Wessex Water is celebrating its 40th anniversary by launching Sewage Week next week and setting up tours of sewage treatment works.

Sewage Week runs from July 2 to 8 across the Wessex Water region and is being held at Chippenham sewage treatment works, where waste from around 38,500 people is treated, on Friday July 4, from 4-7pm.

Tours will show how waste is screened and the process of safely releasing it back into the environment.

Ashlea Lane, Wessex Water’s head of waste treatment, said: “This is a rare chance to get a glimpse of life at our sewage treatment works in a fun and educational way.

“But there’s a serious message behind what we are doing as we’ll be explaining the problems caused when the wrong items are flushed down the loo as well as how fats, oils and greases block sewers when poured down the sink.”

Booking is not required, but for details see www.wessexwater.co.uk/sewageweek