Waste disposal - construction plans approval and permit required.

Memphis Code of Ordinances § 13-24-53-01

in effect

Sec. 13-24-53-01. - Waste disposal - construction plans approval and permit required. A. Compliance with chapter. All food service establishments ("FSE"), including but not limited to cafes, restaurants, hotels, retirement centers, nursing homes, hospitals, grocery stores, markets, prisons, mobile food units, or other food preparation establishments, discharging wastewater to the city's POTW, including the sewer system, shall comply with this chapter except to the extent that any requirement is specifically superseded by the City of Memphis, Division of Public Works, Fats, Oil and Grease ("FOG") Plan, if applicable. The FOG Management Plan, if applicable, would be available at www.memphistn.gov. B. Grease trap required/design criteria. 1. An FSE shall not discharge to the POTW, including the collection system, unless it has installed and is operating and maintaining a sufficiently sized oil and grease, water and solids separator (hereinafter called grease removal equipment) necessary to prevent the accumulation of oil and grease in the sewer collection system. Approval of the City of Memphis, Division of Public Works, shall be required during the construction plans approval process. 2. All grease traps used in conjunction with food service establishments shall have the capacity of 15 gallons per seat of dining capacity, except that no single grease trap shall be smaller than 750 gallons or larger than 3,000 gallons. In certain cases, multiple grease traps may be utilized. Alternative treatment technologies shall be considered on a case-by-case basis for food establishments that are to be located in an existing building where large grease removal equipment is not feasible. The use of enzymes and other chemical agents to dissolve, emulsify, or break-up fats, oil, and greases (FOG) in lieu of physically cleaning and removing FOG with grease removal equipment is prohibited. C. Food establishment wastewater discharge ("FEWD") permits. All FSE's shall obtain a FEWD permit to discharge to the POTW, including the collection system, from the control authority. This permit shall be posted on the premises and renewed as needed. Except where the control authority requires the FSE to obtain an individual permit, an FSE may be covered by a general other user permit. D. Multi-dwelling units, apartments and other FSE's - Control of fats, oils and grease (FOG) discharges. Any multi-dwelling unit, or apartment building, complex or FSE's may be subject to enforcement action for discharging FOG that contributes to a sanitary sewer overflow event, or obstruction to the sewer system. E. Person who causes obstruction of sewers. No person shall discharge or cause a discharge that results in an obstruction of the sewer system. For example, a plumber shall take such actions as necessary to avoid the release of FOG material that is lodged in a pipe to be released into the sewer system. (Ord. No. 5793, §§ 3, 5, 8-17-2021)

Source: City of Memphis, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tn/memphis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13PUSE_CH13-24PR_ART3DIPUSASE_S13-24-53-01WADIONPLAPPEREFetched: 10/28/2026