South West Water is launching its Love Your Loo campaign in six more towns in Devon and Cornwall, to encourage everyone only to flush the 3Ps - pee, paper and poo.

Parts of Hayle, Penzance, Bude, Bodmin, Dawlish and Ilfracombe have a history of sewer blockages and flooding, which can be caused by people inappropriately flushing baby wipes, hygiene wipes, moist toilet tissue, cleaning wipes, cleansing pads and sanitary products.

Over the next three months, dedicated Love Your Loo advisers will be talking to customers and spreading the 3Ps message in Hayle, Penzance, Bude, Bodmin, Dawlish and Ilfracombe.

South West Water's Becky Moran explained: "The good news is that most people* claim only to flush the 3Ps down the loo.

"But some people** admit to inappropriately flushing baby wipes, hygiene wipes, moist toilet tissue, cleaning wipes, cleansing pads and sanitary products. This contributes to the 8,500 blocked sewers we deal with every year, which costs about £4.5million and adds to bills.

"We have done some research to find out why people flush the wrong things. People told us they were confused about what can and can't be flushed. Sometimes that's because the packaging is misleading. Many products say they are flushable and biodegradable - but they take so long to break down that they build up in pipes and cause blockages.

"We are working with the rest of the water industry to encourage manufacturers and retailers to label their products responsibly. In the meantime, our customers told us they think it's our job to tell them what can and can't be flushed - so that's exactly what we'll be doing.

"We'll be encouraging everybody to only flush the 3Ps - pee, paper and poo - and to bag and bin soiled wipes and sanitary products. Cleaning wipes and cleansing pads can go straight in the bin."

To find out more, see www.southwestwater.co.uk/loveyourloo

Notes to editors

Consumer research conducted by South West Water during 2014 showed that *77% of research respondents stated that they only flush pee, paper and poo, with only **23% admitting to flushing other items

Published: 25 May 2017

For further information please contact:

Press Office
South West Water
www: www.southwestwater.co.uk/contactus