There have been a number of sewer blockages across Dubbo and the culprit is probably not what you think it is.
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It's wet wipes - non-biodegradable and capable of blocking pipes to such an extent that repairs need to be undertaken.
Dubbo Regional Council is reminding residents not to flush wet wipes down the toilet, under any circumstances.
A spokesperson from council told the Daily Liberal sewer blockages had occurred "across the entire" council area.
And it's not something new, either.
"Over the years there has been an increase in domestic sewer blockages, noticeable with more products being marked as flushable, as these products do not disintegrate the way toilet paper is designed to," the spokesperson said.
The issue was so severe in late 2023 that council's manager operations water and supply sewerage, Bec Eade, appealed to residents to flush only the three Ps - "pee, poo and toilet paper".
"Flushing anything else has the capacity to block the internal drainage pipes and council sewer mains, which will result in significant costs to either the resident or council," she said at the time.
The spokesperson said wet wipes in particular were noticeable in recent cases of blocked pipes.
"Wet wipes are something that can be clearly identified when cleaning out a blockage," they said, adding "they are not the only issue".
Wondering where to safely dispose of wet wipes? In your general, red-lidded bin, which means they go straight to landfill.
And as for who is responsible for paying for repairs, council said it could come down to the resident - so it is a message worth heeding.
"It depends on where the issue is. The property owner is responsible to maintain and repair their internal plumbing and drainage and any works to internal pipes should be carried out by a licensed plumber," the spokesperson said.
"Blockages within Council's mains are attended to by Council staff in accordance with Council's Water Supply and Sewerage Customer Service Plan."
To view the Customer Service Standards for Sewerage Services and the resident's Sewer Responsibility guide, head to www.dubbo.nsw.gov.au/Households-Residents/Rates-Building-and-Maintenance/sewer-mains-sewerage-services