Fats, Oils & Grease

The Town of Clayton's Fats, Oils, and Grease Program is responsible for ensuring and preventing the discharge of fats, oils and grease into our sewer system causing unsightly and environmentally hazardous sanitary sewer overflows.

To read the Town ordinance last revised September 2020, visit our Online Ordinances.

BSI Online Backflow Solutions Inc.Backflow Solutions, Inc.

As of October 1, 2020 the Town of Clayton has contracted with Backflow Solutions, Inc., the nation's leading backflow data management firm.

BSI Online provides an online tracking system to automate and simplify the Fats, Oils and Grease Interceptor Maintenance Reports cleaning database. The commercial establishment will be required to file cleaning reports at the BSI Online website. These reports can be submitted by you or the hauler performing the work for you. Most haulers are familiar with these procedures.

Fats, Oils, & Grease Overview

It's against the law to discharge fats, oils, and grease into our sewer system. That discharge can clog our sewer pipes, cause major expensive sewer overflows, and expose the public to unsanitary conditions.

To prevent this discharge, the Town of Clayton, along with all towns and cities in our region, requires restaurants and other commercial/industrial facilities to remove accumulated fats, oil, grease, and food solids by installing grease traps or interceptors designed to limit this discharge.

Those devices must be pumped a minimum of every two months. They should be pumped more often if the volume of discharge from your facility is higher. This ordinance requires you to ensure your grease removal device does not exceed the discharge limits set for fats, oil and grease.

To meet this requirement, you are responsible for hiring a licensed hauler to capture and properly dispose of all fat, oil, and grease materials from your device in such a way that is in compliance with these local laws.

FOG: Fats, Oils, and Grease

Sewer lines can get clogged with foreign objects, like too much toilet paper, grease, and oil. It can also be invaded by roots. The Town of Clayton wants to make sure that sewer mains flow free. While the Town of Clayton can check the Main Line for back-ups and clear that line, it is you, as the owner/resident, who are responsible for unclogging the sewer service line, which is the line that runs from our main to your house. Periodic replacement of the service line may be necessary and must be completed by either through the Town or a licensed Utility Contractor.

Sewer clean outs are the property owner/resident's responsibility. It is a violation of the Town Ordinance to leave the cap off and let sewage out or rainwater into the service line. By maintaining your lines and clean out, you can help the Town provide better, consistent service. If, however, you have had a contractor check your lines and you feel the problem is at the sewer main, please call 919-553-1530 so that we can inspect the main lines in the street.

For reference, DO NOT flush these items:

Flush Responsibly Graphic of Toilet

  • FOG: fats, oils, and grease
  • Food scraps
  • Paper towels
  • Anything plastic
  • Hair
  • Cotton swabs/balls
  • Rags/towels
  • Pills
  • Food wrappers
  • Dental floss
  • Rubber gloves
  • Diapers
  • Cigarettes
  • Condoms
  • Flushable wipes (Yes, even though they say flushable, they don't break down.)

Questions

If you have any questions, contact Utility Compliance Supervisor Brandon Carroll.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping to protect the community and our water resources from unsanitary sewer spills.

Fats, Oils, & Grease Management

  1. Fats, Oils and Grease Information (PDF)
  2. Grease Trap Cleaning Variance Request (PDF)
  3. Not Down the Drain - English (PDF)
  4. No Abajo del Dren - Espanol (PDF)