Grease Trap Requirements
Fort Collins, CO

FOG Compliance in Fort Collins, CO

Food service establishments in Fort Collins 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.

Pumping frequency is the compliance rule restaurant owners interact with most often. In Fort Collins, the rule is: As needed. This aligns with the 90-day US median enforced by most major cities. 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 Fort Collins 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: 500 gallons (gravity interceptor for food preparation areas).

Fort Collins requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is Unknown - set by Fort Collins Utilities. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of Unknown - significant penalties per municipal code; city paid $900K state fine for sewer issues . 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.

Periodic - Fort Collins Utilities conducts routine grease interceptor 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 Fort Collins Utilities / South Fort Collins 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.