Drain blockages can cause you considerable trouble when you least expect it. Most people never have a problem with their drains, so when they do they are shocked at the consequences. Drains are not infallible and from time to time they do get blocked.

Most drain blockages can be easily remedied by the homeowner. And in most cases simply pouring hot water down the offending plug hole will remove the blockage and allow the water to flow freely again.

For more stubborn blockages a plunger can be used to literally suck and pull the stubborn clog through the pipe. This will eventually shift the blockage, which can then be washed away with hot water.

If all else fails there are drainage companies who have the appropriate drainage tools available which can solve blockages like this in a jiffy. Water jetting is one method the drain cleaning experts use to remove drain blockages. By using this method the cleaning company direct a high pressure jet of water down the drain, which is usually enough to break up the blockage into small components.

When water jetting is not appropriate because the blockage is at a point in the pipe which is not easily reached, a drainage company may instead use a small rodding snake to try to shift the clog.

Thames Water’s nature reserve at Crossness in east London is welcoming its newest residents, two baby barn owls, aptly named Plop and Flo.

The two new arrivals were ringed by experts who are pleased with the pair’s progress. The last time Crossness saw Barn Owls breed was in 2007, so the major expansion of the site doesn’t seen to have put them off.

Crossness is one of the largest sewage works in Western Europe and has seen barn owls breeding since 2005. The latest upgrades at the site include the treatment capacity being boosted by nearly half again, to cope with the amount of raw sewage which flows into the Thames though overflow outlets at times of heavy rainfall.

As well as the site’s increase in size, a wind turbine is also going to be installed, which will be able to power 1,000 homes. New reed beds are also being planted and it’s hoped that the works will be completed with the site running at full capacity sometime in 2014.

The manager of Crossness nature reserve, Karen Sutton stated:

“Fortunately the major upgrade work under way here has not put off our breeding barn owls. We put a number of new boxes up around the site to encourage them to set up home. Not only have the barn owls made themselves at home in the lower section of one box, but a family of kestrels have also set up home upstairs.”

In the past it used to be difficult to unblock a drain, and a drainage expert may have had nothing but a set of drains rods with which to find and remove the blockage. Over recent years this has changed however, and it’s now quite simple to unblock a drain – as long as you have the right tools at your disposal.

Where in the past a drainage technician might have had to push drain rods down the drain in the hope he would ‘hit’ the blockage, he can now insert a CCTV camera into the pipe and view the blockage in real time. This way he can see what is causing the blockage before he tries to unblock it. If the drain is blocked by roots or a collapse has happened, it’s simply not good enough to just rely on rods to solve the problem. This can thus save time and money.

If the drain is found to be blocked by a ‘classic’ obstruction, drain maintenance engineers don’t even have to use rods any more to get rid of the clog. They now have high pressure water jetting at their disposal, which can be directed down the drain and which can break up any deposits found into small components, which can be flushed through the system.

Many homeowners across the country have at some point in their lives had to deal with a drain blockage and the subsequent damage caused. Drain blockages affect everyone from time to time and can be a real headache for a homeowner. However, if you know a few simple hints and tips about what can and what can’t be flushed down your drain, you should be able to stop drain blockages in their tracks.

One of the biggest problems drains face is the accumulation of waste along the sides of the pipes. This is made worse when homeowners regularly flush items down the toilet that shouldn’t be flushed and pour things into the sink that simply shouldn’t be there.

Things which are put down the sink include:

• Liquids fats – Which set when cool and reduce the pipe’s diameter
• Food debris – Which can build up in the drainage pipe and cause a blockage
Things which are flushed down the toilet include:
• Nappies – Which get jammed in the drainage pipe
• Wet wipes – Which don’t break up like conventional waste

There are of course countless other things which are put in the waste water network. But if every homeowner followed the advice set out by their local waste water company on what can and what can’t be put into the drainage system, drain blockages would be dramatically reduced.

A new sewer is being constructed in Bournmouth in an attempt to stop flooding in the locality.

A new culvert sewer is currently being installed on Priestly Road, which should be able to cope at times of heavy rainfall, something the previous surface water sewer failed to do.

Because the surface water sewer could not cope with the excess water, it occasionally led to properties on Columbia Road flooding.

The project began at the beginning of May. Joe Edmunds, the scheme project manager, stated:

“Councillors found the site visit useful as they were able to learn more about how the scheme will protect properties in the area.

“This is a major scheme to undertake and has involved large equipment being brought to site. We had to close Priestley Road for the works to be completed.

“The new culvert sewer will not only protect existing homes in the area from flooding but also future developments constructed on Columbia Road. We would like to thank residents for their continued understanding and support throughout these works.”

It’s hoped that all the work will be complete at the beginning of October.