Hunterdon County Grease Sewage Back-Up A Major Sewer System Problem

PRLog (Press Release) – May 22, 2008 – A clog caused by grease in a sanitary sewer line caused a back up of wastewater along a local NJ roadway easement recently.  Russell Reid, LLC was called upon to clean up the environmental hazard.  The wastewater management company restored normal operation to the Township’s sewer system within hours.  

Many townships are facing more and more problems due to large amounts of fats, oil and grease entering the sanitary sewer system.  These substances, also known as FOG, enter the sanitary sewer system when washed down the drain from a residential or commercial kitchen or food processing facility.  FOG will typically liquefy when warmed to a higher temperature, such as during a dish washing cycle, and can cool further down the lines, causing unsanitary back-up conditions.

King County Wastewater Treatment Division Director Don Theiler recently faced the environmental damage in Bellevue, NJ.  "One of the best ways people can keep fats and grease out of the sewer is to keep it out of their drains," said Theiler. "Not only does it help prevent sewer system overflows, it can help people avoid their own costly plumbing problems."

The New Jersey scenario was the cause of a recent emergency call from the Township of Clinton, NJ.  A large amount of fats, oils and grease had entered the sewer system and formed a clog in a main line.  As a result, the wastewater backed up and overflowed along side a major roadway, contaminating an easement with greasy wastewater.

The grease problem is epidemic, causing NY Queens City Council's environmental protection committee to examine city environmental regulations.  The chairman of the committee, Council Member James Gennaro, said the Council will investigate how the city is enforcing laws that require eateries to collect their grease in traps to keep it out of sewers, where it creates backups that flood entire blocks and subway stations.
"There's overall inadequacy generally," Mr. Gennaro said. "Grease is a big contributor. We don't have to create new laws because it's already illegal. Now it's an enforcement issue."

Responding to the Clinton Township emergency call, Russell Reid technicians and Project Managers set to work using a combination jet vac vehicle, bags of lime and 400 feet of hose to clean up the spill from the easement.   The jetter was then used to clean 1,500 feet of eight-inch sewer lines to remove the clog and clean the interior surfaces.    

Commercial food processors such as restaurants usually have systems to deal with the grease to intercept it before it enters the sanitary sewer system.  These systems are called grease traps; large tanks which allow the grease to cool and separate from the water.  The water is then allowed to drain while the grease is held in the tank for removal and disposal.  When the grease interceptor allows too much grease to enter the sanitary sewer system, this is usually due to poor housekeeping procedures or inadequate cleaning frequency of the grease trap.  

In addition to commercial wastewater services, Russell Reid provides grease trap cleaning services for restaurants and food processing facilities.  Included with each service is a free10 point check of the system to ensure that it is operating properly and preventing discharge in to the sanitary sewer system.  We also offer helpful educational information on good housekeeping practices to further assist with keeping FOG under control.  In the event of an emergency situation, restaurants, food processing facilities and municipalities can all rely on Russell Reid for fast, expert service, 24 hours a day.

Russell Reid Wastewater Management
330 Bismark Rd.
Jackson, NJ 08527-5401
info@wastemanagementhub.com
800-356-4468  
http://septictank.wastemanagementhub.com