Access to clean, potable water is essential for the survival of our society and should be the responsibility of all who live within it. When sewer lines and septic tanks become contaminated with fats, oil, and grease (FOG), sewage can back up into homes and infiltrate the groundwater. Even with on-site septic tanks, failure to maintain FOG proves to be hazardous to the public. The environment suffers when careless individuals do not do their part to protect drinking water. This is the reason for regulations enforcing wastewater maintenance, and for businesses, this includes proper disposal of FOG.
What Can You Do?
If you own a grease-generating business, you need to have a grease trap or interceptor installed. These are box-shaped contraptions that attach to drains. When wastewater enters the trap, the FOG is captured inside through a separation process aided by baffles and filters. Due to the complexity of a grease interceptor, it’s important to hire a licensed company to install it. This ensures it will work properly, and a licensed plumber will be able to recommend the correct size for your establishment. Once installed, it is also your responsibility to maintain the cleanliness and efficiency of your interceptor. Again, this requires the help of a certified company who will routinely pump out the built up FOG. You should check with your local laws to see how often you need to have this service performed.
What’s the Risk?
In order to enforce these grease pumping regulations, inspectors are sent to businesses to make sure they are complying with the rules. The inspector will check to see how often you pump your grease tank and measure the amount of FOG escaping into water outlets. If he discovers the business is not abiding by the regulations, they will be expected to pay penalties or even close down. You can also face substantial fines if your trap is the wrong size, was installed incorrectly, or is not operating correctly. However, the greater risk is contamination to the public water supply. Think about that the next time you ponder skipping your scheduled maintenance.
Stay Compliant
With over 50 years of experience in waste management, Kline’s has cleaned and maintained every type of grease interceptor for every kind of business. We not only pump the tank, we also take care of the inlet and outlet lines, tank walls, and baffles. As an added bonus, if you dispose of your grease at our DEP-approved facility, we’ll give you a disposal manifest for your records. Our goal is to keep up with all liquid waste issues so you can avoid penalties and focus on running your business.