Any commercial or nonresidential facility connected to the city’s
wastewater system and involved in the preparation or serving of foods
will be subject to the conditions of this article. The purpose of
this article is to aid in the prevention of wastewater system damages
stemming from contributions and accumulation of fats, oils, and greases
into the wastewater system from food service establishments.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. II, adopted 2/17/09)
Fats, oils, and greases.
Organic polar compounds derived from animal and/or plant
sources that contain multiple carbon chain triglyceride molecules.
These substances are detectable and measurable using analytical test
procedures established in the United States Code of Federal Regulations
40 CFR 136, as may be amended from time to time. All are sometimes
referred to herein as grease or oil.
Food service establishments.
Those industrial, commercial, or nonresidential establishments
primarily engaged in activities of preparing, serving, or otherwise
making food available for consumption by the public, such as a restaurant,
commercial kitchen, food manufacture, caterer, hotel, school, hospital,
prison, correctional facility, or assisted living care institution.
These establishments use one (1) or more of the following preparation
activities: cooking by frying (all methods), baking (all methods),
grilling, sautéing, rotisserie cooking, broiling (all methods),
boiling, blanching, roasting, toasting, or poaching. Also included
are infrared heating, searing, barbecuing, and any other food preparation
activity that produces a hot, non-drinkable food product in or on
a receptacle that requires washing.
Grease interceptor.
A structure or device designed for the purpose of removing
and preventing fats, oils, and greases from entering the sanitary
sewer collection system. These devices are often below-ground units
in outside areas and are built as two- or three- chamber baffled tanks.
Grease trap.
A device for separating and retaining waterborne grease,
oils, and grease complexes prior to the wastewater exiting the trap
and entering the sanitary sewer collection and treatment system. Such
traps are typically compact under-the-sink units that are near food
preparation areas.
Minimum design capability.
The design features of a grease interceptor and its ability
or volume required to effectively intercept and retain greases from
grease-laden wastewaters discharged to the public sanitary sewer.
User.
Any person, including those located outside the jurisdictional
limits of the city, who contributes, causes or permits the contribution
or discharge of wastewater into the publicly owned treatment works
(POTW), including persons who contribute such wastewater from mobile
sources, such as those who discharge hauled wastewater.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. III,
adopted 2/17/09; Ordinance
2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)
All food service establishments discharging wastewater to the
city’s sanitary sewer collection system are subject to the following
requirements:
(1) Grease interceptor requirements.
All permitted food
service establishments are required to install, operate, and maintain
an approved type and adequately sized grease interceptor necessary
to maintain compliance with the objectives of this article. All grease
interceptors must meet the requirements of the city’s currently
adopted plumbing code.
(2) Implementation.
All new service establishment facilities
are subject to grease interceptor requirements. All such facilities
must obtain prior approval from the director for grease interceptor
sizing prior to submitting plans for a building permit. Existing facilities
with planned modification in plumbing improvements will be required
to include plans to comply with the grease interceptor requirements.
All existing food service establishments, determined by the director
to have a reasonable potential to adversely impact the city’s
sewer system, will be notified of their obligation to install a grease
interceptor or approved alternative within the specified period set
forth in the notification letter.
(3) Variance from grease interceptor requirements.
Grease
interceptors required under this article shall be installed unless
the director authorizes the installation of an indoor grease trap
or other alternative pretreatment technology and determines that the
installation of a grease interceptor would not be feasible. The food
service establishment bears the burden of demonstrating that the installation
of a grease interceptor is not feasible.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. IV, adopted 2/17/09)
No user shall allow wastewater discharge from subject grease
interceptor, grease trap, or alternative pretreatment technology to
exceed two hundred (200) milligrams of oil and grease per liter as
measured by methods provided in 40 CFR 136.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. V, adopted 2/17/09)
(a) Grease interceptor sizing and installation must be approved by the
director. The grease interceptor must provide for a minimum hydraulic
retention time of twenty-four (24) minutes at actual peak flow or
twelve (12) minutes at the calculated theoretical peak flow rate as
predicted by the city’s currently approved plumbing code fixture
criteria, between the influent and effluent baffles with twenty (20)
percent of the total volume of the grease interceptor being allowed
for sludge to settle and accumulate, identified hereinafter as the
sludge pocket. The grease interceptor shall have a minimum of two
(2) compartments with fittings designed for grease retention.
(b) Grease interceptors shall be installed at a location where they shall
be easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of intercepted
grease. The grease interceptor may not be installed in any part of
the building where food is handled. Location of the grease interceptor
must meet the approval of the director.
(c) All such grease interceptors shall be serviced and emptied of accumulated
waste content as required in order to maintain minimum design capacity
or effective volume. These devices shall be inspected at least monthly.
Users who are required to maintain a grease interceptor shall:
(1) Remove any accumulated grease cap and sludge pocket as often as necessary,
up to and including daily, but at intervals of not longer than sixty
(60) days at the user’s expense. Grease interceptors shall be
kept free of inorganic solid materials such as grit, rocks, gravel,
sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, shells, towels, rags, etc., which
could settle into this pocket and thereby reduce the effective volume
of the grease interceptor.
(2) Operate the grease interceptor in a manner so as to maintain said
device such that attainment of the grease limit is consistently achieved.
(3) The use of biological additives as a grease degradation agent is
conditionally permissible, upon written approval by the director.
Any establishment using this method of grease abatement shall maintain
the trap or interceptor in such a manner that attainment of the grease
wastewater discharge limit, as measured from the trap’s outlet,
is consistently achieved.
(4) The use of automatic grease removal systems is conditionally permissible,
upon prior written approval by the director. Any establishment using
this equipment shall operate the system in such a manner that attainment
of the grease wastewater discharge limit, as measured from the unit’s
outlet, is consistently achieved.
(5) The director reserves the right to make determinations of the grease
interceptor adequacy and need, based on review of all relevant information
regarding grease interceptor performance, facility site and building
plan review and to require repairs to, or modification or replacement
of such units.
(6) In no case shall the total accumulation of grease, oil, floating
materials, and sediment be allowed to occupy more than twenty-five
percent (25%) of the capacity of the first stage of the grease interceptor.
(7) If sampling test results for an establishment are more than forty
percent (40%) of the wastewater discharge limit, and the establishment
does not have an approved extension to its cleaning schedule, the
establishment shall immediately clean and inspect the trap and will
be required to clean its grease interceptor(s) at an interval of thirty
(30) days or less, for a period of time to be determined by the city.
(d) The user shall maintain a written record of trap inspections, maintenance
and copies of the grease transporter’s manifest. All such records
will be available for inspection by the city at all reasonable times.
(e) Nongrease-laden sources are not allowed to be connected to the sewer
lines intended for grease interceptor service.
(f) Interceptor access way, with a minimum diameter of twelve (12) inches,
shall be provided over each chamber and sanitary tee. The access ways
shall extend at least to finished grade and be designed and maintained
to prevent water inflow or infiltration. The manholes shall also have
readily removable covers to facilitate inspection grease removal,
and wastewater sampling activities.
(g) Wastewater in excess of one hundred forty degrees (140°) Fahrenheit/sixty
degrees (60°) Centigrade shall not be discharged into a grease
interceptor. This includes water from mechanical dishwashers that
have a minimum required temperature of 160° F.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. VI, adopted 2/17/09; Ordinance 2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)
(a) Upon approval by the director, a grease trap complying with the provisions
of this section may be installed instead of a grease interceptor.
The grease trap must be installed in the waste line leading from sinks,
drains, and other fixtures or equipment in food service establishments
where grease may be introduced into drainage or sewage system in quantities
that can effect line stoppages or hinder sewage treatment or private
sewage disposal. Under-the-counter types of grease traps and interceptors
shall be cleaned at least daily, and shall comply with criteria set
by the director.
(b) Grease trap sizing and installation must be approved by the director.
(c) No grease trap shall be installed which has a stated flow rate of
more than fifty-five (55) gallons per minute, or less than twenty
(20) gallons per minute, except when specially approved by the director.
(d) Grease traps shall be maintained in efficient operating conditions
by periodic removal of the accumulated grease as often as necessary,
up to and including daily, but at intervals of not longer than sixty
(60) days at the user’s expense. No such collected grease shall
be introduced into any drainage piping or public sewer.
(e) No food waste disposal unit or dishwasher shall be connected to or
discharge into a grease trap.
(f) Wastewater in excess of one hundred forty degrees (140°) Fahrenheit/sixty
degrees (60°) Centigrade shall not be discharged into a grease
trap. This includes water from mechanical dishwashers that have a
minimum required temperature of 160° F.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. VII,
adopted 2/17/09; Ordinance
2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)
Any person, establishment or entity which fails to comply with
any of the regulations and requirements set forth in this article,
including, but not limited to, cleaning grease interceptors or grease
traps at necessary intervals, providing up-to-date cleaning logs,
or which refuses to open grease interceptors or grease traps for inspections
by city inspectors or exceeds discharge limits, is in violation of
this article, and is subject to the following penalties:
(1) Notice of violation.
The city shall serve any person,
establishment, or entity in violation of this article with written
notice stating the nature of the violation, and providing a reasonable
time limit for satisfactory compliance. This shall not relieve the
person, establishment, or entity of liability for any violations occurring
before or after receipt of the notice of violation.
(2) City-initiated grease interceptor cleaning.
Should the
individual, establishment, or entity responsible for having the grease
interceptor or grease trap cleaned fail to do so at intervals necessary
to comply with this article, the city shall have the authority to
hire a licensed grease hauler to clean the grease interceptor or grease
trap to the satisfaction of the city director. The cost of the cleaning,
plus a fifteen percent (15%) handling fee shall be added to the individual’s,
establishment’s, or entity’s water utility bill.
(3) Termination of services.
Any user that violates this
article is subject to termination of sewer and/or water services upon
failure to return to compliance with all conditions of this ordinance.
Such user will be notified in writing prior to the proposed termination
of services and be offered an opportunity to show proposed termination
should not be taken and what proposed actions the user will take to
return to compliance with this article within an agreed upon time
limit.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. VIII,
adopted 2/17/09; Ordinance
2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)
A food service establishment may apply to the director for an
extension of the required cleaning frequency set forth in this article.
The representative of the food service establishment who wishes to
apply for the cleaning schedule extension shall notify the director,
in advance, of the intent to apply for the extension. The director
may grant an extension on a required cleaning frequency on a case-by-case
basis where the user has demonstrated, with defensible analytical
results, the specific grease interceptor or grease trap will produce
an effluent in consistent compliance with this article if such an
extension is granted.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. IX, adopted 2/17/09)
(a) The city may obtain oil and grease samples from any user’s
wastewater discharge to determine compliance with this article. The
city may require a user to initiate oil and grease sampling and analysis
schedule at the user’s expense.
(b) The user shall obtain approval from the city’s director of
the proposed sampling schedule prior to initiation of the sampling
and analyses. The user shall certify the sampling schedule will be
carried out as approved. The director shall reserve the right to modify
a sampling schedule as deemed necessary.
(Ordinance 09-02-17A, sec. X, adopted 2/17/09; Ordinance 2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)
If the city must clean or repair an associated grinder system,
lift station, or public sewer lines where grease or oil related problem
are traceable to a known user, said user shall be held responsible
for the issue and shall immediately clean their grease trap or interceptor.
The city may require more frequent cleaning schedule of the user.
The user shall also be responsible for making payment to the city
for expense related to the problem (cleaning and/or repairs to city
facilities, etc.).
(Ordinance 2021-16 adopted 5/18/21)