32 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 5, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
editorial
Do your part to stop fi lthy fl ooding
A “fatberg” might sound like a funny term to some, but
it’s far from a laughing matter for residents in one part
of our city.
Th e city’s Department of Environmental Protection
defi nes a fatberg (a portmanteau of fat and iceberg) as
a mass “of congealed grease and personal hygiene products
Th e DEP conducts regular maintenance, such as catch
basin cleanings, to limit the amount of debris in the
sewer system. It has also embarked on numerous sewer
upgrades across the city, spending tens of millions of dollars
to do so.
But none of that will help prevent future backups if we
keep thinking it’s okay to dump anything and everything
down the drain or toilet.
Credit: Photo by Todd Maisel
STORY: Mayor De Blasio signs bill banning the sale of foie
gras in New York City
SUMMARY: Foie gras will be “foie-gotten” now that
Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the bill banning the sale of the
French delicacy into law Monday, Nov. 25.
REACH: 5,964 People Reached (as of 12/2/19)
that have been found lingering in sewers around the
world.” In recent years, the city’s tried to call attention to
fatbergs, urging residents not to dump everything down
the drain — as the masses could cause major sewer backups
and blockages.
One such incident occurred on a large scale in Queens
this weekend, when dozens of homes were fl ooded with
raw sewage. Aft er an investigation, DEP offi cials believe
the nasty backup was the result of a massive fatberg in
the sewer system.
Th e aff ected homeowners were exposed to foulness
beyond description — and have begun what will be a very
costly cleanup. Other homeowners in the city, however,
are not immune to a similar fate.
Th e sewer systems of New York City are under greater
strain every year. Th at’s a byproduct of greater development
across the city, above a sewer system still not fully
equipped to handle it.
Evidence of that problem is the discharge of “combined
sewer overfl ows” into waterways such as the Newtown
Creek. Th is happens frequently during periods of heavy
precipitation; the overfl ows may take strain off the sewer
system, but it compounds the pollution in the creek.
Other fatbergs lie in wait across the system, but more
oft en than not, they’re only discovered aft er a problem
occurs.
THE QUEENS
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
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PRESIDENT & CEO
VICE PRESIDENT
VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA A. SCHNEPS
BOB BRENNAN
ZACHARY GEWELB
NIRMAL SINGH
EMILY DAVENPORT
ANGELICA ACEVEDO, JENNA BAGCAL, KATRINA MEDOFF,
CARLOTTA MOHAMED, MAX PARROTT, BILL PARRY
CLIFF KASDEN, SAMANTHA SOHMER, ELIZABETH ALONI
DEBORAH CUSICK
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VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA A. SCHNEPS
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Use a disposable container to get rid of used grease or
oil, and throw that container in the garbage. Toss items
such as baby wipes or sanitary napkins in with regular
trash.
Taking these steps isn’t only about being environmentally
consciousness. It’s about being a responsible New
Yorker protecting each other’s homes and businesses
from fi lthy fl ooding.
Raw sewage fl owed into more than 300 homes in South Jamaica.
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