Bin your waste instead of sending it in the sewers

You wouldn’t treat your bin like a toilet - so don’t treat your toilet like a bin.

That is the central message of a quirky new advertising campaign by Barwon Water, which aims to encourage customers to think before they flush.

Opening with the shot of a man squatting over a kitchen bin, the ‘Don’t Flush It!’ video urges us to consider the impacts of sending non-flushable items to the sewers.

The build-up of material leads to blockages and spills, which disrupt the water supply, harm the environment and take significant time and money to fix.

The video has already been viewed more than 41,000 times, effectively reaching about one in five of our water customers.

General Manager Smart and Sustainable Infrastructure David Snadden said residents could support the region’s sewerage system by placing a rubbish bin next to their toilet for anything that shouldn’t be flushed.

“Sewerage systems are important for the health of the community and our environment, so it’s vital that we keep our sewers clean,” Mr Snadden said.

“People can help by only flushing the three Ps – pee, poo and (toilet) paper.”

The non-flushable material that ends up in our sewers – such as sanitary items, tissues and cotton buds - congeals to form a messy mass, which has been dubbed a ‘fatberg’.

The fatbergs lead to blockages and spills, costing Barwon Water about $600,000 per year to repair.

The new social media campaign follows the successful launch of Barwon Water’s Museum of Modern (f)Art, which featured a 6.8-metre-long artistic reproduction of a fatberg.

The Museum of Modern (f)Art made a huge impression in its inaugural 10-day run, attracting more than 1200 visitors during Geelong Design Week last month.

Due to high demand, Barwon Water is reopening the interactive exhibition and activity space in early 2025.

The Museum of Modern (f)Art, which is based at the rear of Barwon Water’s central Geelong headquarters, will be open on Mondays and Fridays between January 6 to 24.

It will then open for an hour on Thursdays during school terms one and two.

School, kindergarten and other groups are invited to book a visit to the Museum of Modern (f)Art at their preferred time by emailing education@barwonwater.vic.gov.au

To view the video, and to get more information on the campaign, visit www.barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/sewage/dont-flush-it

Items that belong in the bin and not our sewers:

• Non-flushable wipes
• Paper towel
• Tissues
• Pads and tampons
• Band-aids
• Nappies
• Napkins
• Cotton buds
• Condoms
• Fats and oils

Still from new advertising campaign.