North West homes urged to keep festive fats away from sinks

Blocked drains caused by festive food waste could lead to costly repairs

Author: Joseph GartlyPublished 24th Dec 2025

People across the North West are being reminded to think twice about what they pour down their sinks this Christmas, with oils, fats, and grease from festive cooking posing a major risk to drains.

United Utilities is urging households to dispose of food waste properly to avoid causing blockages that could lead to costly repairs.

Festive meals, often containing high levels of fat and grease, can contribute to hardened residues in pipework if washed down the sink, building up into large deposits known as fatbergs. The utility company warns this can restrict the flow of wastewater in the sewer system, potentially leading to flooding or pollution.

Over the past year, United Utilities has worked with food establishments to install fat traps, preventing almost 1,500 tonnes of cooking fats, oils, and grease from entering drains across the region. However, blocked sewers remain a significant issue, with more than 2,000 avoidable blockages caused by fats and oils.

Andy Peet, Wastewater Network Protection Manager at United Utilities, explained the risks for homeowners: "It can be really tempting to wash leftovers down the drain after a big festive meal, but those leftovers can cause a nasty blockage.

"When FOG congeals in the drain, it mixes with food scraps and other products, such as flushed wet wipes, and can cause a blockage. As this happens, the capacity of pipes is restricted, limiting the flow of wastewater. This can lead to sewer flooding in homes and businesses, leaving an unpleasant mess to sort out, or pollution in local rivers and streams.

"Blockages on private property may need the services of an emergency plumber which can be expensive and not what anyone needs, especially at Christmas."

To prevent these issues, United Utilities recommends scraping food waste, cooled fats, and grease directly into bins instead of rinsing them down the sink.

The company estimates that 60% of blockages can be avoided with small changes to household habits, potentially saving money in plumber callouts and reducing the £10million it spends annually clearing blockages across the region