A WATER company has urged people to stop committing "sewer abuse" by putting waste such as cooking fat and wet wipes down the drain.
Householders in Wallis Mews, off Guildford Road, in Leatherhead, have noticed "smelly" water leaking across the road, and drains and toilets periodically backing-up due to blockages.
Thames Water staff have had to clear blockages in the area three times this year and, on December 5, the water on the road froze over, causing a car to crash into a lamppost at the junction of Guildford Road and Waterway Road.
Simon Evans, of Thames Water, said: "We say putting anything other than human waste and toilet roll down the drain is sewer abuse.
"It simply blocks the drains. Food, fat and wet wipes are the number one perpetrators of sewer abuse.
"Fat washes down OK, as it is usually hot, but it then congeals into what we call 'fatbergs' which sit there and then wet wipes stick to them and don't break down.
"No matter what the packaging says, they aren't to be put down the drain.
"They might say they are flush-able, but they shouldn't be flushed."
Mr Evans said people who cause the problems are often unaffected by the consequences, as blockages appear further down the drainage system.
A resident of Wallis Mews, who did not want to be named, said: "I think they removed about six lorries of fat last time.
"The thing is, the people doing it don't know about it, they don't seem to complain, it's only us that complain. It's terrible because it makes the road smell awful and it's unhealthy, of course.
"They spent a long time getting it right in February. I hope this can alert people to it."
Another resident, who also wished to remain anonymous, said: "There have been tankers round to pump it all out again and they had to do the same on October 22, and again back in February.
"The man from Thames Water said it is coming from somewhere further up.
"He said it was wet wipes and fat generally.
"People need to learn not to put things like that down the drain."
