Fatbergs are wreaking havoc in Watford’s sewers, according to a water utility company.

Engineers at Thames Water clear at least one major blockage from the town’s sewers every fortnight, leading the area to be labelled a fatberg hotspot, and become a target for a new awareness campaign.

Formed when leftover cooking fat and wet wipes congeal into a solid mass in sewers, fatbergs block pipes and can cause sewage to back up into homes, polluting waterways and the wider environment.

In the last three years, 12 properties in Watford have been flooded with sewage as a result of fat and wipe blockages.

To help alleviate the problem, Thames Water is targeting householders in Watford with its ”Bin it – don’t block it” campaign in a bid to get those putting fat down the drain, and wipes down the toilet, to understand the consequences of their behaviour.

Matt Rimmer, Thames Water’s head of sewer networks, said: “Often people don’t realise the consequences of putting things other than human waste and toilet paper down their toilets and drains but it’s time for everyone to understand and take action.

“It’s not just fat that’s the problem but wipes, often labelled ‘flushable’, are a massive issue too. They may disappear when you flush the toilet, but they don’t break down in the sewer pipes.”