Sydney Water escalates toilet blockers campaign with world-first ‘flushable guidebook’

Sydney Water has launched a cheeky but hard-hitting new extension of its Toilet Blockers Anonymous campaign, partnering with creative agency It’s Friday to take the message directly into bathrooms across the city.

With Sydney Water now spending AU$27 million a year clearing blockages caused by inappropriate flushing, the utility has unveiled a world-first intervention: the ‘Flushable Guidebook’ - a behavioural nudge printed directly onto toilet paper.

Created in partnership with eco-friendly toilet paper brand Who Gives A Crap, the guidebook features humorous but clear reminders on each sheet about what should never be flushed, including dental floss, hair and even golf balls. The final sheets end with a ‘pledge’ to stop blocking habits for good.

“We needed a way to grab people’s attention where it matters most—literally in their bathrooms,” Tim Barrett, digital marketing manager at Sydney Water, said. “Blockages are expensive and entirely preventable. This campaign delivers an unforgettable reminder right where behaviour change happens.”

Vince Lagana, chief creative officer at It’s Friday, said humour was an important tool in driving behaviour change. “By turning a roll of toilet paper into a scroll of knowledge, we’re flushing out bad habits - one sheet at a time,” he said.

The new initiative builds on the momentum of the original Toilet Blockers Anonymous campaign launched in 2024. As part of the activation, plumber influencers such as @SydneyPlumberChick and other real-world tradespeople delivered the guidebooks to households during actual call-outs for toilet blockages.

Sydney Water said the aim was to reach Sydneysiders at the exact moment habits needed to change, and ultimately reduce the volume of expensive and preventable plumbing emergencies across the city.