Give the gift of fat-free sewers this Christmas!

South West Water is asking Christmas cooks and home chefs to gift the region’s sewers a fat-free Christmas this year by preventing fats, oils and greases from being poured down drains.

Last year, South West Water dealt with over 7,000 blocked sewers with over 20% of these caused by fats, oils and greases being poured down drains. When these substances enter sewers they combine with wet wipes, cooling and hardening into a solid mass which can clog up pipes. If left unchecked, the blockages can cause the waste to back up into homes and communities, causing sewer floods.

 Andrew Blake, Project Manager at South West Water, said: “The Christmas season can be challenging for our sewers due to the increased fat and food waste generated by food businesses and households accommodating more guests.

 “While we want everyone to enjoy themselves, we also want to encourage kitchen staff and householders to be mindful of what they’re putting down their drains. It’s important to ensure that festive roasting juices, gravies, sauces, and creams are not being poured into the sewers. By changing your practices, you can easily help prevent blockages and avoid damage to properties, sewers and the environment." 

Blockage-busting tips for busy Christmas cooks:

• Allow used cooking oil to cool down and store it safely in a sealed container away from the drains. If you’re a food business, arrange for it to be collected by a registered waste carrier who may buy it from you to recycle into biofuel.
• Dry-wipe dirty pots, pans, plates, and cutlery into a bin before rinsing them under a running tap or putting them into the dishwasher. That way, residual grease won’t get washed down your drains.
• Use a sink strainer to collect food debris so it doesn’t escape down the plughole.
• Avoid sweeping rubbish that’s accumulated on your kitchen floor into floor drains. Instead, use a dustpan and brush and pop it in the bin.