Officials Want To Eliminate “FATBERGS” In Minnesota Toilets
According to Green Gobler, a company that sells plumbing products like drain-clog removers, the average person spends 73 hours a year taking care of business on the toilet. To be clear, that's not the time you waste sitting on the throne scrolling Instagram- that 73 hours is straight potty time.
Your toilet takes a lot of crap - pun intended - so you should treat it right. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren't. Minnesota officials say some Minnesotans are making a very costly mistake that's entirely preventable. Below you'll see what a "fatberg" is and how to avoid the major repair bill that comes with them.
How much does a plumber cost?
Forbes explains, that simpler clogs could cost the homeowner around $150 but more complex jobs with "extensive blockage" could cost $500. Clogs in city pipes and pumps can actually cost taxpayers thousands of dollars.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says cities across the state have reported expensive repairs over the last several years because of "fatbergs".
What is a "Fatberg"
A "fatberg" is a clog "of fats, oil, grease, and wipes"
Sewer workers everywhere dread holidays when the problem of “fatbergs” — clogs of fats, oil, grease, and wipes — worsens, leading to backups and costly repairs.
Officials are urging people not to pour grease and fat down the drain. Don't flush it either. Instead, pour it into a non-recyclable container and throw it in the garage.
What About Flushable Wipes?
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says "the state's sewer and treatment plants are not designed to handle any wipes" and that "flushing them is like flushing a hankerchief or other item made of cloth."
Rochester's Public Works Department tested the flushable wipes in the video below.
What Can I Flush Down The Toilet?
Toilet paper and human waste are the only things that should be flushed.
12 Things You Can't Recycle in Olmsted County
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