East Gippsland Water is urging the community to help stop wet wipes and grease from blocking sewer pipes, as part of a renewed education campaign featuring Wipezilla – the wet wipe monster. The initiative targets everyday behaviours that can lead to costly blockages, environmental risks, and avoidable call-outs across the region.
David Radford, General Manager Customer, Community & Communications, said customer behaviour is one of the biggest drivers of sewer blockages.
“Even wipes labelled ‘flushable’ do not break down like toilet paper,” he said.
“Once they enter the sewer system, they can clump together and combine with fats and oils to form large blockages. These incidents are largely preventable, which is why education is so important in protecting essential services.”
Alongside the public campaign, East Gippsland Water is working directly with schools, school camps, hospitals, aged care facilities, and residential villages, particularly in areas where repeated blockages and pump alarms have occurred.
Hamish Reid, General Manager Service Delivery, said sites with high visitor numbers and shared amenities — especially those operating commercial kitchens — are particularly vulnerable.
“We regularly respond to call-outs triggered by pump alarms, and when we investigate, we often find wet wipes, food scraps, and cooking fats are the cause,” he said. “In places like hospitals, aged care facilities, and school camps, even small changes in behaviour can make a significant difference.”
Blocked sewers create environmental, operational, and workforce impacts, Dr Reid added.
“A blocked sewer increases the risk of overflows to land or waterways, adds unnecessary costs, and places extra demands on our field crews, often outside normal working hours,” he said.
“Reducing avoidable call-outs helps protect the environment and ensures our teams can focus on planned maintenance and essential works.”
As part of the campaign, East Gippsland Water is distributing stickers and tent cards for toilets, amenities blocks, and kitchens, reinforcing the simple message to only flush the ‘3Ps’: pee, poo, and toilet paper.
The organisation’s Community Engagement and Education team is also available for presentations explaining how wastewater systems work and why everyday actions matter. They can arrange site tours of East Gippsland Water’s recycling plants.
“Most people never see or care what happens after they flush a toilet or use a sink,” Mr Radford said.
“When people understand the consequences, behaviour changes. That’s good for the environment, our communities, and the long-term cost to customers of running the system.”
