Grease Trap Requirements
Columbia, SC

FOG Compliance in Columbia, SC

Food service establishments in Columbia operate under a combination of federal EPA pretreatment standards, South Carolina 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 Columbia, the rule is: Weekly for traps. 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 Columbia 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: Grease interceptors minimum 1,000 gallons; sized to prevent discharge exceeding 100 mg/L FOG.

Columbia 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.

Columbia 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. Periodic inspections by dedicated FOG inspector (program since 2009). 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 City of Columbia Water, Industrial Pretreatment / Commercial FOG Program, 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.