Grease Trap Requirements
Santa Clarita, CA

FOG Compliance in Santa Clarita, CA

Food service establishments in Santa Clarita 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.

Pumping frequency is the compliance rule restaurant owners interact with most often. In Santa Clarita, the rule is: Before FOG/solids reach 25% of trap depth. This places it among the strictest tier of US jurisdictions, alongside most of Houston-area and high-volume Los Angeles County restaurants. 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 Santa Clarita 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. The local minimum trap size is: Grease trap: minimum 25 GPM flow rate (25-75 gallons); gravity interceptors per LA County sizing.

Santa Clarita requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is Per LA County Public Works / Industrial Waste fee schedule. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of Per LA County ordinance violation penalties . Fines typically escalate with repeat violations, and severe discharges that cause sanitary sewer overflows can trigger federal Clean Water Act penalties layered on top of local fines.

Santa Clarita enforces the 25 percent rule: grease traps must be pumped before the combined FOG and settled solids reach 25 percent of the trap's total liquid depth. Inspectors measure the depth with a sludge judge or dipstick, typically at surprise visits. Exceeding the threshold at inspection triggers a notice of violation and mandatory emergency pump-out, regardless of the scheduled pumping cycle. Monthly self-inspection minimum; periodic county inspections. Establishments must maintain pumping logs, hauler manifests, and inspection reports on-site — missing records is itself a violation in most enforcement actions. Enforcement authority rests with the Los Angeles County Public Works Industrial Waste Unit, which handles permit issuance, inspections, and hauler licensing.

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