Photo by John Ruddock, High Orbit Media
The City of Monterey is mandated by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR’s) to prevent Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSO’s) originating from food serving establishments. Fat, Oil and Grease (FOG) is a primary contributor to SSO’s, and therefore should be managed using grease traps and interceptors to prevent adverse effects on sewer lines.
The City adopted a fee waiver for restaurants in 2007 to offset City costs for maintaining clear sewer lines in light of businesses that do not have grease pretreatment equipment sized according to the Monterey One Water grease interceptor sizing matrix.

Cooking fat, oil and grease (FOG) is a leading cause of sewer pipe clogs. FOGs cool and congeal on the inner walls of sewer lines and on tree roots that grow in them, much like arterial sclerosis in our bodies.
Learn more at Monterey One Water and www.clogbusters.org