Barwon Water crews clear 10-metre fatberg at Bellerine St sewer

Two weeks of work in a complex operation has seen Barwon Water crews clear a 10-metre fatberg from a sewer in Geelong.

The 10-metre fatberg in a Bellerine St sewer when it was first identified on April 9.

Two weeks of “intensive works” by Barwon Water crews have cleared a 10-metre fatberg from a sewer at Bellerine St, Geelong.

A fatberg is a large mass of solid waste, such as wet wipes and personal hygiene products, and fat that collects in a sewer system.

Barwon Water general manager smart and sustainable infrastructure David Snadden said the size of this blockage, 10 metres long and a metre wide, and its location in a sewer nearly 30 metres below ground meant it was a complex operation.

“Our priority during the work was to ensure the safety of the community and maintenance crews, protecting the environment while minimising disruption to local residents and businesses,” he said.

“A variety of methods were explored to clear the blockage, with sustained jetting using high-pressure water proving the most effective and safest method to dislodge the blockage.”

Remnants of the blockage in a Bellerine St sewer 30 metres underground after sustained jetting by Barwon Water crews.

Mr Snadden said unfortunately, the blockage was avoidable and was caused by a build up of wet wipes, fats, sanitary items and other rubbish that should not be flushed down a toilet.

“While completing these emergency works, we have identified the sewer needs some follow-up work, so we’ll be back onsite late May, early June,” he said.

“We’ll be in contact with local residents and businesses closer to the time, and thank them for their patience and support while we undertook the emergency works.”

Mr Snadden said people should remember to not flush wet wipes, fats, sanitary items and other rubbish as it causes sewer blockages which are time consuming and costly to fix.

He said blockages could also lead to sewage spilling into people’s properties or the environment.

Crews use a process called jetting to clear a blockage in a Bellerine St sewer deep underground.

“Reactive sewer blockages cost Barwon Water nearly $600,000 in an average year, largely due to non-flushable products getting stuck in the sewer system,” Mr Snadden said.

“When not causing blockages, the rubbish also ends up at our water reclamation plants.

“We remove about seven tonnes of rubbish from our largest water reclamation plant, Black Rock, every week and disposes of it to landfill.

“People can help to keep the sewerage system and environment clean by putting a rubbish bin next to the toilet and talking to their families about what can and cannot be flushed.”

Barwon Water manages 6866 kilometres of water, sewerage and recycled water pipes across 8100 square kilometres.

More information is available at www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/sewage/dont-flush-it

Originally published as Barwon Water crews clear 10-metre fatberg at Bellerine St sewer