Keep Those Turkey Juices Out Of The Sink To Avoid A 'Fatberg,' DPW Officials Say

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Public Works officials say Thanksgiving is the worst time of year for sewer blockages as fats, oils, and greases (FOG) make their way down the drain.

"It's that fat that comes off that food. You got that turkey juices. You got that fried chicken," Baltimore City DPW Superintendent Ronald McNair said. "Please, do us a favor. Put (FOG) in the trash can."

McNair said "FOG" is to blame for small blockages and big ones, like the 2017 "Fatberg" in a midtown sewer line on Charles Street. The plug of grease caused a dry-weather 1.2 million gallon sewage overflow into the nearby Jones Falls.

"Grease, baby wipes, hard paper towels will build up over time," DPW Heavy Equipment Operator Cornelius Curry said. "People will—they'll swear on a stack of bibles, 'I don't put no grease down there!'"

Curry, a 20-year DPW veteran, showed WJZ Wednesday how he and other crews perform routine maintenance on an eight-inch main line off Falls Road.

DPW's "Trash the Wipes" campaign urges people to only flush "poo, pee, and toilet paper" and lists several "unflushable" items here:

In:
• Baltimore
• Turkey
• Baltimore City