Grease Trap Maintenance for Rankin County Restaurants

What a grease trap does and why it matters

A grease trap sits in the drain line between a commercial kitchen and the sewer or septic system. Its job is simple: slow the wastewater down long enough for fats, oils, and grease (FOG) to float to the top and food solids to settle to the bottom, so that only relatively clean water passes through to the downstream piping. Without one, FOG accumulates in sewer lines, causes blockages, and can lead to sewage backups in the building or in the municipal system.

Health codes in Mississippi require commercial food establishments to have a properly sized and maintained grease interceptor. The local health department and the municipality that operates the sewer system both have an interest in keeping FOG out of the public infrastructure, because grease-related blockages are the leading cause of sanitary sewer overflows nationwide.

How often a grease trap needs pumping

The general guideline is the "25 percent rule": the trap should be pumped before the combined grease and solids layers fill more than 25 percent of the trap's total volume. Beyond that point, the trap cannot separate effectively and grease starts passing through into the downstream pipes. For a busy restaurant, that threshold can be reached every 30 to 90 days. For a smaller operation with lower grease output, every 90 days may be sufficient. The only reliable way to know is to check the trap regularly and track how fast it fills.

Your municipality or utility authority may set a specific pumping schedule as a condition of your sewer discharge permit. Check with them to confirm what frequency your establishment is required to meet. Pumping records are typically required to be kept on file and made available during inspections.

What happens during a pump-out

A pump truck connects to the grease trap through the access lid. The operator removes the full contents of the trap: the grease cap on top, the water in the middle, and the food solids settled at the bottom. The inside walls of the trap are scraped and rinsed so that no residual grease clings to the baffles or the walls. The inlet and outlet fittings are checked for blockages, and the baffles are checked for corrosion or damage.

The removed material is hauled to a licensed disposal facility. Grease trap waste cannot be dumped into a septic system, poured onto the ground, or disposed of in regular waste. The hauler should provide a manifest or receipt for each pump-out, which serves as the establishment's proof of service.

Between pump-outs: what kitchen staff can do

• Scrape plates and pans into the trash before rinsing. The less food waste that goes down the drain, the slower the trap fills.
• Never pour used cooking oil down any drain. Collect it in a container and arrange for a separate used-oil pickup.
• Use sink strainers to catch food particles before they reach the drain line.
• Run hot water through the drain after heavy dishwashing, but not boiling water directly into the trap. Very hot water melts grease temporarily, pushing it past the trap and into the downstream piping where it re-solidifies.
• Keep the area around the trap access lid clear so the service crew can reach it without moving equipment.

The cost of skipping maintenance

A grease trap that overflows inside a kitchen shuts the kitchen down. The cleanup is unpleasant, the health department may require a follow-up inspection before reopening, and the lost revenue during the closure adds up fast. A grease blockage in the sewer lateral outside the building can result in a sewer backup that affects neighboring businesses, and the responsible establishment can be held liable for the cleanup. Both of these scenarios cost far more than a routine pump-out.

Get on a schedule

Lacey's Digging Services pumps grease traps for restaurants and commercial kitchens across Flowood and Rankin County. The team can set up a recurring service schedule that keeps your trap compliant and your kitchen running. Call (601) 939-6511 to arrange a first visit or to get on the calendar.