Don't block your sewer during chip week
Severn Trent Water is reminding customers to enjoy Chip Week and not to end up blocking pipes with unwanted cooking fat.
Severn Trent has joined forces with Chip Week (which starts from Monday 20th) to tell customers to enjoy the event but not get caught out with a flood. Cooks unwittingly pour fats, oils and greases down their sink which solidify causing blockages and flooding.
There’s no doubting that we can’t get enough of our chips and Chip Week is celebrating its 21st year with a range of promotions and events.
Maria Ball, Chip Week corporate affairs manager, said: “The chip is as popular as ever and we know that Severn Trent customers love them as much as we do. We hope that they continue to do so without causing themselves problems and listen to the advice regarding the disposal of cooking oils and fats. We hope customers across the region join us in our annual event.”
Millions of pounds of damage is caused each year as blocked drains cause flooding, over 25% of which, is the result of fats, oils and grease being poured directly down kitchen sinks. This can cause costly problems in private pipes as well as those belonging to Severn Trent.
Simon Cocks, director for waste water services at Severn Trent, said: “Pouring any fats or oils down your kitchen sink could cause flooding misery. Sewage flooding into homes is both our own, and our customer’s worst nightmare.
“Instead we ask that cooks bag it, and bin it. Everyone can enjoy Chip Week without any problem if they put them in a container and bin them instead of pouring them down the sink.”
Fats and greases may be in liquid form when first poured down sinks, but they will quickly solidify when meeting the cold wall of the sewer even if pouring hot water down after them. The fats stick to the side of the sewer forming a concrete-like solid that attracts other debris, eventually causing a blockage. With no way through, the waste water backs up the system, coming out of drains and sewers in roads or even homes.
Anyone who wants more information on Chip Week, including recipes and voting in the choice awards, should visit http://chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk/
Severn Trent Water give out free disposable ‘fat traps’, which are available by calling 0845 603 4413 or visiting www.stwater.co.uk/fattrap
Anyone who discovers a flood should contact Severn Trent on 0800 783 4444. If the flood is within a customers own property they should contact their local plumber.