Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 128

As the holidays approach, Fort Bend County MUD 128 wants to remind residents to be mindful of what goes down the drain. Fat, oil, and grease (often called F.O.G.) might seem harmless when warm, but once cooled, they can cause major plumbing and environmental problems.

Understanding F.O.G.

• Fats include items like peanut butter, shortening, meat trimmings, poultry skin, and dairy products such as milk, sour cream, or ice cream. These remain solid at room temperature.
• Oils such as vegetable oil, salad dressing, and cooking oil are liquid when used but can cling to pipes.
• Grease includes gravy, mayonnaise, bacon drippings, and melted meat fat. Though they start as liquids, they solidify after cooling and create blockages over time.

Why It Matters

When fat, oil, or grease goes down the drain, it can build up inside pipes. This accumulation restricts water flow, leading to backups that can push raw sewage into homes or leak into the environment. These overflows pollute waterways and pose health risks for people, fish, and wildlife and can also result in expensive repairs to both household plumbing and community infrastructure.

How to Dispose of F.O.G. Safely

• Let fats, oils, and grease cool in the pan before cleanup.
• For small amounts, wipe out residue with paper towels and toss it in the trash.
• For larger amounts, pour the cooled grease into a sealable container or bottle for disposal at a recycling center.
• Use sink strainers to catch food scraps and solids.
• Products like cat litter can help solidify grease, making it safe to discard.
• Running hot water and soap won’t eliminate grease buildup; it only delays the problem.

Let’s Keep Drains Clear

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the worst times of year for F.O.G. blockages because of all the holiday cooking and frying. Do your part this season by keeping fats, oils, and grease out of your drains. A few simple steps can prevent costly repairs, protect local waterways, and keep our community systems running smoothly.

Encourage friends and neighbors to do the same by sharing this message. Together we can build a cleaner, safer community.

Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 128 Board of Directors, wants to remind residents not to put items down a storm drain for several important reasons:

• Clogs and Flooding: Leaves and grass can block the natural flow of water in the storm drainage system, causing water to back up, which leads to localized flooding during rain events. This increases maintenance costs and efforts to clear clogged drains.
• Water Pollution: Storm drains do not treat water, instead they carry everything directly to local creeks, rivers, or lakes. When yard waste decomposes in the drainage system, it adds excess nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus) to waterways, promoting algae blooms that deplete oxygen, potentially killing fish and harming aquatic life.
• Transport of Harmful Chemicals: Grass and leaves may carry fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. When these chemicals enter storm drains, they flow untreated into waterways, contaminating the ecosystem and harming wildlife.
• Habitat for Pests and Maintenance Issues: Accumulated organic debris in storm drains can provide breeding grounds for insects and rodents, creating further urban health hazards, and contributing to increased maintenance needs.
• Legal Consequences: In some locations, sweeping or dumping leaves and grass into storm drains is a violation of municipal waste laws and may result in citations or fines.

Another eco-friendly approach is to compost leaves and grass or use community yard waste pickup services, rather than sending them down storm drains.

Please share with your neighbors and landscapers.

 

The Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District No. 128 Board would like to remind residents of how small everyday actions can positively impact local waterways. You can employ smarter lawn care by using fertilizer and pesticides carefully to prevent runoff, cleaning up pet waste to reduce bacteria entering water systems, draining pool and spa water responsibly to protect fish and plants, and preventing illegal dumping and trash by keeping oil, paint, and chemicals out of storm drains. Let’s work together to protect creeks, ponds, and aquatic life by promoting responsible behavior in the community.