Sponsored content by: Corpus Christi Water Utilities
Hi! Corpus Christi Water Utilities here. We are so excited about Thanksgiving! Front doors are decorated with colorful fall wreaths. The heat of the summer is gone, and temperatures are perfect for spending time outdoors. Christmas trees are even beginning to make their grand appearances.
As excitement builds, you can almost taste your favorite Thanksgiving dish. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Your grandma’s signature stuffing. Pumpkin pie. And of course, the long-awaited turkey. Thanksgiving meals are a tradition to look forward to, but would you want to see that meal back in your sink a couple of days, or even weeks later? That’s exactly what could happen if you place fats, oils or grease down the kitchen drain.
Fats, oils and grease – collectively known as FOGs – create clogs in sewer lines. Over time, those clogs can cause backups into your sinks, toilets, or bathtub. If the sink clogs, a plumber could be your next holiday visitor.
What are some examples of FOGs? Bacon grease, turkey frying oil, butter, milk, salad dressing, gravy – almost everything we cook with or consume at Thanksgiving can cause a clog to form. Oh, and running hot water to wash everything down the drain or garbage disposal doesn’t solve the problem. Eventually, the FOGs cool off, creating a huge ball of hardened fat stuck in your line as close as ten feet under your sink. Trust us, it’s even more disgusting than it sounds.
Whew. Let’s get that visual out of your head and replace it with something positive. What can you do to prevent FOGs clogs?
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Never pour fats, oils or grease down the drain or down the garbage disposal
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Scrape fatty food and leftovers into the trash can
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Use a paper towel to wipe down greasy pans and throw it in the trash
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Pour cooled, used cooking oil into a can or other container for reuse later or throw in the trash
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Minimize the use of your garbage disposal
Thanksgiving (and Christmas) cooking creates big increases in the amount of fats, oils, and grease in sewer lines, but the problem is one that continues year-round. Please follow the tips above and avoid FOGs. Visit cleanbays.cctexas.com/doing to find out more.
Enjoy gathering with your family and friends. Watch some football. Donate to charity. Eat and drink to your heart’s content, then throw leftovers in the trash instead of down the sink.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Corpus Christi Water Utilities!
