Grease Trap Requirements
New Orleans, LA
FOG compliance regulations for food service establishments in New Orleans, Louisiana. Serving 1,504 food service establishments.
FOG Compliance in New Orleans, LA
Food service establishments in New Orleans operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, Louisiana 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 1,504 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 New Orleans, the rule is: Minimum every 90 days (quarterly). FSEs with high-volume cooking operations may be required to pump monthly. Must be cleaned before FOG/solids exceed 25% of interceptor capacity. This places it among the strictest tier of US jurisdictions, alongside most of Houston-area and high-volume Los Angeles County restaurants.
New Orleans requires a dedicated FOG permit for any food service establishment generating fats, oils, and grease. The annual permit fee is Pretreatment/FOG discharge permit required through the S&WB. Fees set by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, Environmental Affairs Department. Contact (504) 942-3856 for current schedule.. The permit is separate from, and in addition to, the plumbing permit required at installation. Violations carry maximum penalties of Up to $10,000 per day per violation. Each day of non-compliance constitutes a separate violation. Additional administrative enforcement actions and cost recovery for remediation. , 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.
New Orleans 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 S&WB Environmental Affairs Department on a routine basis. Typically annual for compliant FSEs; increased frequency for non-compliant establishments or those under enforcement orders.. 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 Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB), Environmental Affairs Department; Louisiana Department of Health (state plumbing code oversight), 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.
Pumping Requirements
Permits & Enforcement
Complete FOG Regulations
| Minimum Trap Size | Grease interceptors sized per Louisiana State Plumbing Code (based on IPC) and Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB) specifications. Minimum 750-1,500 gallons for exterior gravity interceptors depending on establishment size and FOG discharge volume. |
|---|---|
| Pumping Frequency | Minimum every 90 days (quarterly). FSEs with high-volume cooking operations may be required to pump monthly. Must be cleaned before FOG/solids exceed 25% of interceptor capacity. |
| 25% Rule | Yes — trap must be pumped when grease and solids reach 25% of capacity |
| Permit Required | Yes |
| Permit Fee | Pretreatment/FOG discharge permit required through the S&WB. Fees set by the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans, Environmental Affairs Department. Contact (504) 942-3856 for current schedule. |
| Maximum Fine | Up to $10,000 per day per violation. Each day of non-compliance constitutes a separate violation. Additional administrative enforcement actions and cost recovery for remediation. |
| Inspections | Inspections conducted by S&WB Environmental Affairs Department on a routine basis. Typically annual for compliant FSEs; increased frequency for non-compliant establishments or those under enforcement orders. |
| Record Keeping | Required — maintain pumping logs and manifests on-site |
| Plumbing Code | IPC (Louisiana State Plumbing Code is based on the International Plumbing Code) |
| Ordinance Ref. | New Orleans Code of Ordinances, Chapter 142 (Sewerage, Water and Drainage); Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans Rules and Regulations for Wastewater Discharge; Louisiana State Plumbing Code (LAC Title 51) |
| Authority | Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans (S&WB), Environmental Affairs Department; Louisiana Department of Health (state plumbing code oversight) |
Additional Notes
New Orleans operates its own Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB), which is a semi-autonomous agency responsible for wastewater collection and treatment. The S&WB's Pretreatment/FOG program requires all FSEs to obtain discharge permits and maintain grease interceptors. Given New Orleans' aging sewer infrastructure and low-lying geography, FOG-related SSOs are a significant concern. The high density of restaurants (especially in the French Quarter and other tourist areas) makes FOG enforcement a major priority. Grease haulers must be registered with the S&WB. All maintenance records and hauler manifests must be retained for at least 3 years.
Last verified: — Regulations change frequently. Always verify current requirements with your local wastewater authority or plumbing inspector before making compliance decisions.
Contact Information
Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans Environmental Affairs Department: pbrown@swbno.org or (504) 942-3856
Official Sources
Size Your Grease Trap for New Orleans
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