What A Waste: Sewage Spill Shuts Down Beaches in SoCal

In late February, a sewage spill in southern California forced beach closures for the second time in two months. This one was the result of a blocked sewer line at a Newport Bay restaurant, which resulted in 50,000 gallons of sewage spilling into nearby waters.

The previous one was even more serious: a sewage main failed, spewing millions of gallons of waste into the Los Angeles Harbor and fouling beaches in LA and Orange counties.

Okay, we get it: why should anyone elsewhere in the country care if people can’t go to the beach in February, when those who live in other locations are huddled in winter woolens? So we’re sympathetic about the weather aspect.

But the sewage is another matter. Regardless of where you dwell, you don’t want to pollute the marine environment. While it’s true a sewage main can fail, the restaurant blockage might have been preventable. If fats, oils and grease created a fatberg, this could have been avoided with a smart spill containment solution. 

Here’s a refresher:

Right over a restaurateur’s head, Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) may be collecting, slowly destroying the roof and creating a real fire hazard.

After it’s done there, FOG will typically make its way into the drains, and then the sewage system. With more cities and states passing legislation aimed at protecting storm drains, restaurant owners may be liable for expensive fines. 

Fortunately, there’s a spill containment solution to prevent this nightmare: the revolutionary Grease Catcher Grease Containment System. With the Grease Catcher System, you can protect your kitchen roof from damage or fire by automatically catching and absorbing grease and oils that drip from your kitchen exhaust fan.

The FOG will never make it into storm drains or sewers, and your business won’t go up in flames.

So be sure to take steps to protect your business and our waterways from toxic waste. And look on the bright side: if it’s still winter where you live, you’ve got that much more time to perfect your beach body.

 

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