Waste Controls for Industrial Users

The City of Louisville has rules about what businesses can send into the sewer system. These rules protect our pipes, our water treatment plant, and the environment. Some waste can hurt people or the environment. The City calls this "deleterious waste." Things like too much sediment, salt, or nutrients can cause problems at the wastewater treatment plant. Businesses must get written permission from the City before discharging this type of waste.

Grease (Fats, Oils & Grease: FOG)

Grease poured down a drain can clog pipes and cause sewage backups. Any business that prepares food must install a grease trap or grease interceptor to catch grease before it enters the sewer.

• A grease trap is usually inside the building
• A grease interceptor is usually buried outside the building

These devices must be cleaned regularly. Interior traps may need cleaning daily or weekly, while exterior interceptors typically need cleaning every 90 days.

All cleaning records must be filed online with BSI. Contact BSI with questions at support@backflow.com or 888-966-6050.

Important: Never use hot water, chemicals, bacteria, or enzymes to dissolve grease before it goes down the drain. This is strictly prohibited.

If a grease device isn't maintained, businesses may face bad smells, pest problems, sewer blockages, and fines from the City.

Dental offices

Mercury from dental fillings can get into the sewer and cause harm. Federal law (EPA rules, 40 CFR Part 441) requires dental offices to use special equipment to catch mercury before it goes down the drain. Dental offices must:

• Use an approved amalgam separator
• File a one-time compliance report with the City
• Update that report within 90 days of any ownership change
• Keep records of equipment inspections and waste disposal on-site

Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries

Businesses that make beer, wine, spirits, or other fermented drinks produce wastewater that is harder and more expensive for the City to treat. It contains more organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus than regular wastewater. Microbes in this wastewater can also form films inside pipes and cause blockages.

These businesses must follow the City's Prohibitive Discharge Standards and use Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the impact of their wastewater on the sewer system.