NEED HELP! Grease Trap Requirements

[jdandtracy]

I have a question for shop owners...
Our local utility company first stated that I would have to install a 1000 gallon grease interceptor, which would require excavation of the parking lot and trenching for plumbing into the building. This cost would be approximately $45,000, and obviously not in our budget.

We obtained a variance, but they are requiring a 220lb grease trap capacity. I can't even find one that large in my research on line!

We are just going to be a coffee shop. We are not going to have deep fat fryers, grill, griddle, etc. The only food prep we will do on site is in a convection oven for pastries. We will be purchasing pre-made doughs and batters and will not even be doing that on site.

They also required us to never install a sanitizer/dishwasher or a garbage disposal.

Does any of this sound right to you, or even reasonable. There are numerous existing coffee shops in town that don't have a grease trap at all, let alone a huge one??

This seems very crazy to me, but CSU Wastewater acts as if they are doing us a huge favor to allow this instead of an outside Interceptor. They act like we are putting in a McDonalds.

What would you do in this situation????

Thanks,
JD

 

[John P]

Welcome to the world of idiotic City Ordinances. Kudos on getting the ridiculous 1000 lb grease trap to 220. Before we opened, a grease trap was not required, but the laws changed here so that ANY food item being served (include muffins, toast, etc.) may add particulates to the water system and ...grease trap needed. We use a 40 lb grease trap, and the city said, "Yes, that would be PLENTY." I would suggest speaking with the City water engineers (or what have you ) and calling another meeting, explaining your situation. You are not at cafe (as in diner) you are a coffeeshop as in "coffee". I suspect a reasoned approach will work. Be persistent. It's more beneficial for them to have you in their city as a viable business than to handcuff you with an ordinance that doesn't apply. (BTW, any Starbucks/chain stores? Did they have to have this tremendous grease trap?? just wondering).
I would recommend:
http://www.acitydiscount.com

 

[ElPugDiablo]

If you guys have not dealt with grease trap before talk to some restaurant people before open the thing up for cleaning - unless you want to stink up the joint like there is no tomorrow.

 

[John P]

Have a service come and pump/clean it for you during off hours.

If you do it yourself, plug the "in" line or you will get gobs o' sewer gas infiltrating your place. (made that mistake-- took some industrial air freshener, a fan, and a couple of hours to clear out the smell.

 

[dant]

To answer your question, "what would I do in your situation," I would try and talk with the owners of other coffee shops in your area that are under the same jurisdiction. I would see how they dealt with this issue.

Who, exactly, is requiring that you install this?

Here in Philadelphia this issue is basically regulated by the health department. If you don't fry food or have a vented hood they do not require you to install a grease trap. We are required to install backflow prevention devices on the water supply and indirect wastes for the grey water, which I think is fairly standard across the country.

On the bright side, if there is no way around this and you don't deal with any fried foods, I don't think you will ever have to worry about cleaning it out.

-Dan

 

[equus007]

grease traps

I ran into this same problem when trying to start a new shop in a storefront that we had to get re-zoned to be food service. I think we lucked out and got a health inspector who was willing to look the other way. We ended up "sharing" a grease trap with the cheese steak place next door. Never actualy ran any plumbing to it as we too never actualy prepared any food in house.

Sounds like you have a very unresponsive inspector. Might just try going throuhg another person in their department.

 

[jdandtracy]

Thanks for all of your replies.
Unfortunately, this lady is the one who reviews every plan submitted to the Regional Building Department. Colorado Springs Utilities Wastewater Dept has been fined several million dollars recently by the EPA for allowing raw sewage to spill into Fountain Creek, which then carried it down to Pueblo, CO, who in turn is sueing CSU Wastewater. As a result, everyone at Wastewater has received high level reprimands, and they are taking it out on whoever walks in the door.
I hired an architect and engineer to go fight with them for me. They have a meeting on Monday, so I should have a final answer then. This engineer has dealt with this lady a number of times over the last 10 years and always gets his way, either with her or by going over her head to her boss. He scheduled a meeting with her boss directly after his meeting with her just in case...

I'll post the final results...
JD

 

[morrisn]

Have you tried the company that makes the Endura Grease Interceptor. www.canplas.com/Plumbing/home.php?categ ... ptor&page=
They do have approvals in other areas which could be of help to you.

 

[JJGONZALEZ]

As per what I know (might not be the most educated in the subject) but being a certified waste water treatment operator and being supplement shop owner serving smoothie and protien shakes (TEXAS), did not need a state approval/certificatio/inspection (TCEQ) due to my grease (milk) going down the drain being less then 210 lbs a month(did require a grease trap to hold above 210 lbs), I also had to follow and ask for the city requirements, usually they will approve if the state law approves you, but you will need to hire a clean up and disposal company or if done by yourself you will need to have a letter from the landfill accepting the disposal and submit to the city, along with requesting a receipt from the landfill or conformation note of the monthly disposal in order to present to inspector.

 

[edwinmoody]

I can advise you to set a sink disposal. My friend set in his coffee shop a powerful disposal and the problem of garbage disappeared. He recommended this site with reviews - https://bestsinkdisposal.com/.

 

[Musicphan]

Old thread...

 

[ainfl]

I have a question for shop owners...
Our local utility company first stated that I would have to install a 1000 gallon grease interceptor, which would require excavation of the parking lot and trenching for plumbing into the building. This cost would be approximately $45,000, and obviously not in our budget.

We obtained a variance, but they are requiring a 220lb grease trap capacity. I can't even find one that large in my research on line!

We are just going to be a coffee shop. We are not going to have deep fat fryers, grill, griddle, etc. The only food prep we will do on site is in a convection oven for pastries. We will be purchasing pre-made doughs and batters and will not even be doing that on site.

They also required us to never install a sanitizer/dishwasher or a garbage disposal.

Does any of this sound right to you, or even reasonable. There are numerous existing coffee shops in town that don't have a grease trap at all, let alone a huge one??

This seems very crazy to me, but CSU Wastewater acts as if they are doing us a huge favor to allow this instead of an outside Interceptor. They act like we are putting in a McDonalds.

What would you do in this situation????

Thanks,
JD

HI - I know this was YEARS ago but what happened? i am in a similar situation but have a boba tea shop and they (The county) is stating I can not have an under the sink grease trap but must be outside HUGE one. the only thing we wash is 2 blenders and some teaspoons. I;m just wondering if anyone has faught and won this ?? (my county charges a $500 "fee" to ask for a variance! I feel like im drowning!