncover the city's elusive underboss, the Clog Monster, while in 2023, a spoof movie trailer introduced the origin story of the Clog Monster - the embodiment of a fatberg villain lurking beneath the streets - and why you should never flush a Do Not Flush wipe down the toilet. Clever stuff eh? 

  

I’ve been told by technicians attending the pipes running beneath my property that wipes are a real culprit when it comes to blocked drains in the UK, along with fats and oils that can form fatbergs, (particularly when mixed with human hair and feminine hygiene products - things I, and my family, stopped flushing decades ago when we learned of the damage they cause). And while education isn’t going to change the habits of the lazy, it will change the habits of the ignorant, don’t you think?