The Amsterdam sewer system is one of the most advanced in the world. Yet it regularly clogs up due to a hard mass of solidified fat containing thousands of wet wipes. For years, Waternet has been fighting a bitter battle with the recurring greasy cookie cake. How is this possible and what is the solution to this persistent and oh-so-irritating problem?
In the four-part series Vette Doekjeskoek, NH reporter Robbert Bianchi goes out with Waternet’s breakdown service. The men are happy to show how they combat the nonsense. But there is also a lot of irritation, because the greasy cake has been causing the breakdown service a lot of unnecessary extra work for years. It would be a lot better if companies and private individuals were more conscious about using grease and wipes.
Baby Wipes – Cause of Frequent Clogs in IJburg
In the first episode, the breakdown service responds to a blockage in IJburg. The sewer is often clogged on IJburg. One of the causes could be that there are many young families with children, and they use a relatively large number of wet wipes.
Watch part 1 of Vette Doeekjeskoek below: