News

Fish & Chips is probably one of the few meals that Britain is famous for, and here at Severn Trent we'll be celebrating in style.  But we’ll also be worrying about all that chip
fat ending up in the sewers and causing fatbergs.

Today (7th June) is National Fish & Chips day, and it gives everyone an excuse to indulge in their favourite – whether that be cod, haddock or plaice (arguments commence).

But as many people opt to cook their fish & chips at home, they need to remember to dispose of oils and fats in the right way so as not to give an unwanted surprise to their neighbours.

Grant Mitchell, sewer blockages lead, said: “Whether you cook your fish & chips at home or get them from your local chippie, the amount of fat left over is surprising.

“We work really hard to help our local food outlets to manage the grease they have left over from cooking our favourite takeways.  And in fact over the last year, our teams and our local businesses have stopped over 250 tonnes (!) of fat from entering the sewers by having properly sized grease traps in good working order.

“But we’re still clearing around 45,000 blockages each year, so we’ve still got some work to do yet.”

Many people when cooking at home forget how damaging it can be to pour this leftover fat down the sink – it might seem harmless when you’re doing it but that grease quickly solidifies when it cools and causes all sorts of problems.

It can stick to the sides of the sewers forming a concrete-like solid that attracts other debris, like wet wipes and cotton buds, 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 into homes.

Millions of pounds of damage is caused each year as blocked drains cause sewer flooding, over 75 per cent of which are the result of preventable blockages such as fats, oils and grease being poured directly down kitchen sinks.

Grant added: “We’d ask that customers bag it and bin any leftover fat in containers such as an empty margarine tub or jam jar.  By doing that everyone can enjoy a ‘chippie Friday’ without causing damage to their pipes and our sewers!”