See how fat, oil and grease impacts a wastewater system
Nov. 16, 2009
This holiday season, Colorado Springs Utilities is encouraging customers to properly dispose of fat, oil and grease (FOG). Keeping FOG out of drains can help avoid costly wastewater backups into homes and damaging spills into waterways.
As customers prepare and clean up after large holiday meals, heavy amounts of FOG are often discharged into the wastewater system. Over time, FOG can accumulate in a wastewater pipe and block normal wastewater flows. In these cases, untreated wastewater can back up into a home or overflow into the environment. Wastewater service lines – normally about four to six inches in diameter – are the maintenance and financial responsibility of all residential and commercial customers. So, if a backup occurs on a service line, all potential damage to the line itself and a home is the responsibility of the customer.
A backup into a home can cost thousands of dollars to repair, while spills into waterways can result in fines that ultimately impact customer bills.
NOTE TO MEDIA - Story & Photo Opportunity: At 11 a.m., tomorrow, Nov. 17, Springs Utilities invites members of the media to visit the Conservation and Environmental Center, 2855 Mesa Road, to get a “cooking demonstration” for how to appropriately discard of FOG after preparing those big holiday meals.
Media contact: 719-668-3848
