Further Fat Find In Nairn
1-Aug-08
Scottish Water is renewing its plea to businesses and households not to dispose of fats, oils and greases down plugholes and drains, following the discovery of a serious blockage in a crucial section of the sewer system in the Highland seaside resort of Nairn.
Twice in the past fortnight during downpours of heavy rain, the sewer on the east side of the River Nairn at Merryton Bridge has overflowed from a manhole cover onto the footpath. On both occasions Scottish Water staff have responded quickly to clean up and investigate.
It has been discovered that the sewer along the east bank of the river, which takes waste water to the treatment works at Lochloy, is clogged with solidified fat and grease. This has reduced the capacity of the system. Some of the fat has been removed using high pressure water jets but more specialist equipment will need to be brought in.
Meantime, special sealed manhole covers are being fitted in the area to help prevent further spillages onto the riverside footpath.
John Robins, Scottish Water’s team manager for the Inverness & Nairn area, said: “We are doing our best to clear this fat but we would really appreciate help from the community to prevent the problem happening in the first place. The wonderful environment of Nairn is being put at risk. It is also taking up valuable time and resources. We always urge householders to bag and bin any cooking fats rather than pouring them down plugholes and drains, and businesses such as B&Bs and hotels should have proper catering fat traps installed.”
FAT – A FAMILIAR PROBLEM IN NAIRN
Fat is a familiar problem in Nairn. Earlier this year an appeal went out following the discovery of a large amount of illegally-dumped grease in the sewer under Seabank Road on the west side of the town. This had caused sewage to back up into a customer’s house.
And each year around this time an appeal goes out in advance of the Nairn Highland Games, often the busiest day of the year for the town. The population swells, catering establishments enjoy brisk trade and the waste water treatment works has to cope with an increase in the amount of fat and grease as a result.
Fat in sewage creates biological foam which impairs the ability of the treatment works, putting the quality of the discharges into the Moray Firth at risk.
FAT – THE FACTS
* Fat is responsible for 55% of all sewer blockages. Many of these result in pollution or flooding.
* Fats, oils and greases are a major cause of operational problems for Scottish Water. Across the UK the problem is estimated to cost the water industry £15million a year.
* The largest source of fat in sewers is from businesses such as catering establishments.
* The perception is that the problem is getting worse.
* Fat blockages cause pollution, flooding, public health hazards and have major clean up costs.
* Cleaning a fat clogged pumping station can cost as much as £20,000.
* There are specialist collection companies who can take away large quantities of fat and recycle it to make bio diesel fuel.
* Cooking fats can be turned into cakes for garden birds.
* Saturated fat causes the most problems. This is animal fat which goes hard when it cools.
* Mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oil and rapeseed solidify when refrigerated so can caused problems in sewers in cold weather.
* Vegetable oils are non-soluble in water and contribute to the build up of fat in sewers.
* In many other countries, commercial properties are legally obliged to fit a fat trap.
