Fat Oil and Grease (F.O.G.)
What does the District mean when stringing the words Fat, Oil and Grease together? It refers to a problem every wastewater District in the world encounters. Some people have a tendency to pour hot or liquefied fat, oil or grease down the kitchen sink.
When disposing of fat, oil or grease down a drain, it can create a clog in the sewer system that restricts or blocks flow. There are documented accounts of FOG collecting to a point where the mass weighs in access of 1 ton and as tall as an average city bus. They call these large F.O.G. masses a “Fatberg”.
The sewer system we refer to is not only the District’s collection system but also refers to a home’s plumbing and sewer lateral. Individual plumbing and the sewer laterals are the responsibility of the customer. The average hourly cost of a plumbers visit is about $28 with the average bill being approximately $350. Obviously, an expense no one wants to pay but by pouring F.O.G. down the drain, you are accepting the risk it will cost you later.
How can the District’ customers protect the wastewater collection system?
To make sure the collection system at Duckett Creek Sanitary District flows properly, the District relies on every customer to do his or her part. Please do not put Fat, Oil, or Grease, (FOG) in your sinks or drains. At any amount over time, the F.O.G. will build up and eventually cause a problem. Even if the problem isn’t in your plumbing any clog downstream can back up into your or your neighbor’s home. Although it may seem as if you have avoided the issue, it can make a difference in your sewer bill. If the District employees need to clean F.O.G. from the system on a regular basis, that means higher costs for labor and eventually higher bills.
Please follow the recommended F.O.G. Do’s and Don’ts guidelines below.
- Do place cooled oil and grease into trash bins or covered collection containers.
- Do be aware of the “hidden oils” such as salad dressings, cheese, cookies, pastries, sauces and gravies.
- Do scrape food scraps from dishes into trash bins.
- Do manually wipe off all visible fats, oils, grease and food residue from dishes and cookware into trash bins.
- Do use a strainer in the sink to collect excess food particles.
- Do clean up grease spills with absorbent material and place into trash bins.
- Do encourage neighbors to help keep fats, oils and grease out of the sewer system.
- Don’t pour oil or grease down the drain.
- Don’t scrape food scraps down the drain.
- Don’t pour liquid foods (syrups, batters, gravy, etc.) down the drain.
- Don’t run hot water over greasy pots or pans – it will not prevent FOG from sticking to pipes.
- Don’t use chemicals to remove grease clogs; they can damage the piping system.
- Don’t rely on a garbage disposal to get rid of grease.
FOG comes from several everyday food items such as:
- Meat fats
- Lard
- Cooking oil, shortening, butter or margarine
- Food scraps
- Sauces
- Dairy Products
- Salad Dressings
One workers remarks on cleaning a F.O.G. clog.
“It’s like trying to break up concrete. It’s frustrating, as these situations are totally avoidable and caused by fat, oil and grease being washed down sinks.”
Help “Clear the F.O.G.” by doing your part, keep your drains fat free