Keep the Fat Out!
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Sanitary sewer overflows and backups cause health hazards, damage to homes, and possible impairment of the environment. A major cause of overflows is sewer pipes clogged by grease. Poorly maintained grease interceptors in restaurants and other businesses and grease poured down household drains is the source of this problem.

Grease is a byproduct of cooking¾meat fats, lard, oil, shortening, butter, margarine, food scraps, etc. When these products are washed down the sink or flushed down the toilet, the grease sticks to the insides of sewer lines, both on the property and in the collection system. In time it builds up and can block the entire pipe.

Note: Home garbage disposals do not keep grease out of the plumbing system. Also, products that claim to dissolve grease simply pass the problem further down to sewer line.

Grease can cause:

q      Raw sewage backing up in your home or your neighbor’s home;

q      An expensive and unpleasant cleanup that usually must be paid for by you, the home or business owner;

q      Raw sewage overflowing into parks, yards, and streets;

q      Exposure to disease-causing organisms; and

q      Increased costs in operation and maintenance for local wastewater departments and higher bills for customers.

You can help:

q      Never pour grease down sink drains or toilets;

q      Scrape grease and food scraps into a can or the trash for disposal;

q      Keep baskets/strainers in sink drains to catch food scraps¾empty in trash; and

q      Talk to your friends and neighbors about keeping grease out of sewers.

Grease traps or interceptors in restaurants and other building need to be properly:

q      Designed (sized and manufactured to handle amount expected);

q      Installed (level, vented, etc.); and

q      Solids should never be put into grease traps of interceptors. Routine, often daily, maintenance is necessary.

q      Maintained (cleaned and serviced frequently).

Just as fats, oils and greases are bad for arteries and waistlines, they are a major cause of blocked sewers, too.
Keep the Fat Out!