Don’t let fat put a drain on Christmas

Tipping left over fat and grease from the Christmas turkey down the kitchen sink could cause some unwelcome woes this holiday, and the Consumer Council for Water is calling for consumers to think twice before dumping fat, oil or grease down the drain.

It is all too easy to simply rinse the fat and oil from greasy pots and pans down the drain with soap and hot water, but as the fat cools it will thicken again, building up and blocking pipes over time, sometimes forcing wastewater and even sewage to back up.

There are around 200,000 sewer blockages throughout the UK every year, and 75 per cent of them are caused by fats, oil and grease clogging up pipes. Over the Christmas period, an estimated 25 per cent more fat ends up in drains and sewers. Clearing these blockages costs millions of pounds a year – costs which are passed onto consumers on their annual sewerage bills.

Fat, oil and grease should be poured into an empty container with a lid or wiped out of the tray with kitchen roll and put in the bin. Most water and sewerage companies provide ‘fat traps’ free of charge to collect kitchen waste and then be thrown away.

The costs of pouring fats, oils and grease down the drain can quickly add up for companies and customers. Any drains or private sewers that carry waste away from the home are the customer’s responsibility, (or landlord’s) both inside and outside the property boundary until the point where they connect with the public sewers.

The sewerage company is only responsible for public sewers. In most cases these are in roads or public open spaces but in certain circumstances they may run through private gardens.

If a blockage in the public sewer leads to sewage flooding a home or garden, water and sewerage companies should react quickly to clear up the mess, disinfect the property and provide compensation if appropriate as soon as possible.

Tony Smith, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water, said:

“Having your home flooded with sewage is very unpleasant and companies should provide the best customer service possible to prevent it from happening in the first place. Consumers have a role to play too by disposing of fat, oil and grease responsibly, especially at Christmas.

“The cost of having your own drains unblocked can be expensive, and if the public sewers are blocked, the sewerage companies’ costs in removing blockages get passed on to customers via sewerage bills.”

More information about how to dispose of household waste appropriately is available at http://www.ccwater.org.uk, and can be found in a new leaflet from the Consumer Council for Water, which has been endorsed by Defra, the Environment Agency and Water UK.

Sewer Flooding Facts 

• Drains from the home are no wider than four inches (100mm).
• If you find it difficult to flush your toilet or notice that water drains away   slowly or bubbles in the bottom of your toilet, contact your sewerage   company and clearly explain the symptoms. Do not try to flush the toilet again as this could cause internal flooding.
• If the problem is due to a blockage or fault in your private drain, you   will need to hire a drainage contractor to repair it. Sewerage companies are only responsible for unblocking and maintaining public sewers.
• If sewage has entered your property from a public sewer, the company   will send someone to visit you as soon as possible and help clean   your property.
• You are entitled to a rebate of your annual sewerage bill (up to £1000) to cover damages to the inside of your property caused by flooding of a public sewer. Visit the Consumer Council for Water’s website  http://www.ccwater.org.uk for details.
• Don’t forget to check your household insurance covers sewer flooding.