Restaurant Grease Trap Rules in Palm Beach County

Why FOG rules exist

Grease poured or washed down a drain cools and hardens inside the sewer line, coating the walls and building up until it blocks the pipe. In a public sewer, that causes sanitary sewer overflows, exactly the backups utilities are obligated to prevent. Federal pretreatment standards push that responsibility to the source, which is why food service operators must capture grease before it leaves the building.

Traps versus interceptors

• Grease traps: smaller under-sink or in-floor units for lower-volume kitchens, cleaned frequently
• Grease interceptors: larger in-ground tanks for higher-volume operations, pumped on a schedule
• Which you need depends on your fixtures, flow, and menu, and is typically specified when the system is permitted

Sizing and installation

Undersizing is a common and costly mistake. A trap too small for the kitchen's output fills quickly, passes grease through, and puts the operator out of compliance no matter how often it is cleaned. Sizing is based on fixture flow and usage and is generally set at permitting. New installations and major changes typically require approval from the local building department and sewer authority.

Cleaning frequency and the 25 percent rule

A widely used benchmark is that a grease trap should be cleaned before the combined grease and solids reach 25 percent of the unit's capacity, since beyond that it stops capturing effectively. High-volume kitchens may hit that in a week or two, while lighter operations go longer. Many jurisdictions set a maximum interval regardless of volume, so your required frequency is whatever comes first, the 25 percent threshold or the local limit.

Recordkeeping and inspections

Cleaning without records is, for compliance purposes, almost as risky as not cleaning at all. Utilities and inspectors expect manifests showing when the trap was serviced, by whom, and how much waste was removed. Keep these records on site and ready. Scheduled service with proper documentation is the simplest way to stay inspection-ready.

Keeping grease lines clear, not just the trap

The trap captures grease, but the lines between the kitchen and the trap, and downstream to the sewer, still accumulate it over time. Periodic hydro jetting of grease lines prevents the slow backups that shut a kitchen down mid-service. Pairing scheduled grease trap cleaning with line jetting keeps the whole system flowing and the operation compliant.

Busy corridors like West Palm Beach's restaurant districts and Boca Raton's dining scene generate enough FOG that reactive service is a gamble, scheduled service is the reliable path.

What inspectors actually look for

Compliance is mostly about proof, not perfection. Inspectors want to see that your grease trap is being serviced on a regular interval and that you can document it — the date, the scope, and where the waste went. A clean trap with no records is still a problem on paper.

Many jurisdictions also apply a fill threshold, commonly requiring pumping once fats, oils, grease, and solids reach about a quarter of the trap's depth. We measure the fill, service the whole system including the grease lines downstream, and leave you a dated record you can hand an inspector without scrambling.