Help Your Neighborhood. Help Yourself. Keep Household Drains Fat Free.
Fats, oils and grease clog your pipes and city pipes when poured down household drains. This can lead to sewer backups in your neighborhood. The solution is simple… properly dispose of fats, oils and grease. You know the stuff….cooking oils, bacon grease, meat fat, lard and shortening. Even salad dressings and butter turn into clogs.
Preventing clogs in your neighborhood and city pipes avoids hassles, saves money and protects the environment. Every sewer overflow is documented for potential environmental impacts, and there are possible fines to the city when these sewer overflows run into local waterways. Why put yourself, your family, neighborhood, city and the environment at risk when the solution is so simple? Can it. Scrape it. Trash it.
The Problem
When poured down the drain, the fats, oils and grease cool, solidify and float to the top of other liquids in sewer pipes. The layer of fats sticks to the sewer pipes and, over time, restricts wastewater flow.
It can then cause a sewer backup or overflow. For more information about fats, oils and grease disposal or clog prevention, contact the City of Escalon for more information at (209) 691-7430.
The Solution
Keeping our sewers running smoothly helps keep Escalon clean and safe for everybody. To learn how you can help, take a look at this informational info graphic.
Common Myths about Fats, Oils and Grease
"Using hot water and soap dissolves oils and grease so I can wash it down the drain.”
Wrong.
Hot water helps initially but the grease will stick to pipes after it cools.
"A garbage disposal makes fatty and greasy food scraps disappear.”
Wrong.
Once they’ve passed the blades they can still clog the pipe.
"I’ve never had a drain pipe clog, so there’s no problem.”
Wrong.
Just because fats, oils and grease make it through your sink pipes doesn’t mean they aren’t building up in your pipes and city sewer lines and could eventually become a nasty clog and sewer overflow.
Stuff Your Belly. Not Your Pipes!
Fats, oils and grease are a problem all year, but food waste clogs increase up to 50 percent over the winter holidays. Thanksgiving to the New Year is a prime time for fats, oils and grease issues. Common food culprits include meat scraps, cooking oils and shortening, eggshells and salad dressing. We want you to enjoy your favorite holiday treats but keep an eye out for fats going down the drain. Youngsters and family members may pitch in for cleanup duties and may not know what to do! Remind them to: Can it. Scrape it. Trash it.
Check out this YouTube channel for a how-to video about proper fats, oils and grease disposal. Everyone in the house can help. Help us spread the word!