HomeMy Public PortalAbout2009-13 - GREASE INTERCEPTOR/TRAP POLICY0 0`10
ORDINANCE 2009 -13
An Ordinance Establishing a Section 9 -49 of the Greencastle City Code Creating a
Grease Interceptor /Trap Policy
WHEREAS, the introduction of grease and other like substances into the City of
Greencastle wastewater system can cause significant damage to strictures, the City's
wastewater collection system and treatment plant, and the environment;
WHEREAS, it is necessary to enact provisions in the Greencastle City Code to prevent
the accumulation and disposal of fats, oil and grease in the Greencastle wastewater
system, thereby reducing the operational and maintenance costs of the system;
WHEREAS, creation of such a policy will help ensure compliance with the City of
Greencastle's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued
by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Common Council of the City of
Greencastle that Section 9 -49 of the Greencastle City Code is hereby established and the
attached Grease InterceptorlTrap Policy shall be incorporated into the Greencastle City
Code and become a part thereof.
This Ordinance shall have full force and effect upon passage of the Greencastle Common
Council and its approval by the Mayor.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Greencastle,
Indiana this — day of 1 2009.
Adam Cohen
Jinsie S. Bingham
Mark N. Hammer Phyllis Rokicki
Tent' Smith
Approved and signed by me this _ day of 2009, at
o'clock .m.
Sue Murray, Mayor
ATTEST:
Teresa Glenn, Clerk- Treasurer
Chapter 9 Utilities
Article 6- Public and Private Sewer and Drain Regulations
Section 949 Grease Interceptor/Trap Policy
a. Definitions. For purposes of this Section the following definitions shall apply:
1. "Best Management practices" (BMP's) Schedule of activities,
prohibition of practices, maintenance procedures and other management
practices to prevent or reduce the introduction of FOG to the sewer facilities.
2. "Discharger" Any person who discharges or causes a discharge of
wastewater directly or indirectly to a public sewer. Discharger shall mean the
same as User.
3. "Sewer Facility or System" Any property belonging to the City of
Greencastle used in the treatment, reclamation, reuse, transportation, or
disposal of wastewater, or sludge.
4. "Effluent" Any Liquid outflow from a Food Service Establishment
that discharges to the sewer system.
5. "Fats, Oil, and Grease" (FOG) Any substance such as vegetable or
animal products, that is used in or is a byproduct of the cooking or food
preparation process, and that turns or may turn viscous or solidifies with a
change of temperature or other conditions.
6. "Food Service Facility" shall mean those establislunnents primarily
engaged in activities of preparing, serving, or otherwise making available for
consumption by the public such as restaurant, commercial kitchen, caterer, hotel,
school, hospital, prison, correctional facility, and care institution. These
establishments use one or more of the following preparation activities: cooking by
frying (all methods), baking (all methods), grilling, sauteing, 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. These facilities include but are not limited to restaurants, food,
manufacturers, food processors, hospitals, hotels, and motels, prisons, nursing
homes, and any other facility preparing, serving, or otherwise making any foodstuff
available for consumption.
7. "Food Grinder" Any device installed in the plumbing or sewer system
for the purpose of grinding food waste or food preparation byproducts for the
propose of disposing it in the sewer
8. "Grease" shall mean fats, waxes, free fatty acids, calcium and
magnesium soaps, mineral oils and certain other non -fatty material from animal
or vegetable sources, or from hydrocarbons of petroleum origins, commonly
found in wastewater from food preparations and food service. Grease may
originate from, but not be limited to, discharges from scullery sinks, pot and
pan sinks, dishwashing machines, soup kettles and floor drains located in areas
where grease - containing materials may exist.
9. "Grease Interceptor" A multi- compartment device that is
constructed in different sizes and is generally required to be located, in
accordance with Indiana plumbing codes underground between a Food service
establishment and the connection to the sewer system. These devices primarily
use gravity to separate FOG from the wastewater as it moves from one
compartment to the next. This devices must be cleaned, maintained, and have
the FOG removed and disposed of in a proper manner on a regular internal to
be effective.
10. "Grease Trap" shall mean a device for separating and retaining
waterborne greases 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.
This type of grease control device is used to serve individual fixtures and have
limited effects and should only be used in those cases were the use of a grease
interceptor or other grease control devices is determined to be impossible or
impractical.
11. "POTW" or "Publicly Owned Treatment Works" means a
treatment works which is owned by a municipality as defined by section 502(4)
of the Clean Water Act. This definition includes any devices and systems used
in the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage or
industrial wastes of a liquid nature. It also includes all sewers, pipes and other
conveyances that transfer wastewater to a POTW. 'The term also means the
municipality, which has jurisdiction over the indirect discharges to and the
discharges from such a treatment works. For purposes of this policy, the terms
"sanitary sewer system" and "POTW" may be used interchangeably.
12. "NPDES" The National Pollutant Discharges Elimination System;
the permit issued to control the discharged of liquids and/or solids to surface
waters of the United States.
13. "Permittee" A person who has received a permit to discharge
wastewater into the Districts sewer facilities subject to the requirements and
conditions established by the district.
14. "Remodeling" A physical change or operational change causing
generation of the amounts of FOG that exceeds the current amount of FOG
discharge to the sewer system by the Food Service establislvnent in a amount
that alone or collectively causes or creates a potential for SSOs to occur or
exceeding a cost that requires the need for a for a building permit to be issued.
15. "User" Any person who discharges or causes a discharge of
wastewater directly or indirectly to a public sewer system. User is means the
same as Discharger.
(b) Purpose, Policy, and Administration
The purpose of this policy is to regulate the generation and disposal of grease waste for
the protection of the City of Greencastle POTW and the environment. The objective of
this policy is to reduce the operational and maintenance cost of maintaining the POTW
and collections system and to ensure compliance with the City's National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit by preventing the accumulation of fats,
oil, and grease within the sewer collection system.
This policy shall apply to food service facilities within the Greencastle city limits and to
persons Outside the city limits who, by contract or agreement with the City, are users of
the city's sewage treatment plant and wastewater collection system.
(c) Applicability and Prohibitions:
(1) This policy applies to all non- residential users of the Greencastle Publicly Owned
Treatment Works (POWT), as defined in Chapter 9, Article 5 see. 9 -48 (1) of the
Greencastle City Code. Grease Interceptors are not required for residential users
(2) Food Service Facilities generating fats, oils, or greases as a result of food
manufacturing, processing, preparation, or food service, shall install, use, and maintain
appropriate Grease Interceptors /Traps as defined in Chapter 9 Article 5 sec. 9 -48 (1) of
this policy.
(3) No user may intentionally or unintentionally allow the direct or indirect discharge of
any petroleum oil, non - biodegradable cutting oil, mineral oil, or any fats, oils, or greases
of animal or vegetable origin into the POTW system in such amounts as to cause
interference with the collection and treatment system, or as to cause pollutants to pass
through the treatment works into the environment.
(d) Compliance Date
(1) On or after the effective date of the policy an existing facility shall be required to
install an approved, adequately sized, and properly operated and maintained Grease
hnterceptor.Trap when any of the following conditions exist:
(a) The facility is found to contribute grease in quantities sufficient to cause
sanitary sewer line stoppages or it necessitates increased maintenance on the
sanitary sewer collection system in order to keep main line stoppages from
occurring.
(b) If remodeling the food preparation or kitchen waste plumbing facilities in such
a manner to be subject to a permit issued by the City's Building Department.
(2) Existing facilities required by this or any other applicable ordinance or policy to
maintain a Grease Interceptor Trap presently equipped with an undersized or improper
Grease Trap shall, within duce (3) months of the effective date of this policy, install an
adequately sized Grease htterceptonTrap in accordance with the specifications of this
policy.
(3) New facilities required by this or other applicable policies or ordinances to maintain a
Grease Interceptor /Trap shall install such a unit prior to commencement of discharge to
the POTW.
(4) Any requests for extensions to installation dates must be made in writing to the City
Utility Superintendent at least thirty (30) days in advance of the grease generator's failure
or inability to comply with the compliance date set forth. The request must describe 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. Requests based solely on
monetary considerations will not be accepted.
(e) Discharge Criteria
(1) Where fats and Grease are a byproduct of food preparation and or /cleanup, reasonable
efforts shall be made to separate fats and grease into a separate container for proper
disposal. Fats and grease shall not be discharged to any drain or Grease InterceptoriTrap,
except as contained in byproducts of food preparation and/or clean up. Such waste shall
be placed in a container designed to hold such waste and either sent to an appropriate
processing facility or disposed of at an approved location.
(2) None of the following agents shall be placed directly into a grease trap or into any
drain that leads to an interceptorigrease trap:
(a) Emulsifiers, de- emulsifiers, surface active agents, enzymes, degreasers, or any
type of product that will liquefy Grease Interceptor wastes.
(b) Any substance capable of passing the solid or semi -solid contents of the
Grease Interceptor ;Trap to the POTW.
(3) The influent to Grease lnterceptors. Traps shall not exceed 140 degrees
Fahrenheit.
(4) Toilets, urinals, and other similar fixtures shall not discharge through a Grease
Interceptor /Grease Trap.
(5) No food waste disposal unit or dishwasher shall be connected to or discharge into
Grease InterceptorlGrease Trap.
(f) Grease Interceptor /Trap Permit
(1) Any food service facility discharging FOG other objectionable material is required to
obtain a permit from the City known as a "Grease hrterceptor"Grease Trap Pennit."
(2) Any new food service facility discharging fats, oil or other objectionable material is
subject to Grease Intereeptor!Grease Trap requirements. All such facilities must obtain
prior approval from the City for Grease Interceptor /Grease Trap sizing prior to or when
submitting plans for a building permit.
(3) All existing facilities, determined by the City, to have a reasonable potential to
adversely impact the sewer collection system will be notified of their obligation to install
a Grease Trap within the specified period set forth in the notification letter.
(4) Grease InterceptorrGrease Trap Permit applications shall be completed and filed with
the Utilities Department. Plans shall be provided with the application indicating the
location and design details for the proposed Grease InterceptorlTrap. Whether a Grease
Interceptor or a Grease Trap(s) is required depends on the requirements of the structure
and includes such factors as whether the structure is existing, limitation of installation
sites, amount of grease estimated to be collected and number of facilities served by the
traphnterceptor. The City shall determine whether the plans submitted in the application
will sufficiently serve the facility and may require additional BMP's or equipment to be
installed.
(5) Permits shall be issued for a specified time not to exceed five (5) years. The terns and
conditions of the permit may be subject to modification by the city Utilities Department
during the life of the permit, due to changes in state and federal law or other factors. The
pennittee shall be informed of any proposed changes in the permit at least thirty (30)
days prior to the effective date of change. Any new conditions in the permit shall include
a reasonable time schedule for compliance. After five (5) years from the original permit
issue date, the permit shall be renewed by submitting a new permit application.
(6) Grease InterceptorTrap sizing and installation shall conform to the current
engineering practices and plumbing codes for the state of Indiana.
(7) Grease traps shall be installed at a location where it shall be easily accessible for
inspection, cleaning, and removal of intercepted grease. The grease trap may not be
installed in any part of the building where food is handled. Location of the Grease
Interceptor/Trap must meet the approval of the City and health code requirements.
(8) If a facility believes the installation of Grease Trap is infeasible, because of
documented space constraints, it must request an alternative.
(9) Access manholes, with a minimum diameter of twenty -four (24) inches, shall be
provided over each Grease InterceptorlTrap chamber and sanitary tree. The access
manholes shall extend at least to finished grade and be designed and maintained to
prevent water inflow or infiltration. The marilioles shall also have readily removable
covers to facilitate inspection, grease removal, and wastewater sampling activities.
(10) Upon approval by the City, a Grease Trap complying with the provisions of this
section must be installed in the waste line leading from sinks, drains, and other fixtures or
equipment in food service facilities where grease may be introduced into the drainage.
(11) Grease InterceptonTraps required under this policy shall be installed outdoors unless
the City authorizes the installation of an indoor Grease Interceptor /Trap or other
alternative pretreatment technology and determines that the installation of an outdoor
Grease Trap would not be feasible.
(12)Grease removal permits shall contain the following information: The location of
sewer main and easements in relation to available exterior spaces and general information
about existing plumbing at the site.
(13) All facilities receiving a permit will be subject to annual inspections. These
inspections will be initiated within one year after the adoption of this policy. Inspection
fees will be assessed as described in subsection 7 below.
(14) Pennittees are required to pay an application fee of $100.00.
(15) Permittees are required to pay an annual inspection fee of $100.00.
(16) Permits shall be issued only for specific users for specific operations. As a result of
any sale, lease, or transfer of the premises for which the permit was issued, a new permit
shall be required. Any new or changed conditions of operation shall also require that a
new permit be issued.
(g) Grease Trap Permit Compliance Requirements
(1) All pernuttees shall engage in Best Management Practices, as outlined in
documentation provided to the permittee by the City with the Grease hnterceptor/Grease
Trap Permit application.
(2) All such Grease InterceptoriTraps shall be serviced and emptied of accumulated waste
content as required in order to maintain minimum design capability or effective volume.
These devices should be inspected at least monthly. Users who are required to maintain a
Grease Trap shall:
(a) Provide for a minimum hydraulic retention time in accordance with the
engineering guidelines.
(b) Remove any accumulated grease cap and sludge pocked as required.
(c) Grease Interceptors shall be kept free of inorganic solid materials such as grit,
rocks, gravel sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, shells, towels, rags, ect., which
could settle into this pocket and thereby reduce the effective volume of the device.
(3) Maintenance records on grease interceptorltrap cleaning and pumping must be
maintained for tlu (3) years and must be available for inspection on the premises.
(4) The permit may be revoked by the City if the petmittee is found to be in violation of
this chapter and:
(a) Fails to install grease pretreatment devices as required by the permit;
(b) Fails to fulfill reporting requirements of pretreatment maintenance as required
by the permit;
(c) Refuses reasonable access to the permittees's premise for the purpose of
inspection or monitoring;
(d) Violates any conditions of the permit.
(h) Violation
(1) It is unlawful for any user to discharge into the POTW in any manner that is in
violation of this policy, or of any condition set forth in this ordinance. Additionally, a
person commits an offense if the person causes or permits the plugging or blocking of, or
otherwise interferes with or permits interference with a grease interceptor, +trap 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 /trap.
(2) No person, andror facility shall discharge grease into the POTW, except as expressly
authorized by the policy. If such discharge occurs, the person or facility shall be
considered in violation of this policy and subject to the remedies described herein. This
includes non - permitted facilities.
(3) In addition to prohibiting certain conduct by persons, it is the intent of this article to
hold a corporation, association, LLC, LLP, PS or other entity of organization legally
responsible for prohibited conduct performed by an agent acting on behalf of such an
entity and with the scope of his'her'office or employment.
(i) Enforcement
(1) Except as provided herein, for a period of 12 months following adoption of this
policy, although installation of grease traps will be required to be installed, no
enforcement actions will be take under this policy for failure to achieve limits of grease
discharges from the facility unless such discharges are found to be intentional. If, during
this 12 month period, there is an obstruction of a sewer main(s), the City will take
appropriate enforcement actions in the form of a written citation with date for compliance
issued to the responsible person on site. The focus of the citation shall be education.
(2) All future violations will be classified as Major or Minor events as indicated below
(a) Minor Violations shall be defined as violations that created a blockage in a
sewer line, but no damage was done to other property owners of other users of the
collection system and no overflows occurred. Any person violating any of the
provisions of this policy shall be subject to the following:
(i) I" Minor Offense $500.00 civil fine
(ii) 2 "d Minor Offense 1,000.00 civil fine
(iii) 3` Minor Offense $1,500.00 civil fine
Consistent violations will result in a $500 increase in civil penalty and may result
in termination of service.
(b) Major Violations shall be defined as a violation caused by a person or entity
that created blockage of a collection system line and/or caused damage to other
property or other users of the collections system. Any person violating any of the
provisions of this policy shall be subject to the following:
(i) 1" Major Offense- a notice of violation will assessed for the cost of the
removal of the blockage and any damages to other property and/or other
users of the collection system.
(ii) 2 " Major Offense within a twelve (12) month period, a Notice of
Violation shall be issued with a penalty of no less that $1000.00 in
addition to the cost of the removal blockages and/or damage done to
property and/or other users of the collections system. Additional costs or
fine could be assessed by State and Federal agencies. The discharger shall
be informed that a future occurrence could result in termination of sewer
service.
(iii) 3�d Major Offense within a two -year period, a Notice of Violation
shall be issued with a penalty of no less that $2,500.00 per violation, in
addition to the cost of the removal of blockages and. or damage done to
property and/or other users of the collections system. Additional costs or
fine could be assessed by State and Federal agencies. The discharger shall
be informed that a future occurrence could result in termination of sewer
service.
0) Appeal Process
(1) The Board of Public Works and Safety shall hear and decide appeals when it is
alleged there is an error in any requirement, decision, or determination made by the City,
its Inspector or Utility Superintendant, in the enforcement or administration of this
policy.
(2) Appeals must be made in writing to the Clerk - Treasurer for the City of Greencastle
not more that thirty (30) days after the decision or action taken by the City.
(k) Authorization
City Council and/or the Board of Public Works and Safety are authorized to promulgate
such rules and regulations as shall be reasonable and necessary to carry out the provisions
of this ordinance according to its tenns and intent.
(1) Severability
If any part or parts of this policy shall be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not
affect the remaining parts of this ordinance. The Council and the Board of Public Works
and Safety declare that it would have passed remaining parts of this ordinance, if it had
known that such pail or parts thereof would be declared invalid.