TWIN FALLS, Idaho — What is the top insurance claim for the city of Twin Falls? Clogged drains.
Due to ongoing issues and with encouragement from the Department of Environmental Quality, Twin Falls is planning to implement a new FOG program. "FOG stands for fats, oils, and greases," said Erin Steel, Assistant Public Works Director.
At Monday night's city council meeting, Steel presented a proposed plan to shift the city toward a more proactive approach to this issue. "Many people simply rinse off their cooking utensils and pans, introducing FOG into the system. Once it enters the pipes, it cools down, solidifies, and coagulates, causing backups, blockages, and overflows," Steel explained.
During the city council meeting, Steel outlined a two-phase plan. "The first phase involves a media campaign and public outreach to inform the community about the problem. I believe that if we effectively communicate the issue, people will be more willing to avoid putting FOG down the drains," he said.
The second phase will focus on enforcement, but this will take time to define. "What does enforcement look like, and how long should we allow for compliance? We also need to establish our own compliance standards. This will involve significant internal and external collaboration," Steel stated.
Steel highlighted that the largest area of concern is Old Town, where a combination of 100-year-old pipes and increased clogging is raising significant red flags. "If you look at a 4-inch line with 2 inches of FOG clinging to the walls, it really constricts the flow down to 1 inch, which makes it very difficult," he added.
Following the presentation, the council authorized Public Works to begin phase one, with strong community outreach efforts set to commence shortly.
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