Don't Clog the Drain

Fats, Oils and Grease Clog Drains

Cooking oil and grease can clog drains. Grease blockages are the single greatest cause of sewer overflows in Grand Prairie, which is a health hazard, a threat to the environment and an expensive mess to clean.

When the pipe is blocked, raw sewage comes up through cleanouts or city manholes, contaminating the soil and waterways.

Around 60 percent of your water bill is used to clear clogged pipes.

Properly Dispose of Cooking Oil and Grease

Grease and cooking oil is considered hazardous waste and should be properly disposed of.

1. Pour used grease and cooking oil into a non-leaking container (such as an empty coffee container or detergent bottle with a lid)
2. Save it in the refrigerator until you can bring it to one of our Household Hazardous Waste Collection Events

Register for HHW Collection Event

What about small amounts of grease on cookware?

• Wipe with a paper towel, napkin or newspaper and then throw in the garbage.
• Whenever meat is drained in a colander, place the colander over newspaper instead of the sink, and then throw the newspaper away.

What do I do with food scraps high in fat?

• Don’t dump food scraps high in fat down the garbage disposal.
• Put the scraps in compost or garbage.

How do I dispose of motor oil or other lubricants?

• Never dump motor oil or other lubricants down the drain.
• Do not mix different types of oils together in the same container.
• Take used motor oil to the next Household Hazardous Waste Collection event or to an auto distributor that accepts motor oil for recycling (such as O'Reilly's, AutoZone and Walmart's auto center).

Do "Flushable" Wipes Clog the Toilet?

'Flushable' wipes are actually not flushable and can cause harm to plumbing and wastewater systems because they do not disintegrate after flushing. Instead, they wrap around other flushed wipes and debris, damage pumps at the wastewater plant, and have to be removed from wastewater screens and lift stations.

Wipes also create clogs in main wastewater lines and customer lines that have to be manually removed because fats, oil and grease deposit on them. Toilet paper disintegrates almost immediately, but the strong-fiber wipes cause havoc in city wastewater lines and at wastewater plants.

When using flushable wipes, please throw them into the trash, and do not flush them down the toilet. This keeps the wastewater lines clear and helps avoid costly clog removal at your home and the wastewater plant.