Not all sewerage systems are the same; it's a message Council's Water and Sewerage Services team are taking to some Bega Valley Shire households in a bid to avoid a sticky situation.
The message is aimed at households with a home pressure sewerage system, a little-known set-up designed for properties with no direct connection to Council's main gravity-fed sewerage network.
Council's Water and Sewer Operations Superintendent, Steve Marshall said the pressure pumps can present a unique challenge for residents if their home utilities are incorrectly used.
"Avoiding blockages and leaks will always be a priority for sewerage system managers, and some of this responsibility rests with residents maintaining their end of the connection," Mr Marshall said.
"If inappropriate things are placed down the toilet, they will eventually cause a blockage, which can lead to leaks and burst pipes.
"For people connected directly to our gravity-fed system, burst pipes and leaks can occur anywhere within the network, however for our pressure pump customers, these incidents can happen much closer to home.
"Items like nappies and wet-wipes can easily block a home pressure sewerage system, causing a backlog and possible breach.
"As home pressure systems are generally located close to, or within a property boundary, this can be a pretty unpleasant experience for residents.
"The good news is a pressure sewerage system is a Council-owned asset, which means maintenance and repair costs are not borne by the customer, providing the unit is correctly used.
"Every pressure sewerage system is connected to an alarm unit found on a wall of the customer's house. Should a blockage occur, this will sound, and the resident should contact us as soon as possible.
