Barwon Water completes multi-day works to unblock Bellerine St sewer

A ‘fatberg’ including rags and non-flushable wet wipes in a Bellerine St sewer has prompted an emergency response.

Underground works conducted by Barwon Water to clear a sewer blockage outside 189 Bellerine St in South Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

Barwon Water is undertaking emergency works on Bellerine St in Geelong to clear a “fatberg” from a sewer pipe.

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.

Complex works on the sewer, which is 29m underground, began on Tuesday.

The works continued overnight on Wednesday and were ongoing on Friday.

The sewer pipeline is blocked by a build-up of rags, non-flushable wet wipes, sanitary items and other rubbish.

Part of a fatberg that was removed from Hunter Water's wastewater treatment plant in NSW.

To help support the works, temporary arrangements will divert sewage from the area, ensuring there are no impacts to services at this time.

Barwon Water general manager of smart and sustainable infrastructure David Snadden apologised to local residents and businesses near the work site for the inconvenience and disruption and thanked them for their patience.

“We have been proactively calling customers and door knocking in the area to provide information and support while we work during the day and evening to clear this blockage,” he said.

Parking and traffic was restricted on Bellerine St between Little Myers St and McKillop St as Barwon Water completed underground works to clear a sewer blockage. Picture: Alison Wynd

Mr Snadden said the works were a timely reminder toilets and drains should not be used for rubbish disposal.

“We remove large volumes of rubbish that people flush down the sewer system at the Black Rock Water Reclamation Plant,” he said.

“This amounts to the equivalent in weight of seventeen and half cars – 28 tonnes – each month.

“When people flush things like wet wipes, tissues, rags, paper towel, rubbish and scraps, it causes blockages that can lead to sewage spilling into streets and people’s properties.

“These blockages are expensive and time consuming to fix and the consequences of spills, when they occur, are very unpleasant for the community.”

A letter sent to residents from Barwon Water on Wednesday stated works were taking “longer than expected due to the large blockage”.

“You may continue to experience some impacts from noise and odour while we complete the work,” the letter read.

“Our crews are working as hard as they can to clear this blockage.”

Carparking was not available on the east side of Bellerine St between 91 and 161 while access to the street was restricted.

Originally published as Barwon Water completes multi-day works to unblock Bellerine St sewer