JEA warns those preparing Thanksgiving meals to dispose of refuse properly

Holiday meals, like Thanksgiving dinner, are so delicious due in part to fatty flavors like butter and gravy. But when finished with those dinners, be careful with how you dispose of what made the food taste so good.

JEA is warning all its customers in North Florida and anyone celebrating the holidays to be careful while cleaning up and disposing of grease and oils.

“Pouring fats, oil or grease down the drain may seem convenient, but it can cause significant damage to your plumbing and the environment. Over time, grease can solidify, blocking pipes, leading to costly repairs for home plumbing and JEA’s sewer system,” a JEA news release issued this week said.

Pipes for JEA’s wastewater treatment system are designed to handle human waste and toilet paper, the utility said, and grease accumulation can cause extreme clogging. That drainage backup creates what the utility calls “fatbergs,” or “coagulations of non-biodegradable sewage that cause backups and sewer overflows.”

This year alone, JEA has already responded to more than 2,400 backups in its sewer system in the Jacksonville area. Most of those were caused by people pouring fats, oils and grease into the utility’s sewer system.

Those backups can cause substantial contamination and overflows and can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to repair. When JEA or any utility has to unclog the wastewater blockage, ultimately that cost will be passed on to all utility customers through higher bills.

JEA has a list of tips to dispose of fats, oils and grease during the Thanksgiving stretch including: Pour cooking grease into a used can, seal the can in a plastic bag and throw it away.

Wipe off dishes, pots, pans and cooking utensils with a paper towel before rinsing or washing them. Then put the paper towels in the trash.

Before flushing a toilet, JEA officials say think about Freddy Fatberg. Don’t flush baby wipes (even if the box says you can), paper towels, dental floss, cat litter, or oil-based hand scrubs down the toilet. Other things that should be avoided include cotton swabs, cotton balls and medicines.