Fatberg on Schools Tour in Hampshire
A framed fatberg, donated to Southern Water by the National Poo Museum, is being taken on an educational school’s tour.
Knightwood Primary School in Eastleigh hosted the FOG (fats, oils and grease) and ‘Unflushables’ team in their morning assembly with pupils learning how wet wipes, fats, oils and greases can block pipes.
Students were also able to take a close up look at a gruesome mounted fatberg cast in resin, which was donated to us by the National Poo Museum on the Isle of Wight. A fatberg is a solid, rock-like mass that forms in sewer systems due to a combination of congealed grease, oil, and non-biodegradable materials like wet wipes.
Tara Kennard, class teacher and outdoor learning lead, said, “Our Year R children, the youngest in the school, were so engaged with the talk and the staff spoke highly about how relevant and easy the advice given to the children was. We are hoping this make a difference to the children’s choices when they use the toilet”
Matt Collins, FOG & Unflushables Manager at Southern Water said:
“We’re taking the framed fatberg on tour as part of our schools programme - it’s the perfect example to show students why we shouldn’t put wet wipes down toilets and fats, oils and grease down the sink.
“Our job is to lift manhole covers to check for blockages and talk to customers about the dangers of a blocked sewer pipe. Fat, oil and grease should never go down the drain. Instead, allow them to cool in containers and put them in the bin.”
Southern Water clear around 30,000 blockages each year and around 66 per cent of blockages are preventable.
Sewer blockages can result in devastating flooding to the environment, businesses and homes. Flush only the three Ps down the loo – pee, paper and poo.