Cease the Grease
Robert W. Clarke, Plumbing Inspector
Olean Municipal Building, Room 212
P.O. Box 668,101 E. State St.
Olean, New York 14760 (716) 376-5683, (716) 376-5707 (fax)
Click here for the pdf version of this letter.
Keep your sewer flowing by NOT putting fats, oils, and
grease down your drain.
Fats, oils, and grease aren’t good for your health or your sewer. Sewer
overflows and backup’s can cause health hazards, harm the environment
and damage your home. We are finding grease is a common culprit in
blocking sewer pipes and causing overflows and sewer backups. Grease
gets into the sewer from household drains and poorly maintained grease
interceptors in restaurants and other businesses.
Grease is often washed down the drain in the kitchen where it will stick
to the sides of the sewer pipes on your property and in the streets. The
grease, over time, will buildup and block the entire sewer pipe. Avoid
pouring cooking oil or other grease down the drain. Instead, pour grease
into a heat resistant container, let it cool, and throw in the garbage.
As a homeowner you can help solve the grease problem by keeping it out
of the sewer system through the following practices:
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Never pour grease down sink drains or toilets
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Collect cooking grease in a container and dispose of it in the trash
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Scrape grease and food scraps from trays, plates, pots, pans, and utensils into the trash
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Keep strainers in your drains to catch food scraps and other solids. Empty the strainer into the trash
What else can you do to prevent sewer blockages?
Avoid drain Pain – don’t flush these things:
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Dental Floss
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Disposable Diapers
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Egg shells, nutshells, and coffee grounds
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Fats, oils, and grease
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Food items containing seeds and peelings
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Hair
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Paper towels and rags
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Sanitary napkins, tampons and condoms
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Vitamins, medicines and other pharmaceuticals
Because most sanitary sewer blockage occur between a house and the sewer main, following these simple tips may prevent a sewer line backup in your home.
Do,
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Scrape excess grease into a container and dispose of it in the garbage. If your pots and pans are just oily or greasy, wipe them clean with a paper towel and put the soiled paper in the garbage.
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Place food scraps in waste containers for disposal with your solid wastes, and scrape off your dishes prior to washing.
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Place a wastebasket in the bathroom to dispose of solid materials and products.
Don’t
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Pour fats, oils, or grease from cooking down the sink drain.
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Pour paint, engine oil, pesticides or chemicals down the sink drain.
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Flush paper towels, diapers, sanitary, napkins, tampons, convenience pads, surgical bandages, syringes, condoms, cigarette butts, razor blades, cotton tipped stems, or panty hose down the toilet. Unlike bathroom tissue, these products do not deteriorate quickly.
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Use the toilet as a wastebasket or a garbage can.
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Wash food scraps, tealeaves, coffee grounds, potato peels or eggshells down the drain.
THE CITY OF OLEAN IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER. NEW YORK STATE ACCESS NUMBER "TDD 711" FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED.