Friday, December 13, 2002
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Friday, December 13, 2002 |
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Small sewer spill in PTC didn't contaminate water supply; caused by grease blockage By JOHN
MUNFORD
A grease blockage in a sewer line caused a small sewage spill Monday morning in Peachtree City near Sandown Drive, according to officials. The spill, which was estimated at 500 gallons, did not contaminate the water supply, said Larry Turner, general manager of the Peachtree City Water and Sewerage Authority. Instead, the sewage flowed into an intermittent ditch that was cleaned up by WASA crews. Turner said the spill was reported quickly and WASA crews responded right away. "We went out there and vacuumed it up," he said. The blockage was cleared out from the line so service could be restored to the area. Since the spill did not reach a stream, the spill did not require WASA to notify Georgia environmental regulators, Turner said. The blockage that caused the spill was likely the result of residents who poured cooking grease into the sewer system, Turner said. Instead of disposing of the grease in the sink, WASA officials recommend storing used cooking grease in a coffee can or a plastic container such as an empty soda bottle. Once the container is full, the grease can be thrown away with the household solid waste instead of being poured into the sewer system, where it can cause clogs that cause spills like the one experienced Monday morning. Residents can also use paper towels to wipe cooled cooking grease from pots and pans, then throwing away the paper towels instead of pouring the grease down the drain.
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