Water firm urges people not to pour pancake mix down the sink

A WATER company is urging people to dispose of pancake mix the right way ahead of Shrove Tuesday.

Severn Trent are calling on the remnants of the tasty treat to be put in the bin rather than down the drain.

The company said the fats, oils and greases can create ‘fatbergs’ which lead to blockages in sewers and flooding.

Grant Mitchell, sewer blockages lead at Severn Trent, said:

“This Pancake Day, we’d like to remind people to watch what they’re pouring down their drains and think about the affect it could have on the sewers.

“Pancakes might seem undamaging to most people, but the batter and the fats, oils and grease that they’re paired with cause huge problems when they’re washed down the sink.

“Once it reaches the pipes and congeals with things that are wrongly flushed down the toilet, like wet wipes, they create fatbergs and cause blockages that can be quite expensive to fix.

“Throw leftover food waste in the bin instead of pouring it in the sink.”

The company is also advising people tucking into pancakes on 4th March to use kitchen roll to soak up grease before washing up and collect any oils or fats in a jar or tin before putting them in the bin once they’ve cooled.

It comes after Severn Trent said it had to clear a “shocking” 28,782 blockages last year due to incorrect items put down toilets and sinks.