Don’t clog your pipes and drains with a ‘fatberg’ this Christmas: Southern Water says there were 17,400 West Sussex blockages in the past five years

The company is urging people not to tip fat, oil and grease down the kitchen sink.

They said there have been around 17,400 blockages in West Sussex over the past five years.

A Southern Water spokesperson said: “There is a one in ten chance of a Turkey fatberg blockage in customers’ pipes and drains during the festive period, if householders tip fat, oil and grease down the kitchen sink. This could lead to unexpected Christmas misery, if turkey fat is allowed to seep down plugholes and could lead to expensive drain blockage bills.”

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They continued: “Don’t be the party pooper and cause a blockage that could affect your neighbours too. This could lead to flooding and there is also the risk of contamination, since grease sludge can harbour bacteria, that causes disease.”

Southern Water said that 66 per cent of blockages are preventable. They said fat, oil and grease should never go down the drain and people should instead allow it to cool in containers and put it in the bin.

A spokesperson said: “Alternatively, you could be your own Christmas Master Chef and freeze turkey fat in containers to make stock cubes. They can be added to casseroles for an extra kick of flavour and can be used to enhance a host of dishes such as soups, stews, risottos and roast potatoes.”