Keep our pipes lean and clean

People are being urged to ‘think before you pour’ after an unusually high number of FOG (fat, oil and grease) blockages in Western Bay’s wastewater pipes.

Over the past three months, there have been six instances in our rohe where wastewater has overflowed into the stormwater system, due to pipe blockages. This compares to seven overflows for the entire previous financial year, in which clean-up costs totalled $47,000.

Cedric Crow, Western Bay of Plenty District General Manager Infrastructure Group, says wastewater pipes can block for a number of reasons, including wet wipes and other items being flushed down the wharepaku.

Congealed grease and fat from kitchen wastewater binds to this debris in the pipes creating masses commonly referred to as ‘fatbergs’.

These ‘fatbergs’ cause wastewater to back up, until it spills out onto the street, ending up in stormwater drains which then flow into rivers and the sea.

In cold weather fats solidify faster, which could explain the spike in blockages, says Cedric.

“Another contributing factor could be people using cheaper cuts of meat because of rising food costs,” Cedric adds.

To dispose of fats and oils, people should pour them into a container and throw them out with the rubbish once they have set.

“Use containers that would go in the rubbish bin anyway, like the small yoghurt punnets which are number six plastic and can’t be recycled,” Cedric recommends.

People should also avoid flushing wet wipes, even those that say they are ‘flushable’, Cedric says.

“Toilet paper is made from wood fibre and breaks down easily when it’s flushed, but wipes tend to be made using petrochemicals that take longer to break down.

“It’s not a very pleasant topic to talk about, but it’s even more unpleasant when there’s an overflow. We’re asking people to be mindful of what goes into the wastewater system, so we can avoid unnecessary clean-up costs and negative environmental impacts.”