A turkey being basted during the cooking process. A young girl watches with hungry eyes.

1 in 5 homes risking blocked drain or sewer by putting fat down the sink

Millions of households are being urged not to risk sinking their celebrations this Christmas by tipping turkey fat and other leftovers down the plughole.

A new study by the Consumer Council for Water (CCWater) has revealed that 1 in 5 consumers still put leftover fat, oil and grease from cooking down the kitchen sink or drain – and that could be a recipe for disaster this Christmas1.

People aged from 18 to 34 are the most likely to have put fatty substances down the plughole which can clog up sewer pipes and increase the risk of homes being flooded with raw sewage. Greasy leftovers can also block a property’s drains, leaving the household having to fork out hundreds of pounds to clear up the mess.

That’s why the Water Watchdog is urging everyone to stop and think about what they put down the sink as they prepare their Christmas dinner.

It’s encouraging people to use an old container – like a jam jar or butter tub – to collect leftover fat, gravy and grease and allow it to cool before scraping it into the bin.

Steve Grebby, Wastewater Policy Manager, said:

It might be tempting to put greasy leftovers down the kitchen sink but it really isn’t worth the risk of ruining your Christmas. It’s much safer to let fat or grease cool in a container before scraping it straight into the bin. It might cost you a little more time but it could save you a lot of heartache and money.

The number of homes flooded with sewage fell by a third last year to 3,560 but the water industry still spends an estimated £100 million a year clearing blocked sewers – and it’s consumers that pick up the tab through their sewerage bills.

For more information or to arrange an interview with CCWater sewer expert Steve Grebby please call the media team on 0121 345 1005.

1 More than 1,000 consumers were interviewed as part of the research carried out by Populus on behalf of CCWater.