A. Grease Interceptor Installation Requirement Criteria: Grease interceptors are required for all facilities used and operated regularly for the commercial preparation of foods. Businesses requiring grease interceptors include, but are not limited to, restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, pizza outlets, delicatessens, sandwich shops, and any other kinds and types of food vending establishments in which any food preparation (including heating or defrosting in or by means of any kind of oven or heating device) takes place on the premises, whether or not such facilities are located in a separate building or structure or occupied by other businesses, as well as schools, churches, boarding houses with communal kitchen facilities, nursing homes, and daycare centers which have kitchens and engage in the preparation of food.
If there is more than one building in the facility in which food preparation takes place, each building shall have its own grease interceptor sized as outlined in the minimum requirements or all buildings may discharge to a single grease interceptor that has been sized to the criteria for each individual kitchen.
The exception shall be those facilities granted a variance, after review and approval from the director of the POTW. Grease interceptors shall not be required for private residences or dwellings.
B. Grease Interceptor Design Criteria: Each business establishment, for which a grease interceptor is required, shall have a dedicated service and grease interceptor. The design of the grease interceptor shall be in accordance with the minimum requirements enacted by the village of Fox Lake as indicated below, and shall have a minimum of two (2) compartments with fittings designed for grease retention.
Minimum requirements:
1. Installation of an outside grease interceptor with a minimum liquid holding capacity of one thousand (1,000) gallons. (Sandwich bars and carryout services, which only prepare noncooked foods such as cold sandwiches, shall install a minimum 400 gallon grease interceptor unless the director of the POTW grants a variance.)
2. Installation of a four foot (4') diameter inspection/sampling manhole downstream of grease interceptor.
3. All miscellaneous sinks, slop sinks, floor drains, water wash hoods, etc., located in the kitchen area shall be plumbed to connect into the new grease interceptor.
4. Prohibited discharge to the grease interceptor includes:
a. All washroom facilities.
b. Food waste grinders.
c. Dishwashing machines.
There shall be an adequate number of manholes to provide access for the cleaning of all areas of an interceptor; a minimum of one per interceptor section, and one sampling manhole directly downstream of the interceptor and prior to the effluent entering the sewer main. Manhole covers shall be gastight in construction and have a minimum opening dimension of twenty four inches (24").
One complete set of plans shall be submitted to the village of Fox Lake building department, these plans at a minimum shall include mechanical and plumbing sections. Additionally, the plans shall include size, type and location of each interceptor proposed.
The village of Fox Lake building commissioner shall approve these plans including size, type and location of the interceptor prior to any construction at the proposed site.
C. Grease Interceptor's Location: Each grease interceptor shall be installed and connected such that it is easily accessible at all times for inspection, cleaning, and the removal of intercepted grease. The grease interceptor(s) shall be located as close to the source as practical, however it must be outside the facility served whenever possible. The village of Fox Lake building commissioner prior to any construction on the proposed site shall approve the location of any grease interceptor.
D. Inspection Of Grease Interceptors: The village of Fox Lake industrial pretreatment department shall inspect all grease interceptors within the village of Fox Lake and develop a mechanism to inventory all grease interceptors of properties connected to the collection system, and document the inspections of these grease interceptors. Once all the grease interceptors in the service area are identified, the grease interceptors shall be classified into two (2) categories:
1. Problem Or Significant Grease Interceptors: The facilities connected to these grease interceptors contribute significant amounts of animal/vegetable fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes to the collection system or facilities which have been defined as a chronic problem facility. These grease interceptors shall be inspected and documented at a frequency of once every six (6) months or as deemed necessary.
2. Nonsignificant Grease Interceptor: The facilities connected to these grease interceptors do not contribute significant amounts of animal/vegetable fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes to the collection system. These grease interceptors shall be inspected and documented at a frequency of once every twelve (12) months or as deemed necessary.
E. Grease Interceptor Maintenance And Pumping Schedules:
1. It shall be the responsibility of the owner to assure that proper maintenance and pumping/cleaning of the grease interceptor is properly performed and documented. All grease interceptors shall be maintained in efficient operating condition. When pumping/cleaning of the grease interceptor is performed the entire contents of the grease interceptor shall be removed, which includes the removal of all accumulated grease, solids and liquid. The pumping/cleaning of the grease interceptor shall be performed in accordance with the schedule listed below and shall be performed in a manner that does not discharge grease into the collection system. At no time may any portion of the contents removed from the grease interceptor be discharged back into the grease interceptor or the sanitary sewer system. The owner/lessee shall conduct, on a monthly basis, an inspection of each interceptor. At no time may the accumulated grease and/or solids exceed twenty five percent (25%) of the holding capacity of the grease interceptor. These inspections and cleanings must be documented and the records kept on site for a minimum of two (2) years. Records to be kept on site shall include a maintenance log showing each date of pumping or service and copies of receipts and manifests describing each pumping or service. All records shall be made available to the pretreatment inspector (upon request). All grease and/or solids removed from the grease interceptor must be properly documented and disposed of by a licensed waste hauler.
2. All existing business/industrial users connected to grease interceptors prior to the implementation of this fats, oil and grease discharge policy are required to pump and clean their interceptor(s) at a minimum frequency of once every thirty (30) days. Inspections and samplings of grease interceptor(s) by the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department shall determine if this pumping/cleaning frequency is adequate to control the amounts of fats, oils, grease and/or admissible wastes entering the collection system or if the pumping/cleaning frequency needs to be adjusted. The village of Fox Lake pretreatment department has the right to increase the pumping and cleaning frequency as deemed necessary. All requests to reduce the pumping/cleaning frequency must be submitted to the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department, in letter form. The address is:
Village of Fox Lake NWRWRF
Pretreatment Department
200 Industrial Avenue
Fox Lake, IL 60020
The village of Fox Lake pretreatment department must approve any changes to this frequency in writing prior to any change being made. In addition, the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department may require the business/industrial user to implement best management practices in order to reduce its discharge to acceptable levels.
3. All new, remodeled and/or chronic problem facilities required to connect to a grease interceptor(s) in accordance with the provision of this policy are required to pump and clean their interceptor(s) once every sixty (60) days (or every other month) or as required by village of Fox Lake pretreatment department. Inspections and samplings of grease interceptor(s) by the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department shall determine if this pumping/cleaning frequency is adequate to control the amounts of fats, oils, grease and admissible wastes entering the collection system or if the pumping/cleaning frequency needs to be adjusted. The village of Fox Lake pretreatment department has the right to increase the pumping and cleaning frequency as deemed necessary. All requests to reduce the pumping/cleaning frequency must be submitted to the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department, in letter form. The address is:
Village of Fox Lake NWRWRF
Pretreatment Department
200 Industrial Avenue
Fox Lake, IL 60020
The village of Fox Lake pretreatment department must approve any changes to this frequency in writing prior to any changes being made.
4. If deficiencies are found during an inspection performed by the village of Fox Lake, the owner shall have three (3) weeks to bring the facility into compliance. If the grease interceptor fails a second (consecutive) inspection, the village of Fox Lake shall require the owner to contract with a qualified contractor to install new or additional equipment to bring the facility into compliance. This work shall be completed within six (6) months of the date the village requires such contract to be made. The cost of all work required to bring the facility into compliance shall be the burden of the owner.
F. Biological Treatment: Biological treatment shall not be a substitute for the complete pumping of the grease interceptor at the frequency described in this policy.
G. Existing Sources Not Connected To Grease Interceptors: Existing sources of fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes not connected to grease interceptors, which contribute significant amounts of fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes will be identified through inspection of the collection system by the village of Fox Lake sewer department. Once these sources are identified, the sewer department shall notify the pretreatment department of their presence. The pretreatment department shall in writing require these facilities to implement best management practices (BMPs) to keep fats, oil, grease and excessive amounts of admissible waste out of the wastewater collection system. All BMPs must be submitted to the pretreatment department for review and approval. Examples of a BMP include:
1. Scrape food from plates into garbage cans.
2. Prewash plates by spraying them off with cold water over a small mesh catch basin positioned over a drain. This catch basin should be cleaned into a garbage can as needed.
3. Pour all liquid oil and grease from pots and pans into a waste grease bucket stored at the pot washing sink. Heavy solids buildup of oil and grease on pots and pans should be scraped off into waste grease bucket.
4. Other kitchen practices identified by the village of Fox Lake or the facility, connector communities or sanitation district and/or facility which will decrease the point source discharge of fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes.
If the sewer department finds through inspections of the collection system that the implemented BMPs are not successful at the facility and the facility continues to contribute significant amounts of fats, oil, grease and/or admissible wastes to the collection system, the owner will be required to install an adequately sized grease interceptor as outlined in this policy within six (6) months after being notified.
H. Request For Variance: If a facility that is required to install a grease interceptor finds and documents by a licensed plumber that the facility cannot meet the minimum requirements for a grease interceptor, that facility may submit in writing a variance request. This request must explain the situation, which makes the minimum requirement unachievable, along with an alternative plan for FOG and/or admissible waste reduction. Limited funding is not an acceptable request for a variance. This request must be submitted to the village of Fox Lake pretreatment department within thirty (30) days of the order to install a grease interceptor.
If a facility believes that the pumping/cleaning schedule should be decreased the facility must submit in writing a variance request. This request must include a statement from the grease removal company that the facility has pump/clean their interceptor. The request must also state the frequency the facility feels would be adequate.
No changes to any portion of the FOG policy can be changed until the facility receives from the village a written letter either accepting, accepting with conditions or denying the variance request. The facility must abide by the terms the village specifies.
I. Penalties And Fees: The penalties, fines and/or fees associated with noncompliance with this fats, oil and grease discharge policy or portions of the pretreatment ordinance may be at least one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) per violation per day in order to maintain compliance with special condition eight of the village's NPDES permit.
The inspection fees associated with compliance with the FOG policy are as follows:
Activity
|
Fee
|
Any facility that requires the Pretreatment Department to inspect the facility more than once in 12 months | $150.00 per inspection (in excess of 1 annually) |
Any facility that is mandated to install a grease interceptor in accordance with this policy shall need an inspection by the Village Plumbing Inspector | $150.00 per inspection |
All fines, fees and compliance orders must be paid in full or satisfied before any new or renewal of business license application will be approved. The Village has the right to revoke any business license for a facility (within Fox Lake), which has an outstanding balance or an unresolved compliance order.
If business license renewal occurs within a compliance schedule a temporary license may be issued until the final compliance date.
Compliance status shall be reviewed annually, at the time of business license renewal. All fines, fees and compliance orders must be paid in full or satisfied before applications will be approved. No license shall be issued to a facility with an outstanding balance.
The above penalties, fines and/or fees may be assessed by the Director of the POTW. If a person or company against whom a penalty, fine or fee is assessed under this FOG discharge policy disputes the assessment of the penalty, fine or fee and notifies the POTW in writing of the basis for the dispute within thirty (30) days after assessment of the penalty, fine or fee, then the Director of the POTW may adjust the penalty, fine or fee if sufficient cause exists to do so. If the Director of the POTW does not believe the penalty, fine or fee should be adjusted, then he shall deliver copies of the original assessment notice and the notice of dispute to the Village Administrator or someone designated by the Village Administrator of the Village Board within fourteen (14) days after the notice of dispute. The Village Administrator or someone designated by the Village Administrator shall thereafter schedule a public hearing before the Village Administrator or someone designated by the Village Administrator, which hearing shall be scheduled for no later than thirty (30) days after the notice of dispute has been received by the Village Administrator or someone designated by the Village Administrator. The person or company against whom the penalty, fine or fee has been assessed shall be given at least fourteen (14) days' written notice of the hearing. The purpose of the hearing shall be to review the decision of the Director of the POTW assessing the penalty, fine or fee, and the decision of a majority of the Village Administrator or someone designated by the Village Administrator shall be final.
J. Best Management Practices (BMP) Plan: Food service establishments are required to develop, implement and maintain BMP plans that include, but are not limited to:
1. Proper storage of unused cooking oil;
2. Segregation, collection, and proper storage of waste cooking oil;
3. Disposal of food waste into the trash or garbage disposal;
4. Installation of drain screens;
5. Wipe-up grease spills before using water;
6. Employee training within ninety (90) days of initiation and twice each calendar year thereafter;
7. Grease interceptor maintenance;
8. Kitchen exhaust filter maintenance;
9. Record keeping requirements;
10. Notifications required for spills or slug loads; and/or
11. Notices and signage advising employees in the language used in the kitchen.
The village may require the submittal of BMP plans and documentation of procedures required in this section. (Ord. 2005-10, 3-15-2005; amd. Ord. 2010-03, 1-26-2010; Ord. 2011-18, 6-28-2011; Ord. 2015-08, 1-27-2015; Ord. 2017-23, 5-9-2017; Ord. 2021-08, 4-27-2021)