Pouring grease down your drain is a slippery slope to sewer problems
You may think that pouring fats, oils or grease down the kitchen sink is no big deal. A victimless crime, at worst.
However, Michael Mitchell has gotten up close and personal with the unpleasant consequences of grease accumulating in Ottawa’s sewers. He can tell you that when it comes to what you pour down the drain, out of sight does not mean out of mind.
It’s Michael’s job to ensure that wastewater from your home travels efficiently through Ottawa’s sewer system to the City’s wastewater treatment facility.
When congealed grease builds up and gets lodged somewhere along the City’s 3,000 kilometres of sewer pipes, Michael knows it’s time to clear his calendar.
How does grease buildup affect your ability to maintain City sewers?
Grease buildup extends a one-day job into multiple days. It means extra staffing, contractor time, and bringing in all sorts of specialized equipment.
Typically, we clean pipes using high-pressure water, but when these grease build-ups happen, we have to use nozzle attachments with chain-cutters that rotate at high speed to scrape grease from the pipe walls. It takes a long time, but it gets the job done.
Are there any impacts on the pipes themselves?
Absolutely. Clogs aren’t the only issue. People might not know this, but grease corrodes and degrades the walls of a pipe over time. There’s also damage to the sewer system itself. When you have to replace a corroded pipe, that comes at a cost to taxpayers.
Visit Drain-Tech.com to help prevent drain clogs due to grease and solids!
What’s the worst grease-related incident you’ve seen?
I’ve seen a 24-inch pipe that was completely blocked with grease – the blockage was over eight meters long. Over time, the grease had completely eaten away the bottom of the pipe.
We use a remote-controlled robotic camera with mud-tires, called a CCTV robot. When we sent it into the pipe to have a look, it fell right through the hole. We had to excavate to retrieve it, which was another big job. The CCTV camera has a seriously dirty job. It will emerge from a pipe totally covered in grease. Better him than me!
Read the full story at: https://ottawa.ca/en/news/pouring-grease-down-your-drain-slippery-slope-sewer-problems-1
One Product – Many Names
Drain-Net has developed a highly popular waste interceptor product line we call GDRU’s. However, this commercial kitchen necessity can be called many things. 
We call it a GDRU (Garbage Disposal Replacement Unit) because it can replace mechanical garbage disposals which have been outlawed in a number of states. Instead of grinding the food waste and wasting precious freshwater for flushing, the strainer-drawer in GDRU strains solid particles under the pre-rinse sink when dirty dishes are being pre-rinsed, affecting a much needed pretreatment process of restaurant wastewater.
A GDRU can also be called an “Indirect Waste Interceptor”.
Many states such as New York and New Jersey have passed laws that require restaurants to install indirect waste units. A typical plumbing code states, “Indirect waste connections shall be provided for drains, overflows, or relief vents from the water supply system, and no piping or equipment carrying wastes or producing wastes or other discharges under pressure shall be directly connected to any part of the drainage system.” Our versatile GDRU’s can easily be installed to meet this requirement. An air gap can be created before the inlet or after the outlet to meet the indirect connection requirement.
A GDRU can also be called a “Grease Trap Pre-Strainer.”
Grease Traps and Grease Interceptors primary function is to separate grease from wastewater. However, debris filled water can quickly accumulate in a grease trap, rendering it ineffective. A GDRU should be installed before waste water reaches a grease trap. Commercial kitchens who install Garbage Disposal Replacement Units see a dramatic improvement in grease trap functionality and can reduce grease trap service visits.
Believe it or not a GDRU can go by even more names such as an “Indirect Waste Separator,” “Food Waste Separator,” “Flat Strainer,” “Indirect liquid waste separator,” or a “Wet Waste Interceptor. Whatever you call the product, you can be sure that your restaurant or commercial kitchen will stay compliant with local plumbing codes and that your drains stay free of food waste.
Click here to view our Garbage Disposal Replacement Unit product line
Ultra-Grate Guard®: Protection for Storm Drains and Catch Basins
Did you know that Drain-Net offers waste water management solutions? Drain-Net’s Ultra-Grate Guard® helps you comply with stormwater pollution prevention plans and Stormwater Best Management practices by protecting your storm drains and catch basins. It’s the sure way to capture sediment, silt, debris and other runoff before they enter our storm drains and sewers. The Oil and Sediment (O/S) Model comes equipped with an oil absorbent pillow. The Sediment Only (SED) Model is ideal for construction managers and building owners who want to protect their stormwater drains during construction. View this product and more at our online store: www.Drain-Net.com
- For use with flat grate catch basins
- Allows run-off to flow through while blocking sediment and/or capturing oil
- Standard and custom sizes available
- Helps comply with NPDES, 40 CFR 122.26 (1999) when used as Best Management Practice in Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans
Pre-Strainers: The Key to a working Grease Trap!
Did you know that as solid waste collects in your grease trap the capacity is diminished, decreasing its ability to separate and capture grease, even to the point of complete ineffectiveness? The best product to keep your grease trap operating correctly is a Grease Trap Pre-Strainer.
One of the primary causes of drain clogging and backflow in restaurants is the waste and debris that comes from food preparation and ware-washing sinks. These grease trap pre-strainers intercept 98% of solid particles from wastewater before they reach your drains, grease trap, and facility piping. Features of the Grease Trap Pre-Strainer include:
- Removable tray allows user to empty solids into a trash receptacle in seconds
- One unit can handle multiple sinks (up to 18 gallons per minute)
- Adjustable height for easy installation
- 2” connection from either side
- Durable stainless steel construction
Click here to view Drain-Net’s full product line of Grease Trap Pre-Strainers.
Krispy Kreme sued for $20 million for greasy waste
Did you know, as a restaurant or commercial kitchen, you can be held responsible for the grease that your exits your facility? In 2009, Fairfax County, Va., officials sued Krispy Kreme for $20 million, alleging that years of greasy waste from a donut plant had fouled up the sewer system. “The ‘excess fats, oils and grease’ have built up in the system, destroying iron pipes, mechanical pumps and other equipment and caused leaks, according to court filings.” You can read more of the article here.
Don’t let this happen to you! Drain-Net can equip your restaurant or commercial kitchen with the equipment you need to make you compliant with local ordinances and keep your sewer water grease-free. Drain-Net offers Grease Traps, Grease Monitors, Basket strainers, and much more.
