Two-year prison alert for Brits who break little-known kitchen law

People have been warned that they could find themselves in trouble with the law for breaking a rule that could lead to a serious and unpleasant disaster. It's possible that some Brits could end up behind bars for this kind of crime.

According to the Water Industry Act (1991), people could be sentenced to a maximum of two years behind bars if they are convicted of this crime. Section 111 of the law states that people should not dump anything into a sewer or drain that is "likely to injure [or] interfere with the free flow."

This section of the law also adds that people may face an "unlimited fine" as part of any punishment. Whilst jail time is usually reserved for the most serious of cases, even first-time offenders could find themselves hit with an expensive fine.

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The law applies in both England and Wales and covers anything connected to a drain - including sinks and toilets. Scotland has its own equivalent law under the Sewerage (Scotland) Act of 1968.

The Mirror has previously reported that several substances can lead to blocked pipes, including some things that may seem harmless at first glance. In the past, plumbers have warned against tipping away things like pancake batter and in the lead-up to Christmas - thick drinks like Baileys.

If you do end up with a blocked drain, it can prove to be expensive to fix - which is why most people try to avoid the problem altogether. According to Checkatrade, the average cost will vary depending on how badly the drain is bunged up and what needs to be done to get water flowing again.

The average cost can range from £85 to £275. This does not include the charge set for a callout (between £60 for standard or £180 for emergency cases) or if any specialist work needs to be completed to assess the scale of the job.

Severe drain blockages should be cleared by a specialist. These aren't something you should attempt to fix on your own using at-home DIY methods.

How to safely get rid of cooking oils and grease

The best way to prevent a grease clog in your drains is to properly dispose of it before it can cause any lasting and expensive damage. To dispose of grease at home in the UK, let it cool and solidify, then scrape it into your food waste recycling or general rubbish bin.

For larger quantities of used cooking oil, you may need to contact your local council or a licensed waste contractor. According to Home Serve UK, this means preventing substances from getting anywhere near the sink to begin with, using a few suggestions:

• Add a fat trap catcher to your kitchen sink. It’s a strainer made out of metal or silicone that lets water flow through to the drain but acts as a barrier to larger, more solid items. As a budget alternative, use foil or another suitable container.
• Wipe dishes with kitchen roll before washing up. This is great for mopping up leftover grease that could cause problems.
• If you need to wash some particularly greasy dishes, you can soak them in a grease-dissolving or vinegar-based cleaner before you actually wash them. This way the grease will be gone before it even sees the drain