Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sewer Grease Traps topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tenafly Council introduces grease‑trap ordinance after sewer emergency; inspectors found high failure rate
Summary
After a recent sewer emergency, borough inspections found roughly 55–60% of regulated establishments out of compliance with grease‑trap requirements; council introduced Ordinance 24‑40 to tighten inspections and enforcement, and staff will notify affected businesses and pursue violations under the existing penalty structure.
The Tenafly mayor and council introduced an ordinance on Dec. 3 amending sewer regulations to strengthen oversight of grease traps after follow‑up inspections related to a recent sewer emergency.
Borough administrator David told the council that DPW and the borough engineer have been inspecting establishments that must have grease traps and have found about a 55–60% failure rate, typically because grease remained in the trap or required maintenance logs were not kept on site. David said staff will provide the health inspector with a list of failures so violation notices and summonses can be issued to noncompliant businesses.
The introduced ordinance, Ordinance 24‑40, would amend chapter 18 of the borough code to revise regulation of grease traps and interceptors and expand which municipal officials can conduct inspections (building code officer, DPW or health inspector). David said the proposed enforcement approach would require inspections at least quarterly, with monthly inspections likely and some inspections unannounced. He also said the DPW sewer unit is expected to carry out the inspections.
Council members asked how the borough will notify businesses if the ordinance is adopted; David said he will send a drafted general letter to affected businesses the same week so they are aware of upcoming inspections and obligations. At the administrator’s summary later in the meeting, he reiterated that penalties under the current ordinance range from a minimum $500 up to $5,000.
The ordinance was introduced on first reading and a public hearing and final action will be scheduled for the Dec. 17 meeting. If the council adopts the measure, staff will proceed with notification and enforcement under the ordinance’s inspection and penalty provisions.
