Four participating Baltimore City public schools will compete for a share of $5,000 in cash prizes by collecting pledges from City residents. The pledge is to change how we dispose of clog-creating cooking grease and wet wipes.

This “Clean Drain Campaign” aims to keep wet wipes – even those marketed as “flushable” – out of toilets and FOG (fats, oils, and grease) out of drains. Wipes and FOG are major sources of sewer clogs, including the “fatberg” that nearly sealed shut a midtown sewer main in 2017.

These materials are easily disposed of by putting them in the trash instead of the drain. By making these small changes, residents can make a big difference in preventing harmful sewer backups caused by blockages.

"By working with local schools, we aim to educate City residents about simple steps they can take to protect their own plumbing and the City’s sewer system," said Rudolph S. Chow, P.E., director of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW).

Baltimore residents have until Friday, May 24, to support these local schools by going online at www.CleanDrainCampaign.org and pledging to dispose of used cooking grease and wet wipes properly – in the trash. They can assign their pledge to the school of their choice.

The Clean Drain Campaign is co-sponsored by DPW and the local environmental nonprofit Ridge to Reefs, with fiscal support from the Chesapeake Bay Trust. A similar campaign in 2017 raised thousands of dollars for local food pantries – and helped increase awareness of simple steps to prevent nasty, expensive sewer backup damage to our homes and waterways.

The participating schools are:

• Bernard Harris, Sr. Elementary 
• Harlem Park Elementary/Middle
• Robert W. Coleman Elementary
• Commodore John Rodgers Elementary/Middle

To keep things fair between the small and large schools, the contest sponsors will divide the number of pledges each school collects by their number of enrolled students. The prizes are:

• First Place: $2,250
• Second Place: $1,250
• Third Place: $750
• Fourth Place: $250

A bonus of $500 is being kept in reserve to reward extra efforts by students.

“Everybody wins when Baltimore residents keep used cooking fats, oils, grease, and wipes out of their drains,” said Director Chow. “Homeowners avoid calling the plumber, and DPW reduces the bill that ratepayers have to foot to clean out clogged sewers.”