Costly Christmas clogs: home cooks told to watch what goes down the drain

Home cooks in Tameside and across Greater Manchester are being urged to think twice before tipping leftover festive fat down the kitchen sink this Christmas.

United Utilities has warned that the rich, oily ingredients that make up many traditional Christmas dishes can quickly harden inside pipes, creating costly and unpleasant blockages known as fatbergs. With more people cooking at home over the festive season, the risk of problems in drains and sewers increases significantly.

The region’s water company has spent the past year working with food businesses to tackle the issue, installing fat traps and raising awareness about the dangers of fats, oils and grease (FOG). The efforts have paid off, preventing almost 1,500 tonnes of FOG from entering the North West’s drains. Of that, 490 tonnes were stopped in Greater Manchester alone, equivalent to the weight of more than 2,700 reindeer.

Despite this, the problem persists. Across the Northwest, United Utilities responded to more than 2,000 avoidable blockages caused by FOG, including 729 in Greater Manchester. Many more incidents never reach the water company, with homeowners or private plumbers called out to clear pipes before the issue escalates.

Andy Peet, Wastewater Network Protection Manager at United Utilities, said it’s essential people understand the risks of pouring fats down the sink.

“It can be really tempting to wash leftovers down the drain after a big festive meal, but those leftovers can cause a nasty blockage,” he explained.

“When FOG congeals in the drain, it mixes with food scraps and other products, such as flushed wet wipes, and can cause a blockage. As this happens, the capacity of pipes is restricted, limiting the flow of wastewater. This can lead to sewer flooding in homes and businesses, leaving an unpleasant mess to sort out, or pollution in local rivers and streams.

“Blockages on private property may need the services of an emergency plumber which can be expensive and not what anyone needs, especially at Christmas.

“Our advice is to scrape leftovers and cooled cooking fats, oils into the bin to keep drains and pipes blockage-free.”

United Utilities estimates it spends around £10 million every year clearing blocked sewers and drains, with around 60% of blockages preventable through simple changes at home, such as binning fat, oil and grease rather than pouring it away.

Alongside FOG issues, the company also dealt with 12,000 avoidable blockages caused by flushed wet wipes and other non-flushable items.

With a few small changes in the kitchen, households can help protect their pipes and avoid an unwelcome festive plumbing bill.

FOG blocking a drain. Credit: United Utilities