Grease Trap Requirements
Pismo Beach, CA

FOG Compliance in Pismo Beach, CA

Food service establishments in Pismo Beach operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, California state plumbing code, and city-level FOG ordinances. Together these rules determine how grease traps must be sized, how often they must be pumped, and what happens when a restaurant falls out of compliance.

The city follows the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) for trap sizing and installation. Under Section 1014, which applies a fixture drainage load formula with a retention time factor, grease interceptors installed in Pismo Beach must meet minimum capacity thresholds based on the fixtures connected to them — 3-compartment sinks, dishwashers, pre-rinse stations, wok stoves, and floor drains on the cook line.

Establishments must maintain pumping logs, hauler manifests, and inspection reports on-site — missing records is itself a violation in most enforcement actions.

Specific pumping schedules and compliance thresholds for Pismo Beach are not published in the municipal code at the level of detail tracked on this site. Restaurant operators in Pismo Beach should contact the local wastewater utility directly to obtain the current rule set before installation or during inspection preparation.

For a deeper explanation of the rules this city enforces, read our guides on how grease traps work and the 25/50 pumping rule.