Sydney Water flushes out bad bathroom habits with toilet paper that talks back

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — Sydney’s plumbing system has been taking a beating, with locals sending everything imaginable down their pipes which has resulted in a staggering $27M annual bill for unclogging the city’s waterways.

Enter the ingeniously cheeky Flushable Guidebook campaign, a collaboration between Sydney Water and creative powerhouse It’s Friday that’s literally changing behavior one sheet at a time.

Building on their successful Toilet Blockers Anonymous initiative from 2024, this fresh approach tackles waste disposal education where it matters most—directly in your toilet sanctuary. Partnering with eco-conscious brand Who Gives A Crap, they’ve created what might be the world’s first educational toilet paper, printing humorous yet informative reminders about flush-inappropriate items on each sheet.

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

Vince Lagana, CCO, It’s Friday, added, “Humour has the power to drive real change, especially when it meets people in everyday moments. By turning a roll of toilet paper into a scroll of knowledge, we’re flushing out bad habits—one sheet at a time.”   

To make the message impossible to ignore, the campaign landed straight in bathrooms across Sydney. Led by plumber influencers, such as @SydneyPlumberChick, plumbers across Sydney hand-delivered guidebooks during real-life toilet unblocking visits—catching, but also helping, culprits red-handed. 

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Credits 

Client: Sydney Water 
Elise Barker, Head of Brand, Media and Marketing 
Tim Barrett, Digital Marketing Manager 
Shelley Lewis, Marketing and Events Lead 
Chriss Mikhael, Senior Marketing Advisor 
Nick Plunkett, Digital Marketing Lead 

Creative Agency: It’s Friday 
Grant McAloon 
Mariah Ferrer 
Claudia McInerney 
Neil Walshe 
Benn Sutton 

Photography and Videography: Adam Eden @Eden Studios 
Studio Director: Rachel Lounds @Eden Studios