What is FOG?
FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease (and wax). These substances come from everyday cooking and cleaning activities in homes and restaurants. When they are washed down the drain, they can build up inside household plumbing and the public sewer system, causing expensive and hazardous blockages.

FOG comes from common items like:
• Fat: butter, dairy products, margarine, meat trimmings, peanut butter
• Oils: vegetable oil, canola oil, olive oil, salad dressings
• Grease: bacon fat, sausage drippings, gravy, pan drippings
• Wax: candle wax, polishing products, wax‑based cleaners

Why Is FOG a Problem?
Warm fats, oils, and grease may seem to flow easily down the sink, but they cool quickly inside the pipes. As they harden, they stick to pipe walls and combine with other debris. Over time, this buildup restricts water flow and can lead to clogs.

Those clogs can result in a sanitary sewer overflow (SSO). Raw sewage can back up into homes, yards, streets, and local waterways. SSOs threaten public health, damage property, and pollute rivers, streams, and drinking water sources. Cleanup and repairs can also be costly for homeowners.

To help prevent backups and protect the environment, never dispose of FOG down the drain.

How You Can Help

1. Can the Grease
Pour cooled fats, oils, and grease into a sturdy container such as a glass jar or an empty can. Once it solidifies, place the sealed container in the trash. If you don’t have a container, line a cup with aluminum foil, let the FOG cool, and throw it away.

2. Scrape Your Plate
Before washing dishes, wipe food scraps and grease from plates, pots, and pans using a paper towel. Dispose of the paper towel in the trash.

3. Catch the Scraps
Use a sink strainer to capture leftover food particles. Throw scraps into the trash instead of using the garbage disposal.

Never Put These Down the Drain:
• Meat scraps
• Lard or shortening
• Cooking oils
• Sauces and gravies
• Bacon grease and fat drippings
• Dairy products

How FOG Blocks Pipes

1. Grease sticks to the top and sides of pipe interiors.
2. More grease and food debris wash down the drain, building layers over time.
3. Flow becomes restricted until wastewater can no longer pass—leading to backups and sewer overflows.

Who Is Responsible?
According to the City's Code of Ordinances, property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing the sewer lateral between their home or business and the connection to the City's sewer main. Proper disposal of FOG helps avoid costly repairs.