The three Hartlepool postcodes where the flushing of wipes is causing most blockages

A team of Northumbrian Water workers are heading to town as part of their Bin The Wipe campaign.

Analysis of sewer blockages has identified three hot spots where the flushing of wipes is a problem in the postcode areas of TS24 0, TS24 8 and TS25 5.

More than 11,000 homes across the three areas are receiving letters explaining how blockages caused by wipes can cause sewer flooding in people’s homes or into the environment.

Teams will be monitoring the sewer network in the area and specialist tools will be used to help to identify where the wipes are coming from.

The tool sits in intersections of the pipes and shows which direction wipes have travelled from, enabling the water company to track back where they came from right down to the home responsible.

Simon Cyhanko, Head of Wastewater Networks at Northumbrian Water, said: “People in Hartlepool share our passion for great beaches and keeping wipes out of the sewers can help protect our coast, too, because blockages can also cause discharges.

"So there are so many reasons to dispose of wipes properly.

“We know not everybody in the area flushes wipes, and we thank those who dispose of them properly.

"However, those who do are putting not just their own homes, but those of the people who live near them, at risk of sewer flooding.”