'Tis the season to cut out the fat

Britain's biggest water firm today called on its 13.6 million customers to avoid washing grease from turkey dinners down their drains this Christmas - because it blocks sewers.

A staggering 500 tonnes* of fat is expected to go down Thames Water customers' drains over the festive period - the equivalent of almost 1.8million standard blocks of lard**.

Rob Smith, who works as a Thames Water 'flusher', digging out blockages in the sewers under London, said:

"This is our busiest time of year, when an estimated 25 per cent more fat, oil and grease is poured down the drains as people enjoy their Christmas dinners.

"Everyone forgets that the sewers are only meant to take away water, toilet tissue and human waste. Anything else - including fat and grease, and even items that are marketed as 'flushable' - can put your pipes at risk of nasty blockages, as they won't dissolve.

"Fat and grease causes more than half the 60,000 blockages we have to clear each year. When people pour fat down the sink it quickly cools in the sewer, mixes with everyone else's grease and then sets hard causing nasty blockages and making sewage back-up.

"So if you make only one New Year's resolution, we say it should be: put fat and household waste in the bin - where it belongs."

Fat poured down the sink can contribute to some of the most unpleasant blockages, putting homes and gardens at increased risk of sewer flooding.

Thousands of people suffer the misery of blocked drains each year - caused by unsuitable products, including wet wipes and sanitary items, going down the drain.

Every year approximately 1,000 homes and 5,000 gardens in the Thames Water region flood with sewage as a result of blockages.

Anti-fat advice

Thames Water issues the following advice for disposing of fat, oil and grease:

Cooking fat should be poured into an old container or wrapped up once it has cooled - this can then be disposed of appropriately in the bin.
In cold weather, fat with a high nutritional content - such as beef or lamb fat - can be mixed with seeds, dried fruit and food scraps to make nutritious bird feed.
Fats from meat can also be put to great use on Christmas day by adding turkey fat to gravy or using goose fat to roast potatoes.

In 2009, Thames Water will launch a large campaign to educate customers about what is suitable for flushing and pouring down drains and the impact that blockages can have on customers and the environment.

Christmas song

Thames Water, in a bid to spread its message this Christmas, has written a light-hearted song ***.

This Christmas Think of Sewermen

(sung to the tune of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen)

(verse 1)
This Christmas think of sewermen
Who tremble in dismay
When grease from goose and fatted fowl
Is idly poured away
It clogs the drains of London
And it must be scraped away.

(chorus)
Put your fat in the rubbish in a bin
Throw it all in
Put your fat in the rubbish in a bin

(verse 2)
So when you've had your Christmas meal
Of turkey, wine and pud
Remember our poor sewermen
And treat them as you should.
Don't pour your hot fat down the drain
'Cause it will do no good.