New TV series airs tonight which heads into the murky tunnels beneath Lancashire's streets

Viewers will be able to get a glimpse of the smelly world beneath our feet tonight, when a new series airs on TV.
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Sewermen is a fly-on-the-wall documentary which gets down and dirty with the hard-working folk from the North West’s regional water and wastewater firm, United Utilities.

Filmed by Label1 TV, the brains behind the BBC’s award-winning documentary series Hospital, Sewermen is back for a second series, as United Utilities’ bog-busting army of men and women deal with more than 21,000 domestic wastewater blockages a year. From smelly unmentionables to clumps of rags and greasy blockages, these wastewater warriors never know what they’ll find.

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This time the spotlight also shines on the firms’ crack team of specially-trained filth-busters at work. These brave guys and girls travel the region cleaning some of the dirtiest and trickiest sewers and tanks so that they’re fit to fight another day.

Steve Iversen heads into the underworld beneath Lancashires streets in Sewermen, a new fly-on-the-wall documentary airing on the Paramount NetworkSteve Iversen heads into the underworld beneath Lancashires streets in Sewermen, a new fly-on-the-wall documentary airing on the Paramount Network
Steve Iversen heads into the underworld beneath Lancashires streets in Sewermen, a new fly-on-the-wall documentary airing on the Paramount Network

This series sees blockage busting duo Stuart Quinn and Ian Goulding avert a possible poonami at Blackburn Rovers football club and a team of fat-busters clearing Manchester’s city centre sewer of a foul-smelling build-up of FOG – fats, oils and grease.

To make the programme, Label1 cameras got unique behind the scenes access to United Utilities’ 5,000 employees and almost 120,000 kilometres of pipes from Carlisle to Crewe.

United Utilities customer services director Louise Beardmore said: “This show is a window into our world and shines a light on the essential service we provide. It’s a great opportunity for people to see what we do every day to keep the water flowing for customers.

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“Water company staff are among the army of key workers making sure the UK continues to have the vital services it needs during the current COVID-19 crisis. Thousands of our people continue to be out on the UK’s streets carrying out critical maintenance, laying new pipes, finding and fixing leaks and unblocking sewers.”

* Sewermen airs tonight (Thursday, April 30) at 9pm on Paramount Network (Freeview Channel 31; Freesat 132 and Sky 150).