Brisbane sewers clogged by putrid fatbergs

Revolting fatbergs made up of oils, baby wipes and other waste products are clogging up Brisbane’s sewers.

Queensland Urban Utilities has released CCTV from five different locations throughout Brisbane showing the putrid chunks lurking down below.

Fatbergs form when cooking oils and fats are tipped down the sink and meet up with other nasties that shouldn’t be in the sewer, like wet wipes.

The problem often gets worse at Christmas time when more people are putting oil down their sinks.

“The festive season can be more like the fatberg season, with many people washing the fat from baked ham and roast meats straight down the sink,” Queensland Urban Utilities spokesperson, Michelle Cull, said.

“It might seem harmless and convenient, but hot cooking fat cools while travelling through the sewers and solidifies into a smelly mass.

“Fatbergs are a major cause of blockages in our pipes, but they can also cause blockages in household plumbing, potentially costing hundreds of dollars to repair.”

A Queensland Urban Utilities survey found one in four people washed cooking oils down the kitchen sink.