Pork chop and toy doll found in Anglian Water sewer network as residents urged to ‘just bin it’
‘We’re asking everyone – businesses and customers alike – to take a moment and think before they flush or pour’
Laura Cross Content Editor
05:00, 30 Oct 2025
Anglian Water’s Just Bin It campaign is designed to raise awareness for customers of what goes into the sewers.
Anglian Water is asking residents to ‘think before they flush’ as part of their ‘Just Bin It’ campaign. It comes as the water company has revealed some of the ‘creepiest’ things found in the region’s network.
Some of the items found include sweets, a pork chop and a haunting toy dolly. Throughout October, the water company is supporting the annual awareness campaign Unblocktober, which aims to improve the country’s drains, sewers, watercourses and seas by educating members of the public on what not to put down their drains
Anglian Water said that in their region, 80% of sewer flooding incidents are caused by blockages, many of which are the result of unflushable items entering the sewer system. Last year alone, Anglian Water cleared over 35,000 blockages, removing tonnes of waste linked to flooding and pollution events.
One of the main contributors are wipes. Around 9,500 packets are flushed into the East of England’s sewers every day. When flushed, wipes can mix with fats oils and other unflushable items, creating solid blockages.
Connor Brailsford, Programme Manager at Anglian Water said: “Although we’ve seen some rather interesting items in our network, this is the reality of what our teams are having to clear out of our network on a regular basis. That’s why we’re working in hotspots across our region to raise awareness and protect local communities by keeping their pipes safe from blockages.”
The campaign aims to help customers understand after they flush and how positive changes at home can prevent blockages and flooding in the region. (Image: Anglian Water)
To tackle this, the water company is using innovative ‘hedgehog’ devices placed in sewers to capture wipes and other unflushable materials in pipes. The results speak for themselves, with the hedgehogs collecting over 18,000 unflushables across hotspot locations in just eight weeks since they were installed in August.
Connor added: “We’re asking everyone – businesses and customers alike – to take a moment and think before they flush or pour. If it’s not pee, poo, or toilet paper, it belongs in the bin, not the drain. Together, through initiatives like this and everyday good habits, we can protect our homes, rivers, beaches, and the environment for future generations.”
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