§ 5-6.1003. Regulations, Rules and Requirements.

(a)

Fog Discharge Limitation.

(1)

No FSE or MFF shall discharge FOG, or cause FOG to be discharged into the collection system that causes an SSO or that may accumulate and/or cause or contribute to blockages in the collection system or the POTW.

(b)

SSO; Public Nuisance; Abatement Orders and Cleanup Costs.

(1)

Any FSE or MFF determined by the Director to have contributed to a sewer blockage, SSO or any collection system obstruction resulting from the discharge of wastewater containing FOG, shall be ordered to install and maintain a grease control device, and may be subject to a plan to abate the nuisance created by collection system failures and blockages, SSOs or any other obstruction. SSOs may cause threat and injury to public health, safety, and welfare of life and property and are hereby declared public nuisances. Furthermore, private sewer lateral failures and SSOs caused by FSEs or MFFs alone or collectively, are the responsibility of the responsible person. If the Director determines that the public health and safety require the City to act immediately to contain and clean up any SSO caused by blockage of a private sewer lateral or the collection system serving an FSE or MFF, or if the City so acts at the request of the responsible person of the FSE or MFF, or because of the failure of the responsible person or FSE or MFF to abate the condition causing immediate threat of injury to the health, safety, welfare, or property of the public, the City's costs for such abatement may be entirely borne by the responsible person of the FSE or MFF, and individuals who are responsible officers or owners of the FSE or MFF, and may constitute a debt to the City, due and payable upon the City's request for reimbursement of such costs, depending upon the Director's determination of the cause of the SSO.

(c)

Kitchen Best Management Practices (BMPs) Required.

(1)

All FSEs and MFFs shall implement kitchen BMPs in accordance with the requirements and guidelines established by the Director, in an effort to minimize the discharge of FOG to the collection system.

(2)

All FSEs and MFFs shall be required, at a minimum, to implement and comply with the following kitchen BMPs, when applicable:

(i)

Drain screens shall be installed on all fixtures and pipes in food preparation areas.

(ii)

All waste cooking oil shall be collected and stored properly in recycling receptacles such as barrels or drums. Such recycling receptacles shall be maintained properly to ensure that they do not leak. Waste cooking oil shall be transported by a licensed waste hauler to an approved recycling or disposal site, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.

(iii)

All garbage and food waste shall be disposed of properly in trash bins or containers, and not in fixtures.

(iv)

Kitchen exhaust filters shall be cleaned as frequently as necessary to be maintained in good operating condition. The wastewater generated from the cleaning of kitchen exhaust filters, floor mats and kitchen equipment or fixtures shall be disposed of properly, in compliance with these regulations.

(v)

Employees of FSEs and MFFs shall be trained by responsible persons periodically on the following subjects:

a)

How to "dry wipe/scrape" pots, pans, dishware, utensils, equipment and work areas before washing to remove FOG.

b)

How to properly dispose of garbage, food waste and solids in enclosed plastic bags prior to disposal in trash bins or containers to prevent leaking and odors.

c)

The location and use of absorption products to clean under fryer baskets and other locations where FOG may be spilled or dripped.

d)

How to properly dispose of FOG from cooking equipment into a FOG receptacle such as a barrel, drum or bin without spilling.

Training shall be documented for each employee. Training records shall be available for review at any reasonable time by the Director. Training records shall be retained for a minimum of three (3) years.

(d)

Prohibitions. FSEs and MFFs are prohibited from doing any of the following:

(1)

Discharging into the collection system FOG that may accumulate and/or cause or contribute to blockages in the collection system or at the private sewer lateral.

(2)

Installing any food grinders or food waste disposal units in the plumbing system. FSEs and MFFs shall remove all existing food grinders within one hundred eighty (180) days from the effective date of the ordinance from which this section derives, except as otherwise expressly allowed by the Director.

(3)

Introducing any additives into an FSE's or MFF's plumbing system, grease control device and/or grease interceptor for the purpose of emulsifying FOG, biologically and/or chemically treating FOG for grease remediation and/or as a supplement to grease interceptor maintenance, unless a specific written authorization from the Director is first obtained.

(4)

Disposing waste cooking oil into the collection system or storm drain. All waste cooking oils shall be collected and stored properly in receptacles such as rendering bins, barrels or drums for recycling or other acceptable methods of disposal. Waste storage areas shall be protected from rainfall and constructed to prevent storm water run-on or run-off. Drains within trash enclosures containing stored waste cooking oil or stored grease shall be plumbed to private sewer lateral through an approved grease control device or other approved device.

(5)

Discharging wastewater with temperatures in excess of one hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit (140°F) into any grease control device.

(6)

Discharging wastewater containing fecal materials from toilets, urinals, washbasins or other fixtures to grease control devices and/or the private sewer lateral.

(7)

Discharging FOG and solid materials removed from a grease control device to collection system. Grease removed from grease interceptors shall be waste hauled to an approved disposal site as part of the operation and maintenance requirements for grease interceptors.

(8)

Operating grease interceptors with FOG and solids accumulation exceeding twenty-five (25) percent of the design hydraulic depth of the grease interceptor (25 percent Rule). The grease and solids layers combined shall not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the total interceptor liquid depth to avoid overloading the interceptor.

(e)

FOG Pretreatment Required. Every FSE and MFF is required at the time of construction, remodel, and/or change in operations to install, operate and maintain an approved type and adequately sized grease removal device necessary to maintain compliance with the objectives of this chapter, subject to the waiver provisions of Section 5-6.1006. The grease removal device shall be adequate to separate and remove FOG contained in wastewater from FSEs and MFFs prior to discharge to the collection system, as determined by the then current adopted addition of the California Plumbing Code (CPC). Fixtures, equipment, and drain lines located in the food preparation and clean up areas of any FSEs or MFFs that are a source of FOG discharges shall be connected to the grease interceptor. Compliance shall be established as follows:

(1)

New Construction of FSEs and MFFs.

(i)

New construction of any FSE or MFF shall include complete installation of an approved type and adequately sized grease interceptor, with a minimum size to be in compliance with the most current adopted CPC, prior to commencing discharges of wastewater to the collection system.

(2)

Existing FSEs or MFFs and Commissaries.

(i)

Any existing FSE or MFF, which, in the Director's determination has caused or contributed to grease-related blockage in the collection system, has one (1) or more private sewer laterals connected to hot spots and/or has contributed significant FOG to the collection system, shall be deemed to have reasonable potential to adversely impact the collection system and shall be required to install a grease control device within one hundred eighty (180) days upon issuance of written notification by the Director.

(ii)

Any existing FSE or MFF or commissary that undergoes remodeling and/or a change in operations, as defined in this article, shall be required to install a grease control device or to obtain a waiver in accordance with Section 5-6.1006.

(f)

Commercial and Institutional Properties. Any owner of a commercial and/or institutional property where FSEs or MFFs are located shall be responsible for the installation and maintenance of a grease interceptor serving multiple FSEs and/or MFFs that are located on a single parcel.

(g)

Grease Interceptor Requirements.

(1)

Any FSE or MFF required by this article to provide FOG pretreatment shall install, operate, and maintain an approved type and adequately sized grease interceptor necessary to maintain compliance with the objectives of this article.

(2)

Grease interceptor sizing and installation shall conform to the most current adopted edition of the CPC. Grease interceptors shall be constructed in accordance with the design approved by the Director and shall have a minimum of two (2) compartments with fittings designed for grease retention. The Director reserves the right to make determinations of grease interceptor size, adequacy, location and need, based on review of relevant information, including, but not limited to, grease interceptor performance, waste stream characteristics, facility location, maintenance needs, and or inspection needs.

(3)

The grease interceptor shall be installed at a location where it shall at all times be easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of accumulated grease.

(4)

An access manhole, with a minimum diameter of twenty-four (24) inches, shall be provided over each grease interceptor chamber. The access manholes shall extend at least to finished grade and be designed and maintained to prevent water inflow or infiltration. The manholes shall also have readily removable covers to facilitate inspection, grease removal, and wastewater sampling activities.

(5)

Food waste disposal units or food grinders shall not be connected to or discharged into any grease interceptor.

(6)

Grease interceptors shall be maintained in efficient operating condition by periodic removal of the full content of the interceptor, which includes wastewater, accumulated FOG, floating materials, sludge and solids.

(7)

All grease interceptors shall be maintained in a manner consistent with the maintenance frequency approved by the Director.

(8)

All grease interceptors are required to have grease retention fittings as designed for proper function. Any interceptor that does not have the grease retention fittings shall be repaired and/or retro fitted with appropriate grease retention fittings.

(9)

No FOG that has accumulated in a grease interceptor shall be allowed to pass into any private sewer lateral, collection system, storm drain or public right-of-way, or onto the surface of any street or parking area.

(10)

The Director may require any FSE or MFF with a grease interceptor to submit data and information necessary to establish the required maintenance frequency of the grease interceptor.

(11)

The required maintenance frequency for every FSE and MFF with a grease interceptor shall be determined in one (1) of the following methods:

(i)

Grease interceptors shall be fully pumped out and cleaned at a frequency such that the combined FOG and solids accumulation in the grease interceptor does not exceed twenty-five (25) percent of the total designed hydraulic depth of the grease interceptor (25 percent Rule). This is to ensure that the minimum hydraulic retention time and required available hydraulic volume is maintained to effectively intercept and retain FOG from being discharged to the collection system.

(ii)

Every FSE and MFF with a grease interceptor shall fully pump out and clean its grease interceptor not less than once every six (6) months.

(iii)

Grease interceptors shall be fully pumped out and cleaned quarterly when the frequency described in Section 5-6.1003(g)(11) has not been established. The maintenance frequency shall be adjusted when sufficient data has been obtained to establish an average frequency based on the requirements described in Section 5-6.1003(g)(11). The City may change the required maintenance frequency at any time to reflect changes in actual operations based on the actual generation of FOG from the FSE or MFF.

(iv)

If the grease interceptor, at any time, contains FOG and solids accumulation exceeding the requirements described in Section 5-6.1003(g)(11), the FSE and/or MFF shall be required to have the grease interceptor serviced immediately such that all FOG, and other materials are completely removed from the grease interceptor. If deemed necessary, the Director may also increase the required maintenance frequency of the grease interceptor.

(v)

Wastewater, accumulated FOG, floating materials, sludge/solids, and other materials removed from the grease interceptor shall be disposed of by waste haulers at an approved disposal site in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and/or local laws.

(vi)

The Director may direct City staff to have an FSE's and/or MFF's grease interceptor serviced if, in the opinion of the Director, the FSE or MFF has failed to comply with the terms of Article 10 of Chapter 6. The FSE or MFF shall be responsible for any and all expenses incurred by the City in undertaking such work.

(vii)

Abandoned grease interceptors shall be emptied and filled in, as required for abandoned septic tanks specified in the most current edition of the California Plumbing Code and City Standards and Specifications.

(Added by Ord. 3630-C.S., § 3, effective 8-14-15)