Grease Trap Requirements
Washington, DC

FOG Compliance in Washington, DC

Food service establishments in Washington operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, District of Columbia 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 Washington, the rule is: Gravity interceptors: every 90 days or sooner above 25% FOG and solids. This places it among the strictest tier of US jurisdictions, alongside most of Houston-area and high-volume Los Angeles County restaurants.

Washington 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. DC Water conducts food-service inspections; frequency depends on facility conditions and compliance. 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 DC Water, 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.