Grease Trap Requirements
Atlanta, GA

FOG Compliance in Atlanta, GA

Food service establishments in Atlanta operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Georgia 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 has approximately 3,585 food service establishments — every one of them subject to the rules summarized below.

Pumping frequency is the compliance rule restaurant owners interact with most often. In Atlanta, the rule is: Minimum every 90 days (quarterly). More frequent pumping required if the 25% rule threshold is reached sooner. 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 Atlanta 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: 1,000 gallons minimum for gravity grease interceptors; smaller point-of-use traps (under-sink) rated by GPM per fixture as determined by plumbing code. Interceptor sizing based on fixture count and flow rate per City ordinance..

Atlanta requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is FOG permit/registration fee required; approximately $50-$100 annually (varies by establishment type). Contact DWM for current schedule.. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of $1,000 per day per violation; repeat offenders subject to escalating penalties up to $1,000/day with potential sewer service disconnection. , in line with typical US municipal 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.

Atlanta 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. Inspections conducted by DWM on a risk-based schedule; typically annually for compliant establishments, more frequently for establishments with prior violations. Unannounced inspections permitted.. 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 Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM), Office of Linear Infrastructure Operations, 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.