Yorkshire Water is using bacillus bacteria in sewer pipes to prevent blockages. Usually more blockages are reported during festive season.

Yorkshire Water manages water supply, including treating water to make it safe for drinking in the county. The company supplies about 1.24 billion litres of drinking water each day.

The company started flushing bacteria with non-chlorinated water down sewers a week ago.

It takes millions of pounds to clear clogged pipes - oil, grease and other fatty material solidifies clogging the drains. Non-biodegradable waste also sticks to fatty matters causing severe blockages.

Conventional method of unblocking the clog is to use high pressure water jets inside the pipes.

Yorkshire Water is running a campaign asking people not to "pour leftover fat down the plug hole or flush a make-up wipe down the toilet," the Telegraph quoted Patrick Killgallon, the Pollution Manager with the company, as saying.

The company has cleared more than 6,000 fat-related blockages this year. The company will use organically grown bacillus bacteria, which is commonly found in human gut to keep sewers clear.

The company expects that using "good" bacteria will be a cost effective.

"Because these bacteria constantly multiply in the right environment, we can leave them to get on with their job in our sewers, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, without the need for regular dosing," he said.

Other water companies are also experimenting to make use of bacteria to clear blocked drainage.