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Water companies raise awareness of sewer abuse on World Toilet Day

One in four people send text messages while on the toilet, according to a survey published by United Utilities to raise awareness of sewer blockages on World Toilet Day. The company responded to 28,000 calls to retrieve items such as mobile phones and false teeth from sewerage treatment works last year, it said, and clearing sewer blockages cost it £13 million.

Meanwhile, Northumbrian Water is marking the day with a song by mascot Dwaine Pipe as part of its “Love Your Loo” campaign, apparently in response to popular demand. It spends £1.2 million a year clearing drains and sewers. 

World Toilet Day aims to break the taboo around toilets and draw attention to global sanitation issues.

Tony Griffiths, wastewater network technical manager at United Utilities, said: “When you consider 1.25 billion people across the world live without a safe place to go to the toilet, we should take more pride and care of our loo in the house.”