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Tents and chairs among items flushed in festival loos

Naj ModakSouth of England
Getty Images Two portable toilets stand in the middle of an open field surrounded by large crowds at an outdoor event. Piles of rubbish bags and litter are visible on the ground in front of the toilets, while people walk and gather around the area under a cloudy blue sky. The portable toilets display the text "TOI TOI" on the doors.Getty Images
Stock photo: People are being asked to only flush toilet paper, pee and poo - down the loos

Festivalgoers are being urged to think before they flush to help keep toilets working throughout a busy weekend.

People heading to Reading Festival are being asked to stick to the "three Ps" by only flushing toilet paper, pee and poo - down the loos; and using bins for everything else.

Thames Water said workers found everything from wet wipes and clothing to tents and camping chairs in festival toilets last year, as revellers dumped enough wastewater to fill about half an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Director of waste and bioresources at Thames Water, Tessa Fayers, said: "A blocked toilet is the last thing anyone wants during a festival weekend."

Thames Water A Thames Water van parked beside roadworks in an urban street, with workers in high-visibility orange clothing standing near blue safety barriers. The side of the van displays a large Thames Water logo, while the rear doors feature red and yellow hazard markings. Modern apartment buildings and other street infrastructure can be seen in the background.Thames Water
Thames Water said dumping unauthorised waste can cause blockages

The company said flushing inappropriate items could lead to blockages, damage equipment and stop the toilets from working.

To avoid "full toilets" and make sure the waste management operation "runs smoothly" during the festival, the company will have teams working "around the clock" throughout the event.

It said, last year, about 1.2 million litres (263,963 gallons) of wastewater were transported by tanker to Reading Sewage Treatment Works during the festival.

Thames Water said that moving the wastewater required about 500 tanker journeys.

An on-site waste logger unit will be used to filter festival waste before it enters the treatment process to help protect the treatment works from blockages and damage.

Items recovered from festival toilets in previous years have included wet wipes, condoms, sanitary products, clothes, food waste, nappies, medication, cigarette butts, foil blankets, tents and camping chairs, and other rubbish.

The company said teams would monitor the sewage treatment works throughout the festival and respond quickly to any issues affecting the tanker operation.

Fayers urged people to use bins provided on site for items items other than the "three Ps".

"By using the bins provided and only flushing the three Ps, festivalgoers can help us keep everything flowing, avoid unnecessary disruptions, and spend more time enjoying the music rather than queuing for out-of-order toilets," she added.

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