This Christmas, before you pour fats, oils and greases from the turkey down the sink, just stop and think what it might be doing to the water network.
A recent survey reveals that 58% of the public do pour fats and oils down the sink – and Irish Water is campaigning to reduce the levels of blockages that they cause.
Fats, oils and greases (FOGs) seem like liquid when poured but, once they cool along the pipes, they can cause blockages in homes, businesses, the public sewer network and wastewater treatment plants, and can even lead to overflows of sewage that can damage the environment.
When FOGs combine with wipes and other sanitary items that shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet, fatbergs can form. Irish Water cleared thousands of fatbergs from the wastewater network this year.
Speaking about the campaign Anthony Skeffington, Irish Water said, “We have cleared almost 8,000 reported sewer blockages already this year caused by FOGs being poured down the kitchen sink combined with inappropriate items such as baby wipes being flushed down the toilet. Thousands of other blockages were removed in the course of planned works on the network. This demonstrates the size and scale of the challenge we face to keep the sewer network blockage free.
“Our message is simple. This Christmas we want to remind the public not to use their kitchen sink as a bin. ‘Think before you pour’ and use a GunkPot or a similar reusable container to collect FOGs and help to prevent pipe blockages and protect the marine environment.”
