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Traffic cone and toy car among sewer finds in 2025

Chloe ParkmanSouth West
South West Water An orange and white traffic cone on its side inside a drain. It is lying in a brown liquid. South West Water
The company's wastewater operations manager said it was a "serious issue"

A toy car, a dog bowl and a traffic cone are some of the unexpected items found in sewers in 2025, according to South West Water (SWW).

The water company said many of the discoveries were made using its new AI-assisted analysis of CCTV footage to improve sewer inspections across the network.

It said the collection of "bizarre finds" included a trolley wheel, a football and a tyre, and added it had cleared about 7,000 "avoidable blockages".

Andy Pettifer, wastewater operations manager at SWW, said: "Finding a toy car or a football in a sewer might raise a few eyebrows, but it's a serious issue that our teams are facing each year. Our sewers are designed for wastewater only."

South West Water The toy car pictured in a drain. It appears to be a blue and white plastic car and is sitting in sludge. South West Water
The water company has urged people to only flush the three Ps

Mr Pettifer added: "Anything else can cause blockages that affect homes, businesses, and the environment.

"So please, only flush the three Ps and if it's not pee, poo or paper, please put it in the bin or dispose of your waste responsibly."

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