British Utility Finishes Clearing 130-Ton FOG Blockage

Workers tackled the massive fatberg for nine weeks

British Utility Finishes Clearing 130-Ton FOG Blockage

(Photo by Thames Water)

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It took nine weeks, but earlier this month Thames Water in London announced that it had finally rid the city’s sewer system of the massive FOG blockage that made headlines back in September.

“Our work is finished, and the beast finally defeated after a mammoth effort from the team,” Alex Saunders, Thames Water waste network manager, said in a press release. “It was some of the most gut-wrenching work many would have seen on national television, and one of the reasons why the man-made Whitechapel fatberg captured the world’s imagination.”

The fatberg was one of the largest ever discovered, clocking in at 130 tons — the size of 11 double-decker buses — and blocking a stretch of sewer 250 meters long. Clearing the blockage was expected to be a lengthy process, but it took even longer than anticipated with the final stretch needing to be removed manually, using brute force and shovels, according to Thames Water.

“The good news is it has helped Thames Water and other water companies around the world get the message across that cooking fat, oils and grease should never go down the plughole,” says Saunders. “As you have seen, when combined with wet wipes, sanitary products, underwear, nappies, and anything else that shouldn’t be flushed, we’re faced with having to clear out these giant, rock-hard fatbergs.”

The sewer after the blockage had been completely cleared. (Photo by Thames Water)
The sewer after the blockage had been completely cleared. (Photo by Thames Water)


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