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Macomb Township approves grease‑interceptor program, plans ordinance and user fees to limit FOG in sewers
Summary
The board approved a first‑year contract with Eganix Inc. to begin a grease‑interceptor maintenance and monitoring program; staff will draft an ordinance setting a 100 parts‑per‑million threshold and develop a cost‑sharing plan for commercial users.
The Macomb Township Board of Trustees on July 23 approved a one‑year start to a grease interceptor maintenance program with Eganix Inc. to identify and reduce fats, oils and grease (FOG) entering the township sanitary sewer system.
Mr. Johnson, a township DPW staff member, told trustees the township does not currently have a grease‑interceptor program and that FOG is “very prevalent in our sanitary sewers,” causing clogs and damage to lift stations and pumps. “This program will have organics go through every business that introduces what we call FOG — restaurants, oil change businesses, car washes, and others — gather information on the grease traps and making sure they're properly maintained,” Mr. Johnson said.
The contract’s first‑year cost is $112,000 and the township will cover that initial year while DPW develops an estimate to apportion future costs to commercial users; Mr. Johnson said the estimate equates to roughly $550 per user per year. He said Eganix will help draft an ordinance to require businesses to remain under a 100 parts‑per‑million threshold and will provide a GIS platform to track compliance. Mr. Johnson described a sampling procedure: “They will take a sample of their effluent … take it to the lab, and they'll test if it reaches a 100 parts per million or more. We can now scientifically determine who is not complying with the ordinance,” he said.
Trustees asked about inspection frequency; Mr. Johnson said businesses would be inspected annually. The board approved the program unanimously.
Ending: DPW will work with Eganix to draft ordinance language, design the sampling and enforcement approach, and develop the cost‑share plan for commercial users. Staff expects to present implementation details and an enforcement framework to the board before billing users.
