Hey, Don't Dump That Grease!

Last updated Sunday, March 20, 2005 8:14 PM CST in Front

By John T. Anderson
The Morning News

"What we try to do is get a snapshot of that (business or entity)," Winnes said.

Rogers is apparently the only major city in Northwest Arkansas to create such a position. But other area cities are seeing more greasy messes in sewer lines.

"It is something that all of the cities will be taking up," said Belva Plumlee, wastewater utilities manager for Bentonville. "Cities do experience blockages in the systems due to grease traps that are not adequately designed or not adequately pumped."

Her city is stressing the downside for restaurants if grease blocks sewer lines.

"When you are walking in 2 inches of sewage at lunch time, it is a real bummer," Plumlee said.

David Jergens, water and wastewater manager in Fayetteville, said the city has considered a position similar to the one in Rogers.

"Grease does cause significant problems in our system," he said. "There are cases where we have identified specific problems and talked to customers about grease. If we can see grease coming from their connection, obviously that's measurable quantities."

Jergens said the city has prepared a brochure about the effects of fat, oil and grease on the sewer system. He hopes to distribute the information later this year through water bills.

"It's an education thing," Jergens said. "A whole lot of people when properly educated will stop. It's a pretty big deal. We have more blockages dues to roots and greases than anything."

Rene Langston, executive director of Springdale's water utilities, said he is envious of Rogers and wishes his city could spend more time on grease-dumping problems.

"Grease is becoming a real problem," Langston said. "The problems can be severe at times."

Residential dumping of grease is especially a problem at some Springdale apartment buildings, Langston said.

Grease harms sewer lines, but it also can upset the process of treating sewage. Grease throws a wrench into the process of breaking down sewage at treatment plants. Eventually, Rogers hopes to expand its anti-grease program to educate residential grease dumpers. Apartments can be trouble spots if several residents allow grease into their drains, according to Luanne Diffin, environmental services coordinator for Rogers Water Utilities.

Grease will become more of a problem as the area grows. Krispy Kreme in Bentonville uses around 2,000 pounds of vegetable shortening each week, a representative said. A McDonald's restaurant might use half that amount, depending on fast-food eaters' appetite for fries that particular week. The used grease has to go somewhere. Pumping companies contract to empty grease traps and, somehow, get rid of it.

"(Grease) has absolutely no value," said Jerry Beemer, owner of AAA Septic Tank Service in Rogers. The company is one of six grease-trap pumping companies working with the city. Beemer has been pumping grease traps for more than 20 years. He developed his own disposal method, a plant he put together over the years and that is approved by officials with the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality.

He won't say how it works, citing trade secrets.

Other pumping services haul grease to contractors who dispose of it.

Keeping tabs on how often grease traps and above-ground containers are emptied will eventually help the city and businesses, Winnes said. Business owners and managers are finding they sometimes are pumping traps too often, which hurts their bottom line. The city will benefit because tracking grease may cut back on it in city sewers.

Winnes said city workers can, and have, backtracked from a congealed grease blockage in a sewer to find the general area where grease dumping is occurring. Data from pumping records can help narrow the hunt for the offender in the future.

Determining the city's biggest dumper of grease is not possible yet, Winnes said. A restaurant's menu, its size and other factors come into play.

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