Thurso graffiti highlights a good cause
Graffiti is not always welcomed in Thurso but a painted message on the pavement highlights a good cause.
A Thurso resident forwarded an image showing the spray-painted message, that appeared to be from a stencil, that said ‘Think about Thurso. We unblocked over 176 drains here last year. Bin the Wipes’.
It was spotted on Mount Pleasant Road near the Morrisons shop and the graffiti was headed by the title ‘Nature Calls/Scottish Water’ with a website link JoinTheWave.Scot added at the bottom.
The unnamed local said there were two situated on the ground near the shop on Wednesday morning that urged residents not to flush wet wipes down their toilets.
He added: ”It's a valuable message and I know the sheltered housing opposite Tescos at Oldfield Court had issues some years back with wipes coming from the houses further up blocking the drains and causing a smell in the sheltered housing.
“The tenants complained to the council.”
Scottish Water was contacted to add some background to the campaign and said that there are events in Thurso and Wick to coincide with this. The Thurso Nature Calls event is taking place from 10am to 3pm today at the Coop supermarket on Meadow Lane.
Tomorrow (September 13) there is another at the Wick Coop in Angle Park by Thurso Rd from 10am until 3pm. More info can be found at: www.yourwateryourlife.co.uk/campaign/nature-calls/
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “We launched this back in 2022 on a national level, to encourage people to bin wet wipes (and other bathroom detritus) to reduce unpleasant blockages that can lead to blocked loos / nasty spills into homes and gardens.
“At the same time, we worked with other organisations to call for a ban on wet wipes made with plastic. This was a success and is now awaiting action from the UK Gov.
“The national campaign continues and over the last 18 months we have localised activity to areas where our data says there is a higher propensity for blockages. So the last few weeks we have been targeting some activity in Fort William, Thurso and Wick.”
