When sewer backups happen in a home or business, the resulting mess is likely to require professional clean-up, repair and restoration services, at a cost of hundreds or thousands of dollars. The good news is that preventing sewer backups is  simple—just keep grease, wipes and garbage out of drains and toilets.

FOG Can Clog

Never pour fats, oils and grease (FOG) down a drain! Even when hot, FOG quickly solidifies when it combines with cooler wastewater and builds up in pipes. FOG includes not only butter, cooking oils, lard and grease, but also foods that contain them. Reduce FOG in pipes by:

· Scraping or pouring FOG into a tightly sealed container and disposing of it in the trash after it cools; and

· Using paper towels to wipe residual FOG from dishes, pots and pans.

No Wipes In The Pipes

Cleaning wipes, baby wipes, personal-hygiene wipes and other personal-care products never should be flushed down a toilet. Many wipes are mislabeled as “flushable”. These products take a very long time to break down and quickly cause blockages. Do your pipes a favor by disposing of these products in the trash only.

Garbage Disposals Are Not Garbage Cans

Garbage disposals are not designed to tackle hard-to-grind items like poultry skin, banana peels, pasta or egg shells. These items and others can build up in pipes and are difficult to remove. Dispose of food waste in the trash to keep your pipes free of food build-up.

Keeping FOG, wipes, and tough-to-grind food waste out of our sewer system benefits everyone: Homeowners, business owners and Twain Harte Community Services District can avoid costly backups that can damage homes, businesses and the environment.

 For a printable flyer about preventing sewer backups, click here: