Museum shows piece of London fatberg

LONDON — The Mona Lisa it is not.

But the new “Fatberg!” exhibition in central London is nonetheless drawing attention for its own special reasons. The latest attraction at the Museum of London is rocklike, repugnant and revolting. It also has tiny bugs living on it.

Chunks from the 143-ton fatberg found in London’s aging sewer system went on display at the Museum of London this month, retelling the story of how sewer workers tackled a massive blob of waste — using jet hoses, pickaxes, spades and shovels.

The giant blob, discovered last September in the Whitechapel area of East London, garnered international attention. It took nine weeks to dismantle the congealed clump of grease, wet wipes, condoms and other icky items.

It may have been compelling, in a I-don’t-want-tolook-but-can’t-help-it sorta way, but the sight of the advancing detritus clogging up the sewers wasn’t pretty.

Not that it stopped the Museum of London from wanting to get their (gloved) hands on a few samples.

“A fatberg has long been on the Museum of London wishlist. We want to reflect the highs and lows of city living,” said curator Vyki Sparkes.

Fatbergs are “gross, but strangely compelling,” she added.

They are also a major problem in the British capital, which has a Victorian sewer system that has struggled to cope as the city’s population has increased. The British utility company Thames Water spends about $1.4 million a month fighting the fatbergs that are lurking in the pipes and tunnels beneath the people’s feet, many located in areas of London with restaurants that pour cooking oil down the drain. If fatbergs aren’t removed, they can cause sewer overflows.