Wastewater 101

Protect your home, your neighborhood, and our environment by keeping fats, oils, grease, wipes, and other non-flushable items out of drains and toilets.

Keep Palm Coast Flowing

Protect your home, your neighborhood, and our environment by keeping fats, oils, grease, wipes, and other non-flushable items out of drains and toilets.

Why It Matters

Protect Your Home

Prevent costly plumbing backups and sewer overflows.

Protect the Environment

Reduce sewage spills into waterways and neighborhoods.

Save Your Money

Avoid expensive repairs and help keep utility costs down.

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What is FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease)?
Fats, oils, and grease, commonly known as FOG, may seem harmless when poured down the drain, but they can create serious problems for both homeowners and the City's wastewater system. Once inside pipes, grease cools, hardens, and sticks to pipe walls, gradually restricting flow and causing blockages. Over time, this buildup can clog household plumbing, lead to sewage backups, damage pumps and lift station equipment, contribute to sewer overflows, and increase maintenance and repair costs. Properly disposing of grease in the trash instead of the drain helps protect your home, our community, and Palm Coast's wastewater infrastructure.

DID YOU KNOW?

Running hot water or using your garbage disposal while pouring grease down the drain does not prevent clogs. The grease eventually cools and hardens inside pipes.


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How to Properly Dispose of Grease
Properly disposing of cooking grease is one of the easiest ways to help prevent clogged pipes and costly sewer backups. After cooking, allow grease to cool, then pour it into a disposable container such as a can, jar, or other sealable container. Once the container is full, securely seal it and place it in your household trash for disposal. Never pour grease down sinks, flush it down toilets, or dump it into storm drains. Even small amounts of grease can cool, harden, and build up inside pipes, leading to blockages in both your home's plumbing and the City's wastewater system.
DID YOU KNOW?

Many products labeled as "flushable" do not break down like toilet paper and can clog pipes, damage equipment, and contribute to sewer backups.


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What NOT to Flush
Palm Coast's wastewater system is designed to handle only human waste and toilet paper. Flushing items such as wipes, paper towels, grease, feminine products, and other household materials can clog pipes, damage equipment, cause sewage backups, and lead to costly repairs. Help protect your home, our community, and local waterways by placing these items in the trash instead of flushing them down the toilet.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Grease cools and hardens farther down the pipe.

No. Palm Coast recommends placing all wipes in the trash.

No. Garbage disposals do not prevent grease from hardening in pipes.

Allow it to cool, place it in a disposable container, and throw it away in your household trash.


Utility Department
Utilities Main Line
(386) 986-2360
customer-service@palmcoastgov.com