Are your neighborhood pipes full of grease?
Grease and other debris are shown inside this manhole in the city of Portland. By Angelica Thornton KATU News and KATU.com Web StaffPORTLAND, Ore. - The day after Thanksgiving is not just a big shopping day, it's also a busy day for plumbers – who call it "Black Friday" because of what we stuff down the drain. "Sure it's liquid when you pour it down there, but when it cools down it's gonna harden up," said Dave Bailey, a Roto-Rooter plumber. That makes your pipes look like a clogged artery. Add vegetable peels to the mix, and your kitchen sink can end up having a heart attack. If the clog is just under the sink, consider yourself lucky. If it makes it to the street, the city of Portland could find you and fine you. "The property owners can be responsible for that portion of the sewer that's on their property, and those bills can add up very quickly," said Mark Mitchell, a city of Portland official. In fact, the problem is so bad in some areas that the city has designated them as special "Grease Management Areas." These are places where the city has incurred excessive maintenance costs from sewer releases caused by grease and where backups caused by grease have resulted in health risks and property damage and even environmental risks. To see if your house is located in one of those areas click the neighborhood links below: So what can you do? It's simple. Let that grease harden, scrape it up and put it in a can. Also, toss food in the trash. Remember:
|
KATU Problem Solver Reporter Shellie Bailey-Shah wants to hear from you. Got an idea for an investigation or a tip?
Weather & TrafficWeather & Traffic
Resources and info you need to prepare for the switch to DTV. Stay ConnectedYouNews
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled.
Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
|
Most Popular
Viewer Poll |
KATU, 2153 N.E. Sandy Blvd.,
