Flow Free

Did you know cooking grease, fats, and oils being poured down drains are a major cause of residential sanitary sewer spills resulting in unsightly, smelly, and costly messes?

Oils and grease are wastes that the city's sewer system cannot handle and should not be discarded down the drain. Grease, fats, and oils will clog sewer lines (the same way bad cholesterol can clog heart arteries), causing sewage back-ups and flooding. Sewage backups can damage personal and public property.

Spills also affect your water bill. Charlotte Water responds to more than 200 spills a year caused by grease clogging sewer pipes. Charlotte Water inspects and clears sewer pipes to prevent spills but we can't do this without your help.

Drain excess grease or cooking oil into a can, cool, and toss. Wipe any leftover grease from the pan with a paper towel and throw the paper towel away.

The same goes for our toilets. If you flush items down the toilet that don't belong there, you are inviting clogs and overflows. Even products labeled as "flushable" do not decompose in the sewer system and can contribute to clogging. Don't flush paper towels, wipes, hair, cotton swabs, feminine products, or dental floss. Only put toilet paper down the toilet.

Please call 311 or 704-336-7600 to request free Flow Free collateral including posters, door hangers, can lids, sponges, and grease scrapers.