With kitchens getting busier during the holiday season, Aqua Pennsylvania is reminding customers that what goes down the drain can have serious consequences for household plumbing and community wastewater systems. Fats, oils, and grease from festive cooking can cool, solidify, and lead to costly clogs in home pipes and sewer lines.
As families prepare their favorite holiday dishes, Aqua encourages customers to follow these simple tips to keep pipes flowing freely:
- Never pour fats, oils, or grease down the sink or toilet.
- Let leftover grease cool in a metal can before throwing it in the trash.
- Use sink strainers to catch food scraps and prevent solids from entering drains.
- Scrape food waste — including greasy residue — into the garbage.
- Share these tips with family, friends, and neighbors to help prevent blockages across the community.
Many people assume garbage disposals can handle fats, oils, and grease, but that’s a myth. While these substances may start as liquids, they quickly harden as they cool, creating thick build-ups that can block pipes, trigger sewage backups, and even cause overflows in local streets.
Aqua also reminds customers that all wipes belong in the trash, even those marketed as “flushable.” Unlike toilet paper, wipes and similar products don’t break down in the wastewater system and can create major clogs.
Customers can watch this short animated video to learn more about preventing pipes from clogging.
Learn more about Aqua Pennsylvania and how it serves approximately 1.5 million people in 33 counties throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
