§ 36-322. Grease interceptors, installation and disposal of waste.

(a)

Applicability.

(1)

Waste, which contains grease, shall be discharged into the POTW system only under the conditions of this division. The following facilities shall discharge all waste from sinks, dishwashers, drains, and any other fixtures through which grease may be discharged, into an adequately sized, properly maintained and functioning grease interceptor before the discharge enters the POTW, as well as providing a grease interceptor inlet flow control device inspection port and a grease interceptor effluent monitoring port:

a.

Every commercial food preparation and food service facility, including but not limited to:

1.

Bakeries;

2.

Boardinghouses;

3.

Butcher shops, cafes;

4.

Clubhouses;

5.

Commercial kitchens;

6.

Delicatessens;

7.

Fat rendering plants;

8.

Ice cream parlors;

9.

Hospitals;

10.

Meat packing plants;

11.

Restaurants;

12.

Schools;

13.

Slaughter houses;

14.

Soap factories; and

15.

Similar facilities especially where meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products or fried foods are prepared or served;

b.

All shopping centers that have food processing facilities;

c.

All food courts;

d.

All other facilities discharging grease in amounts that, in the opinion of the city, will, alone or in concert with other substances from the discharges of other facilities, have a reasonable chance to impede or stop the flow in the POTW.

(2)

All new areas of intensified dwelling, including, but not limited to, adult day care facilities, assisted living facilities, convalescent homes, day nursing and childcare facilities, in which food preparation occurs as defined in subsection (a)(1) of this section, homes for the mentally challenged, hotels, maternity homes, motels in which there is a commercial food preparation service, nursing homes, retirement and life care communities and homes, and truck stops with commercial food service, shall be required to have grease interceptors. Modifications to existing facilities that do not add new buildings or new grease generating activities are exempt from this requirement. All such existing facilities may be so required, as determined by subsection (a)(1)d of this section.

(3)

Interceptors shall not be required for single-family residences, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, or apartment complexes, unless the city first determines there are discharges from the property that will create problems in the POTW. The determination shall be made based upon an investigation of the property and a comparison of the content and amount of discharge from the property with the discharges of other properties similar in size and use. Upon a determination that the discharges will create problems in the POTW, the city may require the installation of a sufficiently sized grease interceptor to treat the discharges.

(b)

Installations.

(1)

New facilities. Food processing of food service facilities which are newly proposed or constructed, or existing facilities which will be expanded or renovated to include a food service facility, where such facility did not previously exist, shall be required to design, install, operate and maintain a grease trap/interceptor in accordance with locally adopted plumbing codes or other applicable ordinances. Grease traps/interceptors shall be installed and inspected prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

(2)

Existing facilities. Existing grease traps/interceptors must be operated and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and in accordance with these model standards, unless specified in writing and approved by the POTW.

(3)

All grease trap/interceptor waste shall be properly disposed of at a facility in accordance with federal, state, or local regulation.

(c)

Compliance date.

(1)

On or after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived, an existing facility (excepting those existing facilities described in subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be required to install an approved, adequately sized, and properly operated and maintained grease interceptor when any of the following conditions exist:

a.

It is found by the city to be contributing grease in quantities sufficient to cause sanitary sewer line stoppages or necessitate increased maintenance on the sanitary sewer collection system (POTW) in order to keep main line stoppages from occurring.

b.

It is remodeling the food preparation or kitchen waste plumbing facilities in such a manner to be subject to a permit.

c.

Its interceptor allows a discharge of oil or grease in excess of 100 milligrams per liter.

(2)

Existing facilities required by this division or other applicable ordinance to maintain a grease interceptor equipped with an undersized grease interceptor shall, within 120 days of the effective date of the ordinance from which this division is derived, install an adequately sized grease interceptor in accordance with the specifications of this division.

(3)

Existing facilities required by this division or other applicable ordinances to maintain a grease interceptor not equipped with a grease interceptor shall, within 90 days of the effective date of the ordinance from which this division is derived, install an adequately sized grease interceptor in accordance with the specifications of this division.

(4)

New facilities required by this division or other applicable ordinances to maintain a grease interceptor shall install such a unit prior to commencement of discharge to the POTW.

(5)

Any requests for extensions to installation dates must be made in writing to the city, at least 30 days in advance of the compliance date. The written request shall include the reasons for the grease generator's failure or inability to comply with the compliance date set forth, the additional time needed to complete the remaining work, and the steps to be taken to avoid future delays. The city shall determine the date for compliance.

(d)

Discharge criteria. The following prohibitions shall apply:

(1)

Where oil and grease are a byproduct of food preparation and/or cleanup, reasonable efforts shall be made to separate waste oil and grease into a separate container for proper disposal, except as contained in byproducts of food preparation and/or cleanup; waste oil and grease shall not be discharged to any drains or grease interceptors. Such waste shall be placed in a container designed to hold such waste and either utilized by industry or disposed of at suitable locations.

(2)

None of the following agents shall be placed directly into a grease interceptor, or into any drain that leads to the interceptor:

a.

Emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, surface active agents, enzymes, degreasers, or any type of product that will liquefy grease interceptor wastes;

b.

Any substance that may cause excessive foaming in the POTW; or

c.

Any substance capable of passing the solid or semisolid contents of the grease interceptor to the POTW.

(3)

The influent to interceptors shall not exceed 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature at the flow control device inspection port shall be considered equivalent to the temperature of the influent.

(4)

Toilets, urinals, and other similar fixtures shall not discharge through a grease interceptor.

(5)

All waste shall only enter the grease interceptor through the inlet flow control device, then the inlet pipe.

(6)

Where food-waste grinders are installed, the waste from those units shall discharge directly into the building drainage system without passing through a grease interceptor. Living quarters, as defined in this division, are exempted from this requirement.

(e)

Cleaning and maintenance.

(1)

Grease traps and grease interceptors shall be maintained in an efficient operating condition at all times.

(2)

Each grease trap pumped shall be fully evacuated unless the trap volume is greater than the tank capacity on the vacuum truck in which case the transporter shall arrange for additional transportation capacity so that the trap is fully evacuated within a 24-hour period, in accordance with 30 Tex. Admin. Code § 312.143.

(f)

Self-cleaning.

(1)

Grease trap self-cleaning operators must receive approval from the POTW biennially prior to removing grease from their own grease trap located inside a building provided:

a.

The grease trap is no more than 50 gallons in liquid/operating capacity;

b.

Proper on-site material disposal methods are implemented (i.e., absorb liquids into solid form and dispose into trash);

c.

The local solid waste authority allows such practices;

d.

Grease trap waste is placed in leakproof, sealable containers located on the premises and in an area for the transporter to pump-out; and

e.

Detailed records on these activities are maintained.

(2)

Grease trap self-cleaning operators must submit a completed self-cleaning request to the POTW for approval. The written request shall include the following information:

a.

Business name and street address;

b.

Grease trap/interceptor operator name, title, and phone number;

c.

Description of maintenance frequency, method of disposal, method of cleaning and size (in gallons) of the grease trap/interceptor; and

d.

Signed statement that the operator will maintain records of waste disposal and produce them for compliance inspections.

(3)

Self-cleaners must adhere to all the requirements, procedures and detailed recordkeeping outlined in their approved application, to ensure compliance with this division. A maintenance log shall be kept by self-cleaning operators that indicates, at a minimum, the following information:

a.

Date the grease trap/interceptor was serviced;

b.

Name of the person or company servicing the grease trap/interceptor;

c.

Waste disposal method used;

d.

Gallons of grease removed and disposed of;

e.

Waste oil added to grease trap/interceptor waste; and

f.

Signature of the operator after each cleaning that certifies that all grease was removed, disposed of properly, grease trap/interceptor was thoroughly cleaned, and that all parts were replaced and in operable condition.

(4)

Violations incurred by grease trap self-cleaners will be subject to enforcement action including fines and/or removal from the self-cleaner program.

(g)

Cleaning schedules.

(1)

Grease traps and grease interceptors shall be cleaned as often as necessary to ensure that sediment and floating materials do not accumulate to impair the efficiency of the grease trap/interceptor; to ensure the discharge is in compliance with local discharge limits; and to ensure no visible grease is observed in discharge.

(2)

Grease traps and grease interceptors subject to these standards shall be completely evacuated a minimum of every 90 days, or more frequently when:

a.

25 percent or more of the wetted height of the grease trap or grease interceptor, as measured from the bottom of the device to the invert of the outlet pipe, contains floating materials, sediment, oils or greases;

b.

The discharge exceeds BOD, COD, TSS, FOG, pH, or other pollutant levels established by the POTW; or

c.

If there is a history of noncompliance.

(3)

Any person who owns or operates a grease trap/interceptor may submit to the POTW a request in writing for an exception to the 90-day pumping frequency of their grease trap/interceptor. The POTW may grant an extension for required cleaning frequency on a case-by-case basis when the grease trap/interceptor owner/operator has demonstrated the specific trap/interceptor will produce an effluent, based on defensible analytical results, in consistent compliance with established local discharge limits such as BOD, TSS, FOG, or other parameters as determined by the POTW.

(h)

Manifest requirements.

(1)

Each pump-out of a grease trap or interceptor must be accompanied by a manifest to be used for record keeping purposes.

(2)

Persons who generate, collect and transport grease waste shall maintain a record of each individual collection and deposit. Such records shall be in the form of a manifest. The manifest shall include:

a.

Name, address, telephone and commission registration number of transporter;

b.

Name, signature, address, and phone number of the person who generated the waste and the date collected;

c.

Type and amount of waste collected or transported;

d.

Name and signature of the responsible person collecting, transporting, and depositing the waste;

e.

Date and place where the waste was deposited;

f.

Identification (permit or site registration number, location, and operator) of the facility where the waste was deposited;

g.

Name and signature of facility on-site representative acknowledging receipt of the waste and the amount of waste received;

h.

The volume of the grease waste received; and

i.

A consecutive numbering tracking number to assist transporters, waste generators, and regulating authorities in tracking the volume of grease transported.

(3)

Manifests shall be divided into five parts and records shall be maintained as follows:

a.

One part of the manifest shall have the generator and transporter information completed and given to the generator at the time of waste pickup.

b.

The remaining four parts of the manifest shall have all required information completely filled out and signed by the appropriate party before distribution of the manifest.

1.

One part of the manifest shall go to the receiving facility.

2.

One part shall go to the transporter, who shall retain a copy of all manifests showing the collection and disposition of waste.

3.

One copy of the manifest shall be returned by the transporter to the person who generated the waste within 15 days after the waste is received at the disposal or processing facility.

4.

One part of the manifest shall go to the local authority.

(4)

Copies of the manifests returned to the waste generator shall be retained for five years and be readily available for review by the POTW.

(i)

Requirements for grease interceptors.

(1)

All commercial and industrial facilities dealing with grease shall, at the permittees' expense and as required by the city:

a.

Provide an adequately sized grease interceptor. Requirements for grease trap sizing and the design criteria are provided in subsection (i)(2) of this section.

b.

Locate the interceptor in a manner that provides ready and easy accessibility for cleaning and inspection.

c.

Obtain a written interceptor service agreement with a licensed transporter for a term of at least one year, or for the duration of the operation of the establishment, whichever is less, to maintain the interceptor in effective operating condition. A service agreement must be in effect as long as the facility has a grease trap permit.

d.

Unless otherwise specified by the city, service the interceptor every 90 days and maintain backup copies of trip tickets and a service log, on the premises of the facility, for at least five years.

e.

Report to the city yearly, as defined in subsection (l) of this section regarding subsections (i)(1)c and d of this section.

f.

Allow demand inspection of the facility and of records by inspectors during reasonable hours.

(2)

Requirements for grease trap sizing and design criteria:

a.

Introduction. Information contained within this document is based on standard industry practices.

b.

Applicability. These requirements are applicable to all commercial food service establishments, including those that are undergoing:

1.

New construction.

2.

Interior remodeling to accommodate expansion or operational modifications.

3.

Changes of ownership/occupancy.

4.

Facilities, which may be experiencing difficulty in achieving compliance with maintenance and/or wastewater discharge limitations.

c.

Sizing requirements. Sizing methods described herein are intended as guidance in determining grease trap/interceptor sizes that will afford the city's sanitary sewer system (POTW) a minimum degree of protection against grease and other obstructing materials. Sizing determinations are based on operational data provided by business owners or their contractors. In approving a customer's plumbing or grease interceptor design, the city does not accept liability for the failure of a system to adequately treat wastewater to achieve effluent quality requirements specified under this article. It is the responsibility of the generator and/or contractors to insure the appropriate level of treatment necessary for compliance with environmental and wastewater regulations. The uniform plumbing code provides the sizing criteria for food service grease trap interceptors based on the parameters for hydraulic loading and grease storage capacity, for one or more fixtures. (See the Grease Interceptor Sizing Worksheet on file in the office of the city secretary-treasurer.)

1.

Sizing formula. The size of the interceptor shall be determined by following the Grease Interceptor Sizing Worksheet from the Uniform Plumbing Code.

2.

In the circumstance of single service kitchens with no food preparation (heat/serve only), and which use only paper service items, a smaller sized grease trap may be used and must be approved by the chief plumbing inspector. In these instances, the trap must be readily accessible for cleaning and maintenance. (See subsection (i)(2)d of this section.)

d.

Construction/installation. All permitting, construction, and inspection activities must be completed in accordance with the current TCEQ regulations.

1.

Distance from sinks and dishwashers. Grease traps are to be installed at a sufficient distance from sinks and dishwashers to allow for adequate cooling of wastewater. Water temperatures must be less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit prior to entering the grease trap.

2.

Grease bearing waste streams.

(i)

All grease bearing waste streams should be routed through an appropriate grease trap/inceptor, including: three-compartment sinks, pot/pan sinks, soup kettles, hand-washing sinks, dishwashers, mop sinks and floor drains.

(ii)

Notable exceptions: Drains that receive clear waste only, such as from ice machines, condensate from coils and drink stations, may be plumbed to the sanitary system without passing through the grease interceptor with the condition that the receiving drain is a hub type that is a minimum of two inches above the finished floor.

3.

Sample port. A sample port shall be installed on the effluent line of each grease trap. The port shall be a minimum of four inches in diameter and be connected to the sewer line at a 90-degree angle to allow for visualization and sampling activities. The port shall be installed in such a manner as to be protected from stormwater contamination and maintained in a safe and proper operating condition. The plug on the sample port must be easily removed from the pipe.

e.

Customer (generator) responsibilities. It is the responsibility of the customer (waste generator) to ensure compliance with the city's discharge limitations.

1.

Hazardous wastes, such as acids, strong cleaners, pesticides, herbicides, paint, solvents, or gasoline should not be disposed of where they would go through grease or grit traps. If commercial dishwashers are discharged through a grease interceptor, care must be taken in system design. Dishwashers use detergents and elevated water temperatures that will melt grease. If the interceptor is either too small or too close to the commercial dishwasher, grease may pass through the interceptor and into the collection system.

2.

Generators are responsible for maintaining grease traps in continuous proper working condition. Further, generators are responsible for inspecting, repairing, replacing, or installing apparatus and equipment as necessary to ensure proper operation and function of grease traps and compliance with discharge limitations at all times.

3.

The generator must have a grease trap/grease interceptor service contract (for pumping, cleaning, and inspection) by a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) permitted waste hauler, at a minimum frequency of every 90 days to ensure proper function unless the need exists due to greater demand volumes to pump and clean the grease trap/interceptor more frequently. Records of maintenance are required to be maintained on site for five years. (90-day maintenance frequency assumes proper sizing and installation consistent with this guidance).

4.

Enzymes, solvents, and emulsifiers are not permitted, as they will only change the form of grease, allowing it to be carried out of the trap with the wastewater and deposited in the collection system (POTW).

(j)

Service/inspection ports and monitoring ports.

(1)

Except for under the sink grease interceptors, each interceptor shall be located outside of a building or structure in an area accessible for service, and so installed and connected that it shall be at all times easily accessible for inspection, and for cleaning and removal of the intercepted waste. Inlet flow control inspection ports, interceptor inspection ports, and effluent monitoring ports shall be in areas where vehicles may not temporarily block access to inspection. The use of ladders or the removal of bulky equipment or stored materials in order to inspect inlet flow control devices, inspect or service interceptors, or sample interceptor effluent shall constitute a violation of accessibility. Inspection ports and monitoring ports shall be located so as to allow inspectors quick and easy access to the inlet flow control device, each compartment of the interceptor, and the effluent from the interceptor. An interceptor shall not be installed in any part of a building where food is handled. The location of all inspection ports and monitoring ports shall meet the approval of the city and shall be shown on the approved building plans.

(2)

An inspection port shall be provided for the flow control device regulating flow into the interceptor.

(3)

A one-piece removable metal plate covering the entire interceptor shall be preferred as an interceptor inspection port, though at the discretion of the city, standard manhole ports may be installed over each divider in the interceptor, but in either case all parts of the interceptor shall be easily accessible for cleaning and visual inspection.

(4)

A monitoring port shall be provided for ease in sampling the treated effluent from the interceptor and shall be as close as possible to the connection with the city POTW within the bounds of the facility property. The port shall be installed according to the specifications of the city. The port shall be installed and maintained at the user's expense. A generator shall properly place, monitor, and maintain the monitoring port so that wastewater samples taken from the monitoring port are representative of wastewater leaving the interceptor. It shall be unlawful for a grease generator to divert sewage around a monitoring point into the POTW.

(k)

Under the sink grease interceptors.

(1)

Installation subject to approval. In the event that an outside grease interceptor is not physically feasible, an under the sink grease interceptor may be installed subject to the approval of the public works director and the code enforcement officer. In addition to the regular requirements of grease interceptors, under the sink grease interceptors are subject to additional requirements.

(2)

Installation requirements.

a.

The interceptor may be set on the floor, partially recessed in the floor with top flush with the floor, or fully recessed below the floor to suit piping and structural conditions, as acceptable by the public works director and the code enforcement officer.

b.

There shall be sufficient clearance for the removal of the interceptor cover for cleaning.

c.

Unless specifically approved by the public works director and the code enforcement officer, runs of pipe exceeding 25 feet between fixture and interceptor shall not be permitted.

d.

The interceptor shall not be installed in a waste line from a garbage grinder. Any garbage grinder waste shall bypass the interceptor.

e.

A suitable flow control fitting shall be installed ahead of the interceptor in the waste line beyond the fixture and as close as possible to the underside of the lowest fixture. When wastes of two or more sinks or fixtures are combined to be used by one interceptor, a single flow control fitting shall be used.

f.

Air intake for flow control either shall terminate under the sink drain board as high as possible to prevent overflow, or shall terminate in a return bend at the same height and on the outside of the building.

g.

To retain water and prevent siphoning, all interceptors shall have a vented waste.

h.

With the approval of the public works director and the code enforcement officer, one interceptor may be used to serve multiple fixtures if the fixtures are located close together and the interceptor is sized to meet the combined flow of all the fixtures.

(3)

Maintenance requirements.

a.

Interceptors shall be serviced at intervals that are determined by use or as determined by the city and shall be serviced by a permitted vacuum truck cleaning service. After accumulated grease and waste has been removed, the interceptor shall be thoroughly inspected to make certain that inlet, outlet, and air relief ports are clear of obstructions.

b.

Grease and other waste removed from the interceptor shall not be introduced into any drain, sewer, or natural body of water. The waste shall be placed in proper containers for proper disposal. It shall not be mixed with "edible" grease. Grease and waste removed from an interceptor shall not be disposed of in such a manner so as to become food for animals or humans.

c.

The grease generator shall maintain adequate documentation that the interceptor is appropriately cleaned and inspected.

(l)

Monitoring, inspection and entry.

(1)

It shall be unlawful for a grease generator, whether or not the grease generator possesses a grease interceptor permit, to refuse to allow inspectors to enter their premises during reasonable hours to determine whether the grease generator is complying with all of the requirements of this section and permit or order issued hereunder. A grease generator shall allow the inspectors access to all parts of the premises for purposes of inspection, sampling, records examination and copying, and the performance of additional duties. Arrangements for the immediate access of the public works director or the code enforcement officer shall have been made ahead of time, and such failure to make adequate arrangements shall not be considered a legitimate reason to refuse admittance of the inspecting party.

(2)

In cases where a facility includes private living quarters, the right of access shall extend to all common areas, and any other area or areas a facility employee, including the manager and/or owner, may enter without expressed permission of the residents of such a facility.

(3)

Search warrants. If the city has been refused access to a building, structure, or property, or any part thereof, and is able to demonstrate probable cause to believe that there may be a violation of this division, or that there is a need to inspect and/or sample as part of a routine inspection and sampling program of the city designed to verify compliance with this section or any permit or order issued hereunder, or to protect the overall public health, safety and welfare of the community, then the code enforcement officer may seek issuance of a search warrant from any court of competent jurisdiction

(m)

Permit/fees. The city may establish fees for application, operation, enforcement, administration, and reimbursement of costs incurred pursuant to this section. Permits are renewed biennially.

(n)

Violation.

(1)

It is unlawful for any grease generator to discharge into the POTW in any manner that is in violation of this section, or of any condition set forth in this section. Additionally, a person commits an offense if the person causes or permits the plugging or blocking of, or otherwise interferes with or permits the interference of a grease interceptor or the POTW, including alteration or removal of any flow constricting devices so as to cause flow to rise above the design capacity of the interceptor.

(2)

No person, and/or facility shall discharge grease in excess of 100 milligrams per liter to the POTW. If such discharge occurs, the person or facility shall be considered in violation of this section and subject to the remedies described herein. This includes nonpermitted facilities.

(3)

The city may suspend water or sewer service when such suspension is necessary, in the opinion of the public works director or the code enforcement officer, in order to stop an actual or threatened discharge which:

a.

Presents or may present an imminent or substantial endangerment to the health or welfare of persons or the environment;

b.

Causes stoppages or excessive maintenance to be performed to prevent stoppages in the sanitary sewer collection system;

c.

Causes interference to the POTW; or

d.

Causes the city to violate any condition of its national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) or Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit.

(4)

Any person notified of a suspension of the water or sewer service shall immediately stop or eliminate the discharge. In the event of a failure of the person to comply voluntarily with the suspension order, the city shall take such steps as deemed necessary, including immediate termination of water or sewer service, to prevent or minimize damage to the POTW system or sewer connection or endangerment to any individuals. The city shall reinstate the water or sewer service when such conditions causing the suspension have passed or been eliminated. A detailed written statement submitted by the grease generator describing the cause of the harmful discharge and the measure taken to prevent any future occurrence shall be submitted to the city within 15 days of the date of occurrence.

(5)

In addition to prohibiting certain conduct by natural persons, it is the intent of this section to hold a corporation, association, limited liability company (LLC), or limited liability partnership (LLP) legally responsible for prohibited conduct performed by an agent acting in behalf of a company, corporation or association and within the scope of his office or employment.

(6)

Any person, operator, or owner who shall violate any provision of this division, or who shall fail to comply with any provision hereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $2,000.00 for each violation and each day a violation continues, shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punished accordingly.

(7)

A permittee is liable to the city for any expense, loss, or damage occasioned by the city for reason of appropriate cleanup and proper disposal of said waste materials. Additionally, an administrative fee equal to one-half of assessed cleanup costs shall be levied by the city against the guilty party.

(Ord. No. 111308-06, § 12, 11-13-2008; Ord. No. 031110-01, art. 1, § 12, 3-11-2010)