This fatberg was taken in 2017. Things have remained quiet since then. Too quiet. Until now.Image: AP/Thames Water
December 24, 2025, 2:44 p.mDecember 24, 2025, 3:00 p.m
A lump of hardened fat, oil and other waste – and with an estimated Weight of about 100 tons: A huge blob of grease has been discovered in east London sewers. The so-called “Fatberg” was found by workers in the Whitechapel district and has around one Length of 100 meterssaid the water supplier Thames Water on Monday.
The company dubs the unsavory find as “Grandson” of a fatberg that was also found in Whitechapel in 2017. According to the PA news agency, it weighed 130 tons and was more than 250 meters long. The giant lump is therefore one of the largest ever discovered. A sample of it was even exhibited in the Museum of London.
We’ve discovered a 100-ton fatberg lurking beneath Whitechapel – the ‘grandchild’ of the 2017 monster
This solid mass of congealed fat, oil, grease (FOG) and wipes stretches for around 100 meters underground. Fatbergs like this make up 28% of all blockages, and we clear… pic.twitter.com/WBDteDSw56
— Thames Water (@thameswater) December 23, 2025
However, the discovery of the fatberg just before Christmas brings with it a less festive warning for residents, according to Thames Water. «This latest fatberg shows exactly what happens when fats, oils and wet wipes end up in our drains “They don’t disappear, they accumulate and cause serious damage,” warned North London Waste Management Manager Tim Davies. Removing the lump is also expensive and can sometimes take weeks. (rbu/sda/dpa)