KEEP GREASE OUT OF PIPES DURING THE HOLIDAYS
As we prepare for family gatherings and big holiday meals, we should also think about how we get rid of extra grease. Whether cooking a turkey or ham in the oven or with a fryer, an additional amount of grease is always produced with our holiday meal.
Grease should not go down the drain. 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 a year fixing problems caused by grease buildup in sewer pipes.
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.
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.
Instead of disposing of cooking oil and grease by pouring it down the drain, pour the cooled oil back into the container in which it was purchased. You can either reuse 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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