“ I always put bacon grease down the sink, but I run the
garbage disposal.” “What is the big deal?”

Grease coagulates or hardens as it cools. It is sticky
and it clings to anything it comes in contact with, including
the walls of vitrified clay sewer pipes. As the grease builds
up and additional debris attaches to it, the internal diameter
of the pipe narrows. The hardened mass of grease is
impermeable and creates a blockage, similar to a plug.
A blockage in the main sewer line results in a sewage back
up and inevitably a sewage spill.

Over the past several years, Orange County has experienced many beach closures due to ocean water contamination. Almost all of the closures were the result of bacterial contamination

from a sewage spill into drains or other waterways which flow into the ocean. An Orange County Grand Jury was formed to investigate and make recommendations for alleviating this problem. Their survey concluded that the leading cause of sewage spills is clogged sewer pipes from the accumulation of grease/oil discharged from restaurants and high density residential areas.

Sewage spills can result in health and safety hazards, business closures, damage to public and private property, beach closures, and a variety of penalties and fines by local and state agencies. The Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District implements proactive measures to prevent spills from occurring within the service area. These measures include preventative maintenance and cleaning, additional cleaning for trouble spots, video inspection to identify potential problems, informing prospective offenders of discharge regulations, and code enforcement to insure that the District’s Ordinances are observed. Even though all these measures are taken by the District, it is not enough! It is imperative that every commercial business, residence, and industrial facility that discharges wastewater into the sewer system act responsibly as well.

Fortunately, the Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District has not been responsible for any of the beach closures, although grease is still a problem in our District as it is everywhere else. We will continue to do our part to insure that the main sewer lines are cleaned and inspected regularly, and are operating efficiently. Business and homeowners can also help to prevent sewage spills by observing the following guidelines.

How You Can Prevent Sewage Spills
1. Never put grease down garbage disposals, drains, or toilets.
2. Perform periodic cleaning/maintenance to eliminate grease, debris, and roots in your lateral line.
3. Repair any structural problems in your sewer system and eliminate any rainwater infiltration/inflow leaks into your lateral line.
4. Restaurants/ Industrial kitchens should make sure that grease interceptors are properly maintained and emptied regularly.

Together we can prevent grease blockages that cause sewage spills and threaten our environment!