Al Sulimaniyah clinic: a blocked main drain at 11pm

When waste water backs up, it always appears at the lowest opening in the system, which is why a ground-floor clinic floods because of something the floors above flushed. The blockage is rarely at the point where the water shows. Attacking the visible drain with a plunger or acid pushes the problem further along and can damage the pipe; the correct sequence is to find the blockage first, then remove it mechanically.

The sequence that night

1. Stop all water use in the building to prevent the level rising further.
2. Open the nearest inspection chamber to establish whether the blockage is inside or outside the building.
3. Camera survey of the main line to locate the obstruction and measure the distance.
4. High-pressure jetting to clear it, working from downstream so debris flows away.
5. Second camera pass to confirm the line is clear and the pipe is undamaged.

The camera found the cause 9 metres from the chamber: a build-up of wet wipes bound with grease from the staff kitchen. Neither on its own would have blocked the line. Together they form a mass that does not break down, and it had been growing for months.

• Never flush wipes, even ones labelled flushable — they do not break down in the line.
• Fit a grease trap on any kitchen sink used daily, including staff kitchens.
• Jet commercial lines annually; it costs less than one emergency night call.
• Keep the inspection chamber accessible — a chamber buried under tiles adds an hour to every emergency.

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