Framed Fatberg gift from the Poo Museum

Southern Water’s ‘Unflushables’ team has been presented with an unusual gift by the National Poo Museum – a mounted fatberg cast in resin! The award was received at a recent customer drop-in event 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.

Dan Roberts, Curator at The National Poo Museum based on the Isle of Wight, said:

“Southern Water very kindly gifted two pieces of fatberg to the museum years ago and these fascinated visitors to the museum.

“The ‘Unflushables’ team asked if we could cast another piece of fatberg in resin for their educational demonstrations.

“However, while the fatberg was being dried, mice got in and ate the whole thing! So, we decided to share one of the exhibits from our exhibition instead. 

“As we’re now becoming a mobile exhibition, we thought - nobody really needs more than one fatberg! Our first tour will be at Department in Ryde in early July.”

Tim Eaton, part of the blockage busters’ team at Southern Water said: “Our ‘Unflushables’ Team will take the fatberg on tour at events where we raise awareness of the consequences of putting fats, oils and greases down the drain.

“Our job is to lift manhole covers to check for blockages and talk to customers about the dangers of a blocked sewer pipe.  We ask them to help us by not putting fat down the sink or flush wet wipes down the loo.”

Last year Southern Water cleared around 30,000 blockages. Around 66 per cent of blockages are preventable. Sewer blockages can result in devastating flooding to the environment, businesses and homes.

Fat, oil and grease should never go down the drain. Instead, allow them to cool in containers and put them in the bin.