Restaurants and other food establishments can produce fats, oils, and grease through routine cooking and cleaning activities. If improperly managed, these materials can clog sewer pipes, resulting in backups into the facility, damage to the collection lines, or sewage overflows in nearby areas.
A grease interceptor is used to remove fats, oils, and grease from water used for food preparation, dish cleaning, hand washing, and other activities before it enters the sanitary sewer. Along with best practices to manage your grease, remember to use a state certified grease hauler to properly pump and maintain your grease interceptor every 90 days, at minimum. You may be subjected to a $100 re-inspection fee and possibly a very expensive plumbing bill if these interceptors are not properly maintained.
All new food service establishments are required to send construction drawings of the facility to their local land use agency that include: plumbing, plumbing fixtures and details of the grease interceptor. Plans submitted to the City of Littleton and the City of Englewood will be reviewed by South Platte Renew for compliance with the Fats, Oils, and Grease Policy¹. Plans submitted to other cities or counties will be reviewed by the appropriate governing agency for compliance with their rules and regulations. In order to manage fats, oils, and grease from becoming sewer blockages, backups, and overflows:
- Use drain screens.
- Dispose of food waste in trash.
- Dry wipe all cookware.
- Use a grease receptacle.
- Keep cleaning products away from drains.
Employees must be trained to employ these best practices. Once trained, they should complete the Employee Training Form (English² or Spanish³) and hang sink signs⁴ as reminders.
Grease Hauler Information
South Platte Renew requires haulers to be certified by the state and highly encourage haulers submit manifests regularly. Those haulers that provide ongoing manifests will be added to our approved grease hauler list. Click here to submit a pump manifest.
