Grease trap pumping for Gulf Coast restaurants

What a full pump-out should include

A quick skim of the floating grease layer is not a cleaning. The Harrison County Utility Authority's regulation defines "clean" as removing the entire contents of the trap, scraping the walls or cleaning them with high-pressure water, and then pumping it again. That is a good standard to ask for wherever you are. A typical visit includes:

• Pumping out the floating grease, the water layer, and the settled food solids
• Scraping or jetting the walls, baffles, and lid
• Checking the inlet and outlet fittings, baffles, and gaskets for damage
• A service record or manifest showing the date, volume removed, and where the waste went

Sources: HCUA Grease Trap Regulations, Article I definitions (PDF)

How often should a grease trap be pumped?

It depends on the trap's size and how much grease your kitchen produces. Two benchmarks help:

• The 25% rule. Pump before floating grease plus settled solids take up about a quarter of the trap's liquid depth. Hancock County's FOG ordinance uses the same 25% trigger.
• Local maximums. In the Harrison County Utility Authority's area (Gulfport, Biloxi, D'Iberville, Long Beach, Pass Christian), going 90 days without cleaning can lead to an ordered inspection. Hancock County sets a 30-day baseline for interceptors. See the HCUA guide and the Bay St. Louis page.

Small indoor traps at busy kitchens often need service much more often than any legal maximum. Ask your provider to record grease and solids depth at each visit so you can adjust the interval.

Signs your trap is due

• Sinks or floor drains draining slowly
• Grease odors in the kitchen or dining room
• Grease visible at the floor drain or around the trap lid
• It has been longer than your usual interval, or you don't know when it was last pumped

If water is already backing up, see emergency and backed-up grease trap service.

Questions to ask a pumping provider

• Are you permitted to haul grease trap waste in my county? (In HCUA's area, look for HCUA decals on the truck.)
• Is pricing per visit, per gallon, or by contract, and what is included?
• Do you scrape the walls and pump the trap again, or only skim?
• Will I get a signed manifest or service record every time?
• Can you service before we open or after we close?

Between pump-outs

Scrape and wipe plates, pots, and pans into the trash before washing, collect fryer oil for recycling instead of pouring it down a drain, and don't add enzymes or degreasers to "dissolve" grease. Hancock County's ordinance specifically prohibits surfactants, solvents, and emulsifiers in grease interceptors, because they push grease further down the line.

Sources: Hancock County Utility Authority FOG Ordinance (PDF)

Related services and guides

Where we take requests

• Gulfport
• Biloxi
• D'Iberville
• Ocean Springs
• Long Beach
• Pass Christian
• Bay St. Louis
• Pascagoula