Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wastewater Fog topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dunedin launches fats, oils and grease program; city hired environmental specialist and plans ordinance and permitting
Summary
City staff described a new fats, oils and grease (FOG) program to reduce sewer blockages and sanitary sewer overflows. The city has hired an environmental specialist, will inventory food-service establishments, propose an ordinance with annual permits (proposed ~$120/year), and maintain a preferred list of grease haulers.
City utilities staff outlined a newly created fats, oils and grease (FOG) management program at the Sept. 2 workshop, explaining how FOG accumulation causes sewer blockages, backups and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs).
Background and action taken: The city added an environmental specialist position in the FY25 budget; Alex Winterstein started in April to inventory food service establishments, research other municipal FOG programs and draft a local ordinance. The utilities unit described common FOG sources (cooking oils, butter, gravies, food scraps and some unexpected foods such as pizza dough or nut butters) and advised household prevention ("scrape it up, can it, soak it up").
Commercial controls: Staff explained two interceptor types: hydromechanical grease traps (smaller, often inside a kitchen) and larger gravity grease interceptors (below ground, concrete or plastic). Gravity interceptors are commonly sized where the inlet side retains two-thirds of the tank and the outlet side one-third; properly working interceptors are expected to remove roughly 80% of FOG. Grease haulers typically pump out interceptor contents on a schedule that can range from monthly to about every three months depending on accumulation.
Sanitary sewer impact and costs: Utilities staff said FOG contributes to about 47% of SSOs and showed photos of severely impacted mains and manholes. The city experienced 11 SSOs in 2024 and three year-to-date in 2025; staff described cleanup costs (vacuum truck, crew, lime, disposal) as material and cited the Clean Water Act'related federal focus on SSOs. Staff recommended a formal program because current maintenance operates largely on an honor system with hauler manifests and ad hoc reporting.
Program elements proposed: annual permitting and inspections for food-service establishments; mandatory regular pump-outs with documentation uploaded to a standard manifest database; a preferred list of licensed grease haulers; and enforcement language and escalating fines (staff suggested a $1,000 initial fine for illicit dumping). Staff said comparable fees in nearby jurisdictions run from about $115 to $250 annually and proposed a $120-per-year permit as a reference point.
Commission direction and next steps: Commissioners supported formalizing a program, asked staff to consult with the chamber and business community about messaging and timeline, and asked staff to bring proposed ordinance language for adoption. Utilities staff said they will continue outreach to affected businesses and to county counterparts, and will seek to implement the manifest/hauler tracking system with partners in the region.
Ending: Staff said the program aims to protect the collection system, reduce backups and lower SSO risk; commissioners asked for continuing outreach to business owners and for proposed ordinance language to return to the commission.
