Peachtree City

sewer officials are reminding local residents to avoid pouring grease

down their drains which can clog sewer lines.

Though it's

in liquid form when poured down the drain, the grease can solidify once

it cools, and by that time it has often reached the city's sewer mains,

said Water and Sewer Authority General Manager Larry Turner.

The solution

for homeowners?

"Keep

an old coffee can under the sink to pour the grease in," Turner said.

Once the can is full, it can be disposed of in the household garbage,

he added.

Grease buildup

can also affect the pump stations by preventing them from switching on

when necessary Turner said. The pump stations are checked twice weekly

to make sure there's no problem.

Either way,

grease clogs can cause sewer overflows, which are an environmental concern,

Turner said.

Just Tuesday,

crews had to clean a 12-inch sewer main in the Wynnmeade area that were

clogged with grease, Turner said. WASA uses a video monitoring system

to inspect sewer lines for maintenance issues, but many times the trouble

is reported by homeowners themselves, Turner said.

There are an

estimated 135 miles of sewer pipe running through Peachtree City. The

oldest pipes are over 40 years old, and those also tend to have the most

grease problems because of tree roots that encroach on the pipes.

The grease

can attach to the roots inside the pipes and cause clogs, Turner said.

"Then,

the problem is compounded tenfold, probably," Turner said.

Local restaurants

have grease traps installed to prevent grease from entering the sewer

system. WASA inspects those mechanisms periodically to make sure they're

performing adequately, Turner added.

WASA also suggests

disposing of meat by-products in household garbage instead of through

the garbage disposal in a sink, Turner said.

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