Information for Businesses
Backups are costly for businesses
If a sewage backup occurs at a food service business, the business must:
- Close and contact the Public Health Seattle King County to secure their approval to reopen for business
- Pay to have the blockage cleared if it is in your private side sewer
Note: If the blockage is in the public sewer but your side sewer is determined to be the source, you may have to pay the City costs to clear the blockage and property damage.
It's the Law: Fats, oils, and grease are prohibited discharges.
- Seattle Municipal Code prohibits the discharge of wastewater containing more than 100 parts per million by weight of fats, oil, or grease ( SMC 21.16.300 A. 2).
- A business is in violation if there is a visually evident accumulation of grease originating in the private sewer system ( SMC 21.16.300 B).
- Pretreatment devices such as grease traps and grease interceptors must be installed and maintained to intercept grease and oil before it is discharged to the public sewer system ( SMC 21.16.310 A).
- Pretreatment devices must be cleaned when 25% of their volume is occupied by accumulated grease and food waste. ( SMC 21.16.310 B).
Additional Business FOG Resources
- Use our FOG Pretreatment Device Maintenance Log (pdf) to track your proper maintenance practices.
- Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Grease to learn more.
- For effective, economical and practical things you can do at your business read our FOG Best Management Practices (pdf).
- Use our list of Fog Service Providers (pdf) to find businesses to assist you in dealing with FOG.
Related Sites
Resource Venture
Department of Planning and Development’s Side Sewer Program