Thames Water reports that one in ten properties in their region are misconnected, meaning domestic pipes from toilets, showers and washing machines are connected to surface water drains instead of wastewater pipes.
The water company spent the day at ZSL’s conservation zoo, London Zoo, as part of ConnectRight’s National Drainage Misconnection Day, explaining to people the importance of identifying misconnections and how property owners can help solve the problem.
Thames Water works with Local Authorities and the Environment Agency to identify points along rivers and watercourses which may been polluted as a result of a misconnected appliance. Of the 4,243 misconnected appliances found in the last three years, 23% of those were washing machines and 21% were kitchen sinks.
Richard Pumfrett, Thames Water’s environmental protection technical lead, said:
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with ZSL and ConnectRight to spread awareness around the issues of misconnections, which can not only damage the environment, but also lead to extremely expensive repair bills in the long run.
“Most people probably don’t know about the issue of misconnections or that their property may be misconnected. Most misconnections have been done entirely by accident, but we would urge anyone installing a new appliance or fitting new connections to make sure it has been installed properly.”
In partnership with ZSL, Thames Water conduct Outfall Safaris. Since 2017, the Outfall Safaris see volunteers, travel up and down rivers in London and the Southeast to locate, assess and report on polluting pipework. There can be up to 12-35 people in a group.
The Thames Water funded project, has helped raise awareness of the environmental impact caused by misconnected pipes while generating community engagement and interest in local rivers and watercourses.
Joe Pecorelli, conservation project manager at ZSL, said:
“It’s vital that we continue to work closely with communities to protect our precious rivers, wildlife and the environment. Our work with Thames Water and local volunteers on Outfall Safari’s has been key in preventing pollution entering our rivers and watercourses.
“The hard work of our volunteers plays a huge role in reducing misconnections, however, there’s still more to do when it comes to improving the health of the river for both people and wildlife. That’s why awareness days and events like today are so important.”
Richard Davies, Chairman of ConnectRight, added:
“We’re so pleased that both Thames Water and ZSL are backing ConnectRight’s National Drainage Misconnection Day.
“Today we’re calling on the public to take action, whether that’s signing-up to an Outfall Safari or inspecting plumbing in their own homes. We all have a role to play when it comes to protecting the environment.”
