What to do in the Event of a Sewer Spill
Please report it Immediately!
Call Ontario Municipal Utilities at (909) 395-2678 Monday - Thursday 7:30 am - 5:30 pm and Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm, or if after hours call the Police Department at 911.
Question
What are Best Management Practices (BMPs) for a Food Service Establishment?
Answer
Best Management Practices are procedures used to reduce the amount of fat, oil, and grease going down the drain. A few common BMPs are: dry wiping or scraping waste material from dishes, pots and pans into the trash, using absorbent to clean up minor oil spills, using screens in the sinks to prevent solids from entering the drain, and wiping oily/greasy hood filters with paper towels before washing. Click here for additional BMP suggestions.
Question
How do fat, oil and grease get down the drain?
Answer
Fat, oil and grease are natural by-products of cooking and food preparation. Common sources include meat fats, dairy products, food scraps, cooking oils, baked goods, sauces, dressings, sandwich spreads, gravies, marinades, dairy products, shortening, lard, butter and margarine. Fats, oil and grease are produced by restaurants, cafeterias, delis, bakeries, daycares, assisted living facilities, social halls and homeowners - basically, anyone who deals with cooking and food preparation.
Question
How do I choose a grease hauler?
Answer
The City requires that you hire a licensed grease hauler who has been permitted for pumping services. If you would like a list of local grease haulers, please call Ontario Municipal Utilities at (909) 395-2678.
Question
How do I dispose of used cooking oil?
Answer
For residents, the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at 1430 S. Cucamonga accepts used cooking oil. Restaurants must contact a rendering company to provide a bin or barrel for regular pick up. If you would like a list of local companies, call Ontario Municipal Utilities at (909) 395-2678.
Question
What is the difference between yellow grease and brown grease?
Answer
Brown grease is floatable fat, oil, grease and settled solids recovered from grease control devices. Brown grease is difficult to reuse and is generally disposed at a wastewater treatment facility, but may become part of renewable energy sources in the future.
Yellow grease is fat, oil, and grease that has not been contaminated with other sources (water, wastewater, solid waste, etc). An example of yellow grease is fryer oil, which can be recycled into products such as animal feed, cosmetics, and alternative fuel.
Question
Should I use detergents, enzymes, or other chemicals to wash grease down the drain?
Answer
Detergents, enzymes, and other chemicals that claim to dissolve grease may break up the grease for a period of time, but eventually (when the waste has traveled a little further down the pipe) the grease solidifies again. In addition, by adding chemicals to the wastewater you increase the cost of treating (“cleaning up”) that water at the waste treatment plant to make it fit for use as recycled water. The best way to prevent grease from clogging pipes is to avoid putting it down the drain to begin with! Rather than adding chemicals, try dry wiping or scraping waste from dishes, pots and pans into the trash, and use absorbent to clean up minor oil spills.
Question
I’m opening a restaurant in Ontario. How can I find out about grease interceptor requirements?
Answer
Please visit the Building Department at City Hall (303 E. “B” Street) or call (909) 395-2025.
Question
How often must I have my grease interceptor or clarifier pumped out?
Answer
Each vehicle wash or food service facility must determine the frequency at which its grease interceptor must be pumped according to the following criteria:
- When the floatable grease layer exceeds six inches in depth;
- When the settleable solids layer exceeds eight inches in depth;
- When the total volume of captured grease and solid material displaces more than twenty percent of the capacity of the interceptor; or
- When the interceptor is not retaining/capturing oils and greases; or the removal efficiency of the device, as determined through sampling and analysis, is less than eighty percent.
Question
How do I clean my grease interceptor/clarifier?
Answer
The City of Ontario requires that you hire a licensed grease hauler who has been permitted for pumping services. Pumping services must include the complete removal of all contents, including floating materials, wastewater and bottom sludge and solids from the interceptor, and scraping excessive solids from the walls, floors, baffles and all pipe work. It is the responsibility of each vehicle wash or food service facility to inspect its grease interceptor during the pumping procedure to ensure that the interceptor is properly cleaned and that all fittings and fixtures inside the interceptor are in working condition and functioning properly.
Question
I own a facility with a grease interceptor or clarifier. Will the City inspect it?
Answer
Yes, periodic inspections will be performed. Maintenance records and hauler's manifests must be kept for at least three years, and must be made available to the inspector upon request.
Question
What is a grease interceptor/clarifier?
Answer
Grease interceptors and clarifiers are installed at food service establishments and car washes to help prevent fat, oil, grease, and settled solids from entering the sewer. The device is usually located below ground just outside the building or car wash bay, and manhole covers provide access for inspection and cleaning. The vault includes a minimum of two compartments with a baffle between each compartment. For Standard Drawings of grease interceptor/clarifiers please see http://www.ci.ontario.ca.us/index.aspx?page=278 or call the Engineering Department at (909) 395-2025.
Question
I’m opening a business in Ontario. Do I need an Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit?
Answer
It depends on the type of operations that will be conducted at your business. To determine whether a permit is required for your facility, call Ontario Municipal Utilities at (909) 395-2678. Staff will ask you a few questions, and provide you with an application form if needed.
Question
Why shouldn’t I put fat, oil and grease down the drain?
Answer
Fat, oil and grease stick to the inside of pipes, and eventually may block the pipe entirely. Blockages in sewer pipes result in sewer overflows, where raw sewage flows out of the sewer and onto streets or private property. To reduce the likelihood of sewer overflows, City crews clean sewer pipes on a regular basis. By not putting fat, oil and grease down the drain, you help control maintenance costs and reduce the likelihood of sewer overflows.