Fears panic-buying early in the pandemic would lead to a dramatic increase in sewerage problems in Wagga look to have abated, but the city is still seeing a blockage a day.
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When toilet paper began to disappear from the shelves in March, the Wagga council pleaded with residents to avoid flushing anything other than toilet paper.
Tissues, newspaper and even wipes marketed as flushable will not break down in the sewerage system, leading to blockages caused by congealed mounds of non-biodegradable solid matter and fats called fatbergs.
Wagga council statistics on sewer blockages show the city has escaped additional blockages amid the coronavirus pandemic, with 197 blockages between March and August.
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During the same six month period in 2019, there were 247 blockages.
Month-by-month statistics show blockages have fluctuated between 24 and 43 since March, averaging just over one a day.
As part of the council's information campaign, commercial operations director Caroline Angel said too many blockages had the potential to bring the system to a standstill, with the removal of foreign materials from the sewerage system already an impact on the budget each year.
