MADISON, Wis. — The city of Madison’s engineering department is taking steps to help prevent sewer backups ahead of the holidays.

Crews were out on Friday vacuuming pipes with big green vactors to ensure all the things people toss down the drain make it to the desired destination.

While the city cleans the pipes it’s responsible for, officials also want to remind people the sewage system is not meant to take oils, fats and greases. Those can cause clogs on private property for which the property owner is on the hook.

“The baking oils that you’re using in cooking, the bones from the holiday meal, the grease from the turkey or the meats or bacon from your brunch, you want to make sure you’re setting it to the side and tossing it when it hardens versus putting it down the drain and letting it harden down there,” engineering department spokesperson Hannah Mohelnitzky said.