Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Program

The Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Ordinance was adopted by the City Commission on May 14, 2019 because the City has experienced many issues related to FOG. These issues are Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs), sewer blockages, lift station failures and reduced space in treatment plant basins. The City is taking a proactive stance to correct these issues to provide a more efficient operating collection system and to greatly reduce costly repairs resulting from FOG. The Lift Station Division has spent many labor hours cleaning lift stations that get caked in grease. At the wastewater plants, FOG makes it harder to get dissolved oxygen to the tanks, clogs up pumps and lines, creates scum blankets, and creates foam issues. The Program will comply with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's regulations and directives and our goal with this program is to protect the City's infrastructure and help to better protect the environment.

There will be a monthly fee based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) classification for any establishment discharging into a wastewater collection system owned, operated or maintained by the City. The FOG Program surcharge fee will be based on the FOG Producing Establishment's (FPEs) classification. The fees run between $10 to $25 a month. Examples of Class 1 are delis, coffee shops, daycare facilities, mobile food vendors. Class 2 is limited service restaurants with a seating capacity of 65. Class 3 is full service restaurants with a seating capacity greater than 65. Class 4 is buffet and cafeteria facilities with a seating capacity greater than 65. Class 5 is institutional and industrial service establishments which include oil change centers, nursing homes, hospitals, schools.

Since this is a new program for the City, we are finding that many establishments are not in compliance. Because of this, we are giving these establishments one year to become compliant. After the year, fees will be assessed. An additional compliance inspection fee of at least $100 will be charged to each FOG Producing Establishment (FPE) for each re-inspection due to noncompliance issues and every failed inspection thereafter the inspection fee will increase exponentially to a maximum of $1,000 per day. In addition to these fees, there are fines that are associated with deficiencies and violations. Fines range from $25 to discontinuance of service.