The decision by wet wipe manufacturers Kimberly-Clark to seek official "Fine to Flush" approval for its products has been welcomed by Wessex Water.

The water provider, which services 2.8 million customers across the south west, has long campaigned for clearer labelling and marketing of wet wipes. Many on the market are described as flushable but don't carry the official Fine to Flush logo, meaning they contain plastic and do not break down like toilet paper when flushed.

This can lead to fatbergs in sewers, pollution and costly blockages, with people experiencing sewage flooding their homes.

Matt Wheeldon, director of Wessex Water, said: "A huge proportion of the 13,000 sewer blockages we deal with on our network each year are caused by wet wipes that haven't broken down when entering the sewer system. The Fine to Flush standard was developed by the water industry body Water UK earlier this year, with the new logo helping to avoid confusion and reassure customers."

He added: "Having Kimberly-Clark on board feels like a major breakthrough, and Water UK is looking forward to working with them as they seek to meet the Fine to Flush standard for their products."

Wessex Water also want all other wipes on the market to be clearly labelled "Do Not Flush" in order to avoid any confusion for customers.

"The Fine to Flush logo means free from plastic and rigorously tested, meaning the wipe will not only pass around a toilet U-bend but will also break down in the sewer system," Mr Wheeldon explained. "Anything else should be marked as Do Not Flush, with nothing in between. It's as simple as that."

Wessex Water estimate that it costs around £5m a year to resolve blockages in the region, 75% of which involve disposable items and can be easily avoided. Earlier this month, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned a website advertisement for Andrex's flushable washlets, which do not meet the UK water industry's recognised standard.

The country's first wet wipe to meet the industry standard was launched by organic brand Natracare, while two products by Waitrose & Partners - fragrance free and lightly fragranced moist toilet tissues - have since received the Fine to Flush approval.