Enough lard to fill nine double decker buses - filthy fat-packed sewers flushed out by Thames Water

Published: 16 July 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

ENOUGH lard to fill nine double decker buses was removed from filthy sewers under Leicester Square in just one day.

Flushers from Thames Water used breathing apparatus to shovel out around 1,000 tonnes of fat which has built up after years of “sewer abuse” from restaurants, cafés and visitors who flush waste down the drains.

In the biggest clean-up of its kind on Tuesday, powerful jets were used to break up immoveable “fat bergs”.

Danny Brackley, one of the flushers, said: “We’re used to getting our hands dirty, but nothing on this scale. We couldn’t even access the sewer as it was blocked by a 4ft wall of solid fat.

“Just because you can put things down your sink or loo doesn’t necessarily mean you should. In some cases it can literally come back to haunt you or a neighbour – in the form of sewage backing up in your drain and flooding your home or garden.”

Cooking fat poured down drains is one of the biggest problems, as well as other household products such as sanitary towels and wet wipes.

The clean-up operation will go on for the next two months and will work its way thought the West End, including Holborn, Long Acre, Piccadilly and Half Moon Street.