News release from the City of Fort Wayne:
Holiday Obstruction… No Feast for Pipes
(November 25, 2014) – Grease may disappear from your sink, but it can cause problems in pipes. A feast with all the fixings is a traditional part of our Thanksgiving Day holiday tradition. But the tradition can cause problems for our pipes.
An extra amount of grease is always on hand after preparing the holiday meal, especially with growing trends like turkey fryers. Residents should take extra care with grease disposal to avoid problems. Pouring a gallon or two of grease down a kitchen sink or toilet may see it disappear, but it will likely cause problems for your pipes and the City’s sewer system.
“City Utilities spends more than $300,000 dollars fixing problems caused by grease being poured down the drain each year. We use several preventive measures including looking inside our sewers with video cameras and flushing them where we see grease problems so we can break up the grease and stop a backup before it occurs,” said Jeff Morris, Superintendent of Sewer Maintenance.
Fort Wayne City Utilities uses a remote controlled camera to examine 300,000 feet of sewer pipes. Every day the cameras reveal pipes that are not operating at capacity because of grease buildup in neighborhoods all over the City
Fats, oils and grease (FOG) create blockages in household plumbing and the sewer system. Those blockages can create sewer backups in homes and throughout the system.
Instead of disposing of cooking oil and grease by pouring it down the drain, pour cooled oil back into the container in which it was purchased. You can either reuse it or seal the container and place it in the trash.
Another idea to reduce the potential for spillage is to add kitty litter, sand or sawdust to the container before disposing of grease in the trash. The dry material will soak up the grease. Also, before washing or rinsing dishes, pots and pans, be sure to scrape any food waste that contains fats, oils or grease into the trash.
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