Grease Trap Requirements
Estes Park, CO

FOG Compliance in Estes Park, CO

Food service establishments in Estes Park operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Colorado 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 International Plumbing Code (IPC) for trap sizing and installation. Under Section 1003.3.4, which sizes traps by drainage fixture unit counts, grease interceptors installed in Estes Park 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.

Estes Park requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of 1000 . 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.

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 Estes Park Sanitation District, 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.