Watch: Severn Trent staff create Grease Fighting video to help cut drain blockages in Birmingham homes

Severn Trent staff are dancing to a new tune when it comes to cutting drain blockages in Birmingham and across the West Midlands.

Teams are ‘Grease Fighting’ in a bid to ensure more flood-free ‘Summer Nights’ for their customers by slashing the amount of fats, oils and greases (FOG) dumped down sinks and toilets in homes. Staff slipped into character to help share all important messages in a video evoking the spirit of the classic Rydell High musical, which famously starred Hollywood legend John Travolta as Danny and the late Olivia Newton-John as Sandy.

Teams at Severn Trent Water said they are ‘Hopelessly Devoted’ to getting the message across to customers, who have been told ‘You’re The One That We Want’ to support the campaign. Dumping fats, oils and greases (FOG) down sinks and toilets can in turn lead to sewer blockages and flooding incidents. Instead, householders are urged to let the FOG cool before scraping into a container, jar or tin and putting it safely in the bin, so they can protect their homes and avoid potentially costly drain blockage issues.

Grant Mitchell, FOG expert at Severn Trent, said: “People may have bigger things on their minds than where they are getting rid of salad dressing and sauces or the fat from grills. But if they pour leftover fats and oils down the drain, they can cause blocked pipes. You might think they’ve gone away, but they settle in drains and over time could grow into something horrible in your home.”

Latest data shows in one year the water company inspected around 37,000 sewers, cleansed around 18,000 pipes and repaired around 7,700 pipes to keep blockages at bay and keep supplies flowing.

Now it is hoped the Grease-inspired campaign will offer some ‘Summer Lovin’ to the Severn Trent pipes network, to ensure customers can focus on enjoying the summer holidays, without having to worry about the impact of blockages or flooding in their community.

Grant added: “This is a fun video but with a serious message. Putting the wrong things down the drain can have a devastating impact on communities and the environment and we know blockages can be a horrible experience for our customers. We can all play a part in helping keep our sewers free of FOG. To do that, it’s vital we put fats, oils and any food in the bin, and remember to only ever flush the 3 Ps down the toilet too – poo, pee and paper.”

The Severn Trent campaign comes as Birmingham is already enjoying a summer of Rydell High nostalgia. Grease The Live Experience is taking place at the city’s NEC until August 13.

Grease Fighting Tips!

• Keep your BBQ and drains clean. Use a wire brush to remove any fat and build-up on your BBQ once cooled after use. Use a paper towel to soak up excess oil, before cleaning as usual.
• Think before you rinse. Use kitchen roll to wipe food waste from pots and plates before washing up. That goes for mayonnaise, ketchup and sauces too. Kitchen roll soaks up grease and can be put in the bin.
• Recycle those oil and dressing bottles. Turn your used bottles upside down on a paper towel to empty every last drop before recycling. Please don’t swill out oil from an empty bottle and rinse down the sink.
• Take the strain! Use a sink strainer to catch food waste before it reaches the pipe.
• Collect it and bin it. Don’t pour used cooking oil, fat, soups and sauces down the sink or outside drains. Simply collect it in a container, jar or tin once it’s cool – and then bin it.