Severn Trent workers have come up with a unique way of helping to prevent drain blockages – by launching a movie-inspired video campaign.
Staff from the region’s water company have taken inspiration from the ever-popular Grease musical and have come up with their own version of the Grease Lightning song – called Grease Fighting.
Ten members of staff are featured singing and dancing in the 28-second video shot at a waste treatment site.
In it, they show they are ‘Hopelessly Devoted’ to ensuring more flood-free ‘Summer Nights’ by urging householders and businesses to slash the amount of fats, oils and greases (FOG) dumped down sinks.
FOG can potentially create damaging fatbergs, which can in turn lead to sewer blockages and flooding incidents.
Instead, householders are urged to let the FOG cool before putting it safely in the bin, so they can protect their homes and avoid potentially costly drain blockage issues.
Grant Mitchell, FOG expert at Severn Trent, said: “This is a fun video but with a serious message.
“Putting the wrong things down the drain can have a devastating impact on communities and the environment and we know blockages can be a horrible experience for our customers.
“We can all play a part in helping keep our sewers free of FOG.
“To do that, it’s vital we put fats, oils and any food in the bin, and remember to only ever flush the 3 Ps down the toilet too – poo, pee and paper.”
Latest data shows in one year the water company inspected around 37,000 sewers, cleansed around 18,000 pipes and repaired around 7,700 pipes to keep blockages at bay and keep supplies flowing.
The following tips have been issued to householders and businesses:
- Keep your BBQ and drains clean. Use a wire brush to remove any fat and build-up on your BBQ once cooled after use. Use a paper towel to soak up excess oil, before cleaning as usual.
- Think before you rinse. Use kitchen roll to wipe food waste from pots and plates before washing up. That goes for mayonnaise, ketchup and sauces too. Kitchen roll soaks up grease and can be put in the bin.
- Recycle those oil and dressing bottles. Turn your used bottles upside down on a paper towel to empty every last drop before recycling. Please don’t swill out oil from an empty bottle and rinse down the sink.
- Take the strain! Use a sink strainer to catch food waste before it reaches the pipe.
- Collect it and bin it. Don’t pour used cooking oil, fat, soups and sauces down the sink or outside drains. Simply collect it in a container, jar or tin once it’s cool – and then bin it.
