Franklin appeals to residents: Don’t dump grease down drain

Grease in Franklin’s sewer system lines has been a problem city officials are trying to curtail.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Sewer Plant Manager Calvin Sanders made a presentation to the council and a plea to the public.
Sanders presented photos of sewer system lines in systems other than Franklin showing massive buildup of grease clogging flow.
He said removal is not only difficult, but costly. In one case in Franklin, crews had to replace 300 feet of line at a cost of $11,000 due to grease buildup.
Grease not only solidifies in public utility lines, but in the homes of residents. The offending substance is found in cooking oil, meat, lard, shortening, butter and margarine, food scraps, baking goods, sauces, salad dressing and dairy products. Sanders urged residents to never pour grease down sink drains or toilets and to put strainers/baskets into sink drains to catch food scraps and other solids. He noted that disposing of any material that might obstruct flow is a violation of law.
People can allow grease to harden then scrape it away and dispose of it properly.
In other business Tuesday, the city council heard from Building Official Jean Paul Pellerin regarding derelict or abandoned properties at 214 Wall St., 604 Fifth St. and 1035 Cayce St. Pellerin said the Wall Street and Fifth Street properties will be addressed under an agreement with the owners for demolition. The Cayce Street property owner has not been reached, and he recommended the city appoint legal counsel to represent the owner in their absence.
Announcements included a city-sponsored event at the Teche Theater May from 6-7 p.m. featuring Iberiabank branch manager Connie Harris on saving and budgeting; the May 5 “First Thursday” event “Making Memories Shopping in Historic Franklin” event with merchants open until at least 6 p.m.; Keep St. Mary Beautiful city-wide cleanup on May 14 8-9:30 a.m. at the Stage Parking lot; and the Bayou Beaux art program registration May 14 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the dance program June 4 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.