Don’t Let Fatbergs Ruin Christmas! How to Keep Your Pipes Clear This Festive Season

Why Fats and Oils Are a Festive Problem

As households prepare for Christmas feasts, South West Water is urging everyone to avoid pouring fats, oils, and grease (FOGs) down the drain to prevent blockages in wastewater pipes and the sewer network. The increase in cooking during the festive season, especially from traditional roasts, significantly contributes to these issues.

With 10 million turkeys consumed in the UK during the holiday season, a medium-sized turkey alone can produce around three-quarters of a pint of fat. This adds up to a staggering 5.6 million litres of fat – enough to fill over 18,500 bathtubs.

The Consequences of FOG Build-Up

When fats and oils are poured down sinks, they harden within the sewer system, creating blockages and even large fatbergs. These can lead to flooding, pollution, and expensive repairs. South West Water revealed it cleared 6,400 blockages last year, with 75% caused by FOGs and wet wipes.

Jay Harris, South West Water’s Director of Wastewater Services, emphasised the importance of simple changes to protect the environment and keep sewers flowing smoothly. “While everyone is tucking into their Christmas dinners, our teams will be out and about clearing blockages – many of which are entirely preventable,” Jay said. “As well as disposing of FOGs responsibly, please only flush the ‘three Ps’ – pee, poo and paper. This is a really simple and effective way of protecting internal household pipes and the wider sewer network.”

Tips for Avoiding FOG Blockages

To minimise blockages, South West Water advises:

• Wiping pans with kitchen roll before washing up.
• Pouring cooled oils and grease into a container and binning them.
• Only flushing the ‘three Ps’ (pee, poo and paper) down the toilet.

Wet Wipes and Other Non-Flushables

Another major issue is wet wipes. An estimated 200,000 wet wipes are flushed daily in the region, despite being non-flushable. These, along with sanitary products and other items, should always go in the bin to avoid sewer blockages.

Tackling the Problem with Businesses

South West Water is also working with businesses through a partnership with environmental compliance experts, ECAS. Over the past 22 months, this collaboration has prevented over 484,000 litres of fats, oils, and grease from entering the sewer network. This work is set to continue into 2025, helping to further protect the region’s wastewater systems.

By following these simple steps, households and businesses can ensure a fatberg-free Christmas and avoid the mess and inconvenience of sewer blockages.