Guide for grease trap pumping companies · checked 10 November 2026
Grease trap pumping software built around the manifest, the 25% rule and the utility
A grease trap pumper's real customer list is a list of devices: each interceptor has a size, a permit with a required pumping frequency, a utility with its own threshold rule, and a portal with a deadline. This guide covers how the work runs from sludge judge reading to disposal ticket, the FOG ordinances that shape it (25% of depth in Tacoma, 50% of wetted height in Austin), manifest and trip ticket rules in Florida and Texas, interceptor sizing, and what software pumpers use.
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Short answer
Grease trap pumpers need software that schedules each interceptor on its permit frequency, records the FOG and solids depth reading, produces the manifest or trip ticket the state requires, ties every load to a disposal facility ticket, and files the pump-out with the utility's portal inside its deadline (5 days at JEA in Jacksonville, 7 days after the due date at GRU in Gainesville). Tank Track and ServiceCore are built for liquid waste haulers and handle routes and manifests; many utilities run their own FOG portals, often SwiftComply. Fieldproxy is one option. Best for processes that don't fit a template, set up for you: each device carries its utility's rule and deadline, the reading decides whether the frequency must change, and the manifest, disposal ticket and portal filing are tracked to closed.
25%
FOG and solids share of the chamber at which Tacoma requires a grease interceptor to be cleaned
source: City of Tacoma, FOG Sizing and Installation Policy Clarification Sheet (Jan 2025)
50% / 90 days
Austin: pump at least every 90 days, or sooner when grease and solids reach 50% of wetted height
source: City of Austin, Grease Trap Maintenance (City Code Chapter 15-10)
5 years
How long a Texas sludge transporter must keep trip tickets for grease trap waste
source: 30 Tex. Admin. Code 312.145, Transporter records and trip tickets (Cornell LII)
5 days
JEA (Jacksonville) deadline for a pump-out report, with pictures showing the trap emptied
How a job runs
One grease trap pumping job, from first call to paid
The order the work really happens in, and what has to be written down at each step so nothing is argued about later.
- 1
Take on the site and read the permit
Get the food service establishment's FOG permit or utility letter. It usually names the device, its capacity and the required pumping frequency. Gainesville, for example, sets a minimum of every 30 days for interceptors and writes any different interval into the individual permit. Note which utility the site discharges to, because neighboring cities have different rules.
- 2
Survey the device
Locate every trap and interceptor: under-sink hydromechanical units, in-floor traps, outdoor gravity interceptors. Record capacity in gallons, lid count and weight, manhole depth, baffles and outlet tee, flow restrictor present, and hose run from the truck. Photograph the lids and the parking spot the truck needs.
- 3
Schedule on the frequency and the rule
Set the next pump from the permit frequency and the last completed pump, not the last scheduled one. Group routes so the truck fills before it dumps: Fairfax County charges grease disposal by the hauler's truck capacity, not by the gallons actually in the tank.
- 4
Measure before pumping
Use a sludge judge or core sampler to read the floating FOG layer, the settled solids layer and the total liquid depth. Work out the combined percentage against the utility's rule: 25% of the chamber in Tacoma, 25% of usable volume in Pleasanton, 50% of wetted height in Austin. A reading over the line means the frequency is too long.
- 5
Pump the whole device
Remove the complete contents, FOG, food solids and water, then scrape walls and baffles. Gainesville requires complete contents. In Florida a hauler may not return grease waste or graywater to the interceptor, and the manifest must verify that graywater was not returned.
- 6
Inspect and report defects
Check baffles, outlet tee, lids, gaskets and the flow restrictor. Give the manager a written note of any defect. Gainesville requires haulers to document problems for the restaurant and for GRU, and gives the restaurant 30 days to repair. Photograph the emptied device.
- 7
Complete the manifest or trip ticket
Record generator, hauler, device volume, gallons removed and the condition of the device, and get the generator's signature. Texas trip tickets must also carry the transporter's TCEQ registration number and the volume of the grease trap. Leave the generator copy on site.
- 8
Dispose at a permitted facility
Unload at a receiving station or permitted facility and keep the receipt. Florida manifests must carry the disposal facility's billing receipt or ticket number. Texas transporters must reconcile liquid volume: differences over 15% between ticket and receipt are discrepancies to report.
- 9
File with the utility
Upload the pump-out to the utility's portal inside its deadline: JEA within 5 days through FOG BMP with photos of the empty trap, GRU within 7 days of the month's due date. In Florida, copies go to the county and municipality within 30 days of disposal.
- 10
Invoice and set the next pump
Invoice by device, gallons or truck load per the contract, attach the manifest, and schedule the next pump. If the reading broke the rule, recommend a shorter frequency and tell the restaurant why.
What to record
The fields every grease trap pumping job should capture
Device profile
- Device type: hydromechanical (rated gpm), gravity interceptor (gallons), in-floor trap, under-sink trap
- Capacity in gallons, manufacturer and model, standard (ASME A112.14.3 for hydromechanical; IAPMO/ANSI Z1001 or ASTM C1613 for gravity)
- Location, lid count, manhole depth, hose length from truck parking, traffic control needed
- Utility and FOG permit number, required pumping frequency from the permit, threshold rule used by that utility
- Utility portal and filing deadline, certified or permitted hauler requirement
- Baffles, outlet tee, sample port and flow restrictor present yes/no
Each pump-out
- Arrival and departure, driver, truck and its registration or permit decal number
- Sludge judge readings: FOG layer depth, solids layer depth, total liquid depth, computed percentage
- Gallons removed, complete pump-out yes/no, no graywater returned (Florida)
- Condition: baffles, tee, lids, gaskets, flow restrictor; defects found and photos
- Photos of the open device before pumping and empty after pumping
- Generator signature, name and time; manifest or trip ticket number
Disposal and filing
- Disposal facility name and permit, date and time, receiving station ticket or billing receipt number
- Gallons on the receipt versus gallons on the trip tickets for that load, discrepancy over 15% flagged (Texas)
- Portal filing status per pump-out: Not required, To file, Filed, Rejected, with the utility's deadline
- Copies sent to county and municipality where required (Florida, within 30 days of disposal)
- Annual transporter summary inputs (Texas, June 1 to May 31, due July 1)
Rules and standards
The rules that shape the work, with their sources
| Rule | What it means on the job |
|---|---|
| Why utilities regulate grease: 40 CFR 403 obstruction | EPA's fact sheet says the National Pretreatment Program already gives sewer authorities the tools to control FOG, through the general prohibition on pollutants that cause obstruction. It cites EPA's 2004 Report to Congress: grease is the most common cause (47%) of reported sewer blockages. It also separates yellow grease (used cooking oil collected at the point of use) from grease trap waste. source: US EPA, Controlling Fats, Oils, and Grease Discharges from Food Service Establishments (EPA-833-F-12-003) |
| Tacoma: 25% of the chamber, and who needs a gravity interceptor | Grease interceptors must be cleaned when 25% of the chamber is filled with FOG and solids, or when grease is seen leaving the outlet. Kitchens of 40 seats or fewer (and no more than 40 meals per peak hour) may use a hydromechanical unit; larger ones need a gravity interceptor sized by drainage fixture units, increased if food waste disposals are used. source: City of Tacoma, FOG Sizing and Installation Policy Clarification Sheet (Jan 2025) |
| Pleasanton: 25% of usable volume and a new frequency | When floatable and bottom solids exceed 25% of the usable volume, the device must be pumped and a new pumping frequency set. O&M logs record date, company, gallons of FOG removed and the hauler's manifest, kept on site at least 2 years. A closing or sold restaurant must leave the device pumped, clean, dry and empty. source: City of Pleasanton CA, Sewer Pipe Blockage Control Program Manual (FOG) |
| Austin: 90 days or 50% of wetted height, permitted haulers, 3 years of manifests | Grease traps must be pumped at least every 90 days, or sooner when grease and solids reach 50% of the wetted height measured from the bottom to the outlet invert (City Code 15-10-197). Only a City-permitted liquid waste hauler may remove the waste, and the hauler's manifests are kept on site for three years. source: City of Austin, Grease Trap Maintenance (City Code Chapter 15-10) |
| Kirkland: weekly traps, quarterly interceptors | City ordinance requires weekly cleaning of grease traps and quarterly pumping of interceptors at a minimum. More than 25% buildup of solids and scum is a violation. The FOG log (dates, who cleaned, how much FOG removed) is kept at least three years. source: City of Kirkland WA, FOG (Fats, Oils, Grease) |
| Florida 403.0741: no graywater return, manifest contents, 30 days | A hauler may not return grease waste or graywater to the interceptor. The manifest names originator, hauler and disposal facility, the device's condition, verification it was cleaned and graywater was not returned, gallons removed and disposed, and the disposal facility's receipt or ticket number. Copies go to the originator, county and municipality within 30 days of disposal; the signed manifest is kept 1 year. Penalties run up to $100 per missing manifest and at least $2,500 for unlawful disposal. source: Florida Statutes 403.0741, Grease waste removal and disposal |
| Florida 62-705: hauler licenses | Under Chapter 62-705 (hauler rule effective 7 Dec 2025), haulers apply for a DEP license, renew by March 1, and the license expires April 1. A self-cleaner is an originator moving its own grease waste of less than 55 gallons. The service manifest is DEP Form 62-705.300(3). source: Florida DEP, Grease Waste program (Chapter 62-705 F.A.C.) |
| Texas: transporter registration and trip tickets | Anyone transporting grease trap waste must register as a sludge transporter with TCEQ (30 TAC 312 Subchapter G). Each collection and disposal goes on a separate trip ticket. source: TCEQ, Sludge Transporters: Am I Regulated? |
| 30 TAC 312.145: trip ticket fields, 5 years, July 1 summary | The trip ticket carries the transporter's name, address, phone and registration number, generator name and signature, date, waste type and amount, the volume of the grease trap, signatures of those who collected and deposited it, and the receiving facility. Keep copies five years, submit an annual summary (June 1 to May 31) by July 1, and report liquid volume differences over 15%. source: 30 Tex. Admin. Code 312.145, Transporter records and trip tickets (Cornell LII) |
| Gainesville GRU: complete contents, 7-day upload | Haulers must pump the complete contents (FOG, food solids and water), upload pump-out records to GRU's Grease Hauler Online Database within 7 days of the due date (the last day of the month the device is due), and give written notice of defects. Interceptors are pumped at least every 30 days unless the permit says otherwise; under-sink and in-floor traps every 2 weeks. source: Gainesville Regional Utilities, Grease Waste Hauler requirements (2026) |
| JEA Jacksonville: certified haulers only, photos within 5 days | Pump-out reports go to JEA within 5 days through FOG BMP and include pictures showing the trap emptied. Haulers outside the Certified Hauler Program cannot submit reports, so their pump-outs are treated as invalid. source: JEA (Jacksonville), FOG Certified Hauler Program |
| Utility hauler portals | Many utilities collect pump-outs online instead of on paper. SwiftComply's FOG module lets haulers log driver, volume, disposal location and date, with each hauler seeing only its own customers; East Valley Water District in California sends its haulers there. source: SwiftComply, FOG program software (utility side, hauler portal) |
| Interceptor sizing (Minnesota's adoption of the UPC approach) | Hydromechanical units comply with ASME A112.14.3 and are sized by flow: fixture volume times a 0.75 fill factor over a one-minute drain period, plus appliance flows. Gravity units comply with IAPMO/ANSI Z1001 or ASTM C1613 and are sized by drainage fixture units, from 500 gallons at 8 DFU up to 15,000 gallons at 2,640 DFU. source: Minnesota Rules 4715.1105, Grease interceptors (sizing tables and worked example) |
Rules vary by state, council and contract. Checked 10 November 2026; confirm against the source for your area before relying on it.
Numbers
Thresholds, intervals and disposal prices grease pumpers work to
Each row is one utility or state; the device's own permit can be stricter. Use these to set each device's frequency and the reading your drivers log.
| Situation | Rule or number | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Tacoma WA, gravity or hydromechanical interceptor | Clean at 25% of chamber filled with FOG and solids | Tacoma FOG policy, Jan 2025 |
| Pleasanton CA | Pump at 25% of usable volume; set a new frequency | Pleasanton FOG manual |
| Austin TX | At least every 90 days, or 50% of wetted height | City Code 15-10-197 |
| Kirkland WA | Traps weekly, interceptors quarterly, 25% buildup is a violation | Kirkland FOG page |
| Gainesville FL interceptors / traps | Every 30 days (or per permit) / every 2 weeks | GRU hauler requirements |
| Record retention | FL 1 yr, Pleasanton 2 yrs, Austin and Kirkland 3 yrs, TX transporter 5 yrs | Each source above |
| Utility filing deadline | JEA 5 days; GRU 7 days after due date; FL copies 30 days after disposal | JEA, GRU, F.S. 403.0741 |
| Disposal, Massaponax WWTF VA | $41 per 1,000 gal of grease from 1 July 2026 ($40 before; septage $20.50) | Spotsylvania County |
| Disposal, Fairfax County VA | $27 per 1,000 gal of truck capacity, septic and restaurant grease | Fairfax County hauled wastewater charges |
| Gravity interceptor size by DFU | 8 DFU 500 gal; 35 DFU 1,000 gal; 172 DFU 1,500 gal; 428 DFU 4,000 gal | Minnesota Rules 4715.1105 |
| Hydromechanical by drain size (flow unknown) | 2 in 20 gpm; 3 in 75 gpm; 4 in 150 gpm | Minnesota Rules 4715.1105 |
| Worked example: two 24 x 24 x 12 in sink compartments | 59.8 gal x 0.75 = 44.9 gpm, plus hose bibb and appliance = 51.9 gpm | Minnesota Rules 4715.1105 |
source: City of Tacoma, FOG Sizing and Installation Policy Clarification Sheet (Jan 2025)source: City of Pleasanton CA, Sewer Pipe Blockage Control Program Manual (FOG)source: City of Austin, Grease Trap Maintenance (City Code Chapter 15-10)source: City of Kirkland WA, FOG (Fats, Oils, Grease)source: Gainesville Regional Utilities, Grease Waste Hauler requirements (2026)source: JEA (Jacksonville), FOG Certified Hauler Programsource: Florida Statutes 403.0741, Grease waste removal and disposalsource: 30 Tex. Admin. Code 312.145, Transporter records and trip tickets (Cornell LII)source: Spotsylvania County VA, Septage Haulers (Massaponax WWTF rates)source: Fairfax County VA, Hauled Wastewater chargessource: Minnesota Rules 4715.1105, Grease interceptors (sizing tables and worked example)
Where it breaks
Where spreadsheets and generic software fall over
The schedule is a customer list with "every 90 days" next to it. The same chain has stores under three utilities, one on 30-day permits, and nobody notices the 30-day stores are overdue until a notice of violation arrives.
Put the frequency, rule and portal on each device, generate the next pump from the last completed one, and show what is due by utility.
Drivers write "full" or "heavy" instead of a reading. When a utility inspector finds 40% FOG, there is no record that the last pump-out found 35% and the restaurant was told to shorten the interval.
Make FOG depth, solids depth and liquid depth required fields, compute the percentage against that utility's rule, and log the frequency recommendation the customer accepted or refused.
The manifest and the disposal ticket live on different pieces of paper. A Florida manifest without the facility's receipt number, or a Texas load where tickets and receipt differ by more than 15%, is found at audit time, years later.
Tie every pump-out to a load and every load to a disposal ticket, and block the manifest from closing until the ticket number is on it.
Portal filing is someone's Friday job. JEA's 5 days and GRU's 7 days pass, and a pump-out that really happened counts as not done.
Create a filing task per pump-out with the utility's deadline the moment the job closes, and list late filings on the office dashboard.
Defects (missing outlet tee, cracked lid, no flow restrictor) are mentioned to a manager on the night shift and never written down. The restaurant has 30 days to repair in Gainesville and nobody tracks it.
Log each defect with photos, send it to the manager in writing, quote the repair, and keep it open until fixed or declined.
Trucks dump half full because routes are planned by day of week, not by gallons. Where disposal is charged by truck capacity, every partial load costs the same as a full one.
Plan routes from device capacities and expected gallons so each truck fills before it goes to the receiving station.
Checklist
The grease trap pumping operations checklist
Print it, or hand it to whoever runs the office side.
- Every device on file with type, capacity, permit number, utility and required pumping frequency
- Each utility's threshold rule, portal, filing deadline and certified hauler requirement recorded
- Hauler licenses and registrations current per state (Florida renews by March 1; Texas TCEQ registration)
- Truck decals or permits matched to the utilities each truck works in
- Next pump generated from the last completed pump, not the last scheduled one
- Sludge judge readings logged: FOG depth, solids depth, liquid depth, percentage
- Complete contents removed, walls and baffles scraped, no graywater returned
- Before and after photos of the open device, emptied device photo kept for portals that want it
- Baffles, tee, lids and flow restrictor checked; defects given to the manager in writing
- Manifest or trip ticket signed by the generator, copy left on site
- Disposal ticket number on every manifest; load gallons reconciled against tickets
- Pump-out filed with the utility inside its deadline; county and city copies where required
- Records kept for the longest period that applies (Texas transporter: 5 years)
- Texas annual transporter summary prepared for July 1
Software options
What software grease trap pumping companies actually use
Judge each one on whether it fits the way your jobs run, not on the feature list. Bring a real job to every demo.
Tank Track
Septic, grease trap and portable toilet pumpers
Routing and dispatch, job checklists, automatic service reminders and invoicing; creates waste manifest reports as work is completed, with where it was pumped, how much and where it was disposed. Published pricing on its site was $180 a month for the first truck and $150 for each truck after, when checked in Nov 2026.
ServiceCore
Liquid waste haulers: portable toilets, septic, roll-off and grease trap
Scheduling, route optimization, pump-out manifest tracking, recurring monthly or quarterly contracts, multi-location customer history and QuickBooks compatibility.
Jobber
Small service businesses with a truck or two
General field service software with recurring visits, mobile checklists, photos, quotes and invoicing. It is not built for liquid waste, so manifests, sludge readings, disposal tickets and portal deadlines would be custom fields and manual steps.
Utility FOG portals (SwiftComply, FOG BMP, utility databases)
Not hauler software: the systems utilities make you file into
SwiftComply's hauler portal takes driver, volume, disposal location and date; JEA uses FOG BMP with photos; GRU runs its own database. Whatever you use for jobs, it has to get each pump-out into these on time.
source: Utility FOG portals (SwiftComply, FOG BMP, utility databases)
Published prices, compared:source: Tank Track, software for septic, grease trap and portable toilet operatorssource: ServiceCore, grease trap pumping softwaresource: SwiftComply, FOG program software (utility side, hauler portal)source: JEA (Jacksonville), FOG Certified Hauler Programsource: Gainesville Regional Utilities, Grease Waste Hauler requirements (2026)
Questions to ask any vendor
- Can each device, not each customer, carry its own pumping frequency, utility threshold rule and portal deadline?
- Will the app compute the FOG and solids percentage from the sludge judge readings and flag when it breaks that utility's rule?
- Can you print a Florida 62-705 service manifest and a Texas trip ticket from the same job, with my TCEQ registration number filled in?
- How is a pump-out tied to a truck load and a disposal ticket, and will it flag a load whose tickets and receipt differ by more than 15%?
- Can the office see every pump-out still to be filed with JEA, GRU or a SwiftComply portal, with days left?
- Can a restaurant chain see every store's devices, last pump-out, readings, manifests and open defects without calling us?
Bring one real grease trap pumping job. We show it running in Fieldproxy.
Get DemoHow Fieldproxy is set up for this
Grease trap pumping on Fieldproxy: built around how you already work
A Fieldproxy setup for a grease trap pumper is built around the device and the utility, not the customer: every interceptor carries its capacity, permit frequency, its utility's 25% or 50% rule, its portal and deadline. Drivers log the sludge judge reading, gallons and defects on an offline app, each pump-out rolls into a truck load that closes only with a disposal ticket, and the manifest, utility filing and next pump are created before the truck is back in the yard.
Module 1
Device register and utility rules
Two stores of one chain can sit under different utilities with different thresholds, deadlines and hauler rules. The device is the unit of work.
- Record: Device, linked to Site, Customer and Chain; fields: type (hydromechanical, gravity, in-floor trap, under-sink trap), capacity in gallons or rated gpm, make and model, lid count, manhole depth, hose length, sample port yes/no, flow restrictor yes/no
- Record: Utility rule table: threshold basis (chamber, usable volume, liquid depth, wetted height), threshold percent (e.g. 25 or 50), minimum frequency, portal name and URL, filing deadline in days and whether it counts from pump date or due date, photos required yes/no, certified hauler required yes/no
- Each Device links to one Utility rule and holds its permit number and permit frequency; the stricter of permit and utility minimum drives scheduling
- Device status: Active, Seasonal, Closed (pumped dry for closure), Replaced
Module 2
Contracts and recurring pump schedule
Pump-outs are high frequency and the clock must run from the last completed pump, or a missed month quietly resets.
- Record: Service agreement per customer with rate card (per device, per gallon, per load or flat), billing contact, PO rules and term
- Next due date = last completed pump + frequency; a pump-out marked Failed access keeps the device overdue
- Frequency change log: when a reading breaks the utility rule, a recommended shorter frequency is raised for the customer to accept or decline, with the reading attached
- Pump-out status: Due, Routed, Confirmed, On site, Pumped, Failed access, Cancelled by customer
Module 3
Routes by truck capacity
A vacuum truck's day is limited by its tank, its permits and the receiving station's hours, not just by drive time.
- Record: Truck with tank capacity in gallons, state registration or decal numbers, utilities it is permitted in, and the drivers allowed on it
- Route builder sums expected gallons per device and plans dump stops at a permitted receiving station when the tank nears capacity
- Blocks: a truck without a valid permit for that utility cannot be routed to its devices; a non-certified driver or truck cannot take a JEA device
- Early morning windows and parking notes per site (lot closed after 10 am, lid under a delivery bay)
Module 4
Driver app: the pump-out
The reading, the photos and the signature are what the utility and the restaurant will ask for, and the driver is often in a back lot with no signal.
- Works offline and syncs when back in coverage; opens on the route with each device's lid locations and last reading
- Required fields before pumping: FOG layer depth, solids layer depth, total liquid depth; app computes the percentage and shows pass or over the utility's line
- Before photo with lids open, after photo of the emptied device; complete pump-out yes/no; no graywater returned yes/no
- Condition checklist: inlet and outlet baffles, outlet tee, lids and gaskets, flow restrictor; any No creates a Defect
- Gallons removed, generator name and signature, time on and off site
Module 5
Manifests and trip tickets
Florida and Texas want different documents with different fields, and a manifest missing one field is a fine.
- Manifest template per state from your own layout: Florida service manifest fields (condition, cleaned verification, graywater not returned, gallons removed and disposed, disposal ticket number); Texas trip ticket fields (TCEQ registration number, generator signature, volume of the trap, receiving facility)
- Manifest number sequence per state; generator copy emailed or printed on site
- Manifest status: Draft, Signed by generator, Awaiting disposal ticket, Complete, Sent to county and city (Florida, within 30 days of disposal)
- Retention set per state and utility, with the longest that applies (e.g. 5 years for Texas transporters)
Module 6
Loads and disposal reconciliation
Every gallon pumped has to end up on a disposal receipt, and disposal is often billed by truck capacity.
- Record: Load, linked to Truck, Driver and the pump-outs it carries; fields: receiving facility and permit, date and time, ticket or billing receipt number, gallons on receipt, receipt photo
- Discrepancy check: receipt gallons versus the sum of trip ticket gallons; over 15% (Texas liquid waste) raises a discrepancy to investigate and report
- Disposal cost per load from the facility's rate (e.g. $41 per 1,000 gal of grease at Massaponax, $27 per 1,000 gal of truck capacity at Fairfax) for job costing
- Manifests on the load cannot reach Complete until the ticket number is entered
Module 7
Utility filing tracker
A pump-out the utility never received counts as not done.
- Record: Filing, created when a pump-out closes, with the device's utility, portal, deadline date and required attachments (photos for JEA, manifest PDF)
- Filing status: To file, Filed, Rejected, Accepted, Not required; filed date and confirmation number
- Office view: filings due today and overdue by utility; county and city copies for Florida
- Annual summary report data for Texas (June 1 to May 31) built from completed trip tickets
Module 8
Defects and repair quotes
A missing outlet tee or cracked lid is a repair job for you and a compliance clock for the restaurant.
- Record: Defect, linked to Device; types: missing or broken baffle, missing outlet tee, cracked or unsafe lid, missing flow restrictor, grease seen leaving the outlet, device undersized for the kitchen
- Written notice sent to the manager the same day with photos; repair deadline field (e.g. 30 days in Gainesville)
- Quote for the repair or for jetting the downstream line; status: Open, Notified, Quoted, Approved, Fixed, Declined in writing
Module 9
Invoicing and chain billing
Chains and facility managers pay against POs and want the proof with the invoice.
- Invoice per pump-out or consolidated per region monthly, priced per device, per gallon or per load, with failed access trip charges
- Manifest PDF and emptied device photo attached
- Sync to QuickBooks or Xero; payment status back on the pump-out
Module 10
Customer portal and compliance pack
When the utility inspector walks in, the manager needs the last year of manifests on a phone, not in a binder.
- Portal per customer: every device with last pump date, next due, readings trend, manifests, filing confirmations and open defects
- Store managers see their site; regional and facilities managers see all their stores
- One-click compliance pack for an inspector: 12 months (or the retention period) of manifests, readings, photos and filings
- Dashboards: devices overdue by utility, readings over threshold, late filings, gallons per truck per day, disposal cost per gallon
The AI agents, set up for grease trap pumping companies
| Agent | When | What it does | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watcher agent | A device passes its due date with no Pumped status, a reading is logged over its utility's threshold, or a filing reaches 1 day before its portal deadline | Reads the device's permit frequency, utility rule and last three readings, and separates late work from a frequency that is too long | An overdue and due-to-file list for the office, and a recommended new frequency on the device with the readings attached |
| Vision agent | A driver photographs the disposal facility receipt or the emptied device | Reads the ticket number, gallons and facility name from the receipt; checks the after photo shows an empty device for utilities that require it | The Load filled with ticket number and gallons, and a recheck prompt on the phone if the after photo does not show the device emptied |
| Document intelligence agent | A customer forwards a utility FOG permit, inspection report or notice of violation PDF | Reads the permit number, device, required pumping frequency and any violation deadline and matches them to the right Device | The Device updated with the permit frequency, and a Due pump-out or Defect created against the violation deadline |
| Dispatch agent | Tomorrow's due devices are released to the board | Matches devices to trucks by tank capacity, utility permits and certified hauler status, and plans dump stops when expected gallons near capacity | Draft routes per truck with dump stops, and a list of devices that no available truck is permitted to service |
| Autopilot | A recommended frequency change or defect repair quote sits unanswered for 7 days, or an invoice passes its terms | Drafts the follow-up with the reading, the utility rule it broke and the photo, or the payment chase with the manifest attached | A draft email or text a person approves before it is sent |
| Scheduler agent | First Monday of each month | Pulls per chain: pump-outs done, devices over threshold, open defects, filings confirmed, and per truck: gallons, loads and disposal cost | A monthly compliance summary to each chain's facilities contact and an operations report to the owner |
Straight answers
Grease trap pumping: FAQ
What software do grease trap pumping companies use?
Many use liquid waste hauler software such as Tank Track or ServiceCore, which handle routes, recurring pump-outs and waste manifests. Small operators sometimes use general tools like Jobber with custom fields. Almost all also file pump-outs into utility systems such as SwiftComply, FOG BMP or a utility's own database. Fieldproxy is configured around each device's utility rule, manifest format and filing deadline.
What is the 25% rule for grease traps?
Many utilities require a grease interceptor to be pumped before floating FOG plus settled solids reach 25% of the device. The basis differs: Tacoma uses 25% of the chamber, Pleasanton 25% of the usable volume, Kirkland treats over 25% buildup as a violation. Austin uses 50% of wetted height instead. If a device keeps breaking the rule, the pumping frequency has to be shortened.
How often does a grease interceptor need to be pumped?
It depends on the permit and the utility. Austin requires at least every 90 days, Kirkland quarterly for interceptors and weekly for traps, and Gainesville every 30 days for interceptors unless the permit says otherwise. On top of the fixed interval, the device must be pumped sooner if it reaches the utility's threshold.
What has to be on a grease trap manifest?
In Florida the manifest names the originator, hauler and disposal facility, the device's condition, verification it was cleaned and graywater was not returned, gallons removed and disposed, and the disposal facility's receipt or ticket number. In Texas the trip ticket carries the transporter's TCEQ registration number, the generator's signature, the waste type and amount, the volume of the trap and the receiving facility.
How long must grease trap records be kept?
It varies: Florida manifests 1 year, Pleasanton O&M logs 2 years, Austin manifests and Kirkland FOG logs 3 years, and Texas sludge transporters keep trip tickets 5 years. A hauler working across several areas should keep the longest period that applies.
Can a grease hauler decant water back into the trap?
Not in Florida: Section 403.0741 says a hauler may not return grease waste or graywater to a grease interceptor or trap, and the manifest must verify that graywater was not returned. Gainesville also requires the complete contents, including the water, to be removed.
How are grease interceptors sized?
Hydromechanical units (ASME A112.14.3) are sized by flow: Minnesota's rule multiplies fixture volume by a 0.75 fill factor over a one-minute drain, then adds appliance flows. Gravity interceptors (IAPMO/ANSI Z1001 or ASTM C1613) are sized by drainage fixture units, from 500 gallons at 8 DFU to 15,000 gallons at 2,640 DFU. Tacoma requires a gravity unit for kitchens over 40 seats.
Do grease haulers have to report pump-outs to the city?
Often, yes. JEA in Jacksonville wants a pump-out report within 5 days with pictures of the emptied trap, and only certified haulers can file. Gainesville's GRU wants records uploaded within 7 days of the due date. Florida law sends manifest copies to the county and municipality within 30 days of disposal.
What does grease trap waste cost to dispose of?
Receiving stations publish their own rates. Spotsylvania County's Massaponax plant charges $41 per 1,000 gallons of grease from 1 July 2026, and Fairfax County charges $27 per 1,000 gallons of the hauler's truck capacity for septic and restaurant grease waste.
What is the difference between yellow grease and grease trap waste?
EPA describes yellow grease as used cooking oil and waste grease collected at the point of use, usually in a bin for recycling. Grease trap waste is what collects in the interceptor from the kitchen drains and is pumped by a liquid waste hauler. Companies such as DAR PRO, Mahoney Environmental and Liquid Environmental Solutions handle both.
Related guides
All sources on this page (33)
- source: City of Tacoma, FOG Sizing and Installation Policy Clarification Sheet (Jan 2025)
- source: City of Austin, Grease Trap Maintenance (City Code Chapter 15-10)
- source: 30 Tex. Admin. Code 312.145, Transporter records and trip tickets (Cornell LII)
- source: JEA (Jacksonville), FOG Certified Hauler Program
- source: US EPA, Controlling Fats, Oils, and Grease Discharges from Food Service Establishments (EPA-833-F-12-003)
- source: City of Pleasanton CA, Sewer Pipe Blockage Control Program Manual (FOG)
- source: City of Kirkland WA, FOG (Fats, Oils, Grease)
- source: Florida Statutes 403.0741, Grease waste removal and disposal
- source: Florida DEP, Grease Waste program (Chapter 62-705 F.A.C.)
- source: TCEQ, Sludge Transporters: Am I Regulated?
- source: Gainesville Regional Utilities, Grease Waste Hauler requirements (2026)
- source: SwiftComply, FOG program software (utility side, hauler portal)
- source: Minnesota Rules 4715.1105, Grease interceptors (sizing tables and worked example)
- source: Spotsylvania County VA, Septage Haulers (Massaponax WWTF rates)
- source: Fairfax County VA, Hauled Wastewater charges
- source: Tank Track, software for septic, grease trap and portable toilet operators
- source: ServiceCore, grease trap pumping software
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