Arcadia Municipal Code Part 9 Interceptors

Every dishwashing sink, dishwashing machine, or other device intended or used for washing dishes and cooking utensils in any establishment serving 100 or more meals per day, shall be connected to the house connection sewer through a grease interceptor as hereinafter provided.

Every fowl or animal slaughter house and every meat packing or meat curing establishment and every sausage casing plant and all equipment in any soap factory, tallow rendering, wool pulling, hide tanning or hide curing establishment or other industry from which any considerable amounts of grease or sand and grease are to be discharged, shall be connected with the public sewer through a grease interceptor or sand and grease interceptor as hereinafter provided.

The provisions of this Part requiring grease interceptors or sand and grease interceptors shall not apply to any private living quarters nor to any eating establishment not equipped to serve one hundred (100) or more meals per day, nor to any establishment or equipment which will not discharge appreciable amounts of grease or sand into the public sewer as determined by the City Engineer.

Capacity to serve one hundred (100) or more meals per day shall be based on a serving or seating capacity of fifteen (15) or more persons or patrons at any one time, determined as follows:

(1) If the entire space that can be used for serving meals or lunches is occupied by tables or by a counter or both, each ordinary table shall be considered as having a capacity for two (2) persons; and each counter having fixed stools in front of each two (2) feet or less of length thereof, shall be considered as having a capacity of one (1) person for each twenty-four (24) inches of length.

(2) If any practicable space that can be used for serving meals or lunches is not occupied by tables or a counter, such space shall be considered as having a capacity of one (1) person for each fifteen (15) square feet of floor area; provided, however, that for drive-in eating places, the frontage where cars can be parked for service shall be considered as having a service or seating capacity of three (3) persons for each eight (8) feet of such frontage.

No grease interceptor shall be connected with the public sewer which has a rate of flow of less than sixteen (16) gallons per minute and a grease retention capacity of less than eighteen (18) pounds as determined by tests therefor as in this Part provided.

No grease interceptor shall be connected with the public sewer except upon approval by the City Engineer. This restriction shall not apply to a combination sand and grease interceptor designed to serve any establishment of the kind mentioned in Section 7491 or having a floor area exceeding five thousand (5000) square feet.

Every grease interceptor required by this Part shall have a rate of flow and a grease retention capacity which are not less than those given in the following table for the total number of fixtures discharging thereinto, to wit:

Provided, however, that any grease interceptor installed in such a manner that the inlet thereto is more than four (4) feet from the nearest outlet of any fixture discharging into such grease interceptor, measured along the pipe carrying the waste, shall have a rate of flow not less than fifty (50) percent greater than that given in the foregoing table.

Not to exceed four (4) separate fixtures shall be connected to or discharged into any grease interceptor. For the purpose of this Part the term "fixture" shall mean and include each plumbing fixture, appliance, apparatus or equipment required to be connected or discharged into a grease interceptor by any provision of this Part. A double compartment sink shall be considered one (1) fixture.

No grease interceptor shall be installed farther than twenty (20) feet from any fixture, appliance or equipment discharging thereinto, measured along the pipe carrying the waste to such grease interceptor.

Every grease interceptor shall be constructed of cast iron, cast brass, aluminum or other material satisfactory to the City Engineer, and shall have a removable cover of like material. The cover shall be of the same size as and fit snugly into that portion of the grease interceptor in which the grease is collected, and shall be easily removable. No cover shall be fastened in place with any screw, bolt, or nut.

No water jacketed grease interceptor shall be approved or installed.

Every interceptor shall be so installed and connected as to be easily accessible for inspection and cleaning, with the cleaning outlet above the level of the weir crest.

Every grease interceptor or sand and grease interceptor shall have a water seal of not less than the following depth or amount based on the maximum diameter of standard weight steel or iron pipe which can be screwed into the outlet of the interceptor, to wit:

Every grease interceptor or sand and grease interceptor shall be cleaned by the operator thereof at least once each day when in use, except as otherwise permitted by the City Engineer.

Every sand interceptor, grease interceptor or sand and grease interceptor shall be of proper design and of adequate size to prevent sand or grease, or sand and grease, from entering the sewer. The size and design shall be as approved by the City Engineer.

Every grease interceptor or sand and grease interceptor shall be vented in accordance with provisions of Chapter 2 of Article VIII of this Code.

Every sand and grease interceptor shall be constructed of Class "A" cement concrete or other materials approved by the City Engineer. The inside dimensions and thickness of bottom, side and end walls of such interceptor shall be not less in thickness than approved by the City Engineer.

Every sand and grease interceptor with a rated flow of more than fifty-five (55) gallons per minute shall have a sectional removable top or cover, capable of sustaining a live load of not less than one hundred (100) pounds per square foot of its entire area.

The walls and floor of every sand trap for a cellar drain or shower shall be not less than three (3) inches thick, and each trap shall have a cast iron frame and removable grate cover. The water seal of such trap shall consist of a cast iron soil pipe elbow set vertically downward inside the trap and connected to its waste pipe. A water seal of at least four (4) inches shall be provided and the minimum size of the waste pipe shall be four (4) inches where the trap is not vented. Such sand traps shall be cleaned as often as necessary for their efficient operation and shall be supplied with fresh water to maintain proper seal.

Every interceptor shall be so constructed and arranged that flowing waste will not wash out or carry away any of the grease or sand previously collected in such interceptor.

The City Engineer may adopt, in writing, such test requirements as he finds necessary to determine the collecting efficiency of various types and kinds of interceptors and to establish the rate and flow, grease or sand retention capacity, or other rating hereof. He shall keep on file in his office open to public inspection by any person a copy of every such requirement. The City Engineer may revise such test requirements from time to time as he deems necessary.