Overview

• Water Corporation teams cleared 1,329 sewer blockages over the past 12 months, marking a sharp rise from 918 in 2021.
• Fatbergs are blamed for most incidents, with 850 caused by kitchen fats and oils and 379 by non-flushable items such as wet wipes.
• Blockages have damaged pumps and pipes, triggered wastewater overflows and led to the cancellation of a February concert at Perth’s RAC Arena.
• Removal operations cost nearly $1 million each year and involve manual excavation and routine maintenance across 17,700 km of wastewater mains.
• Authorities have stepped up community messaging on proper disposal and are trialing a zinc-enhanced coating shown in lab tests to reduce grease build-up.