Fats, Oils & Grease (FOG) Control (aka: What is the City doing to us now?) Restaurant Managers’ Forum

2 Program Introductions FOG and urban runoff –What’s the problem? –What are the regulations (new and old)? –What does it mean for me? What will it cost me? Why now? Next steps & How to find out more information BMP Discussion (Jon Kinley, Jim Sinasek) Q & A

3 What’s the Problem? It’s twofold: –Bacteria from runoff (from homes, businesses, the street) enters the storm drain, doesn’t get filtered or treated, and results in pollution in the Bay and Ocean –Wastewater spills caused by pipe blockages encouraged by fats, oils, and grease (and oftentimes roots) will cause closures of waterways and extensive notifications (and can result in fines).

4 The Bad Signs

5 What FOG looks like in the Pipe Photos of Grease from CCTV, cont’d.

6 What FOG looks like in the Pipe

7 What Urban Runoff Looks Like

8 The Regulations - Sewers Wastewater –All wastewater collection agencies in north and central OC must tighten up our regulations regarding FOG. This includes: Limiting or eliminating all grease in the system via BMPs and grease control devices. Fines for spills (applied to us) Penalties for improper management practices that lead to a spill (applied to you) New requirements on us to maintain our system, replace older pipes, and inspect FSEs.

9 Our Hotspot Program Regular Maintenance Program –8 miles of sewer main cleaned monthly (96 miles annually) –5 miles of sewer main cleaned quarterly (20 miles annually) –197 miles of sewer main cleaned annually –Total = 313 miles of sewer main cleaned each year CCTV Program –New truck to visually inspect sewer main lines and laterals and storm drain lines –Hot spot characterization (monthly & quarterly-over 50,000 feet of trouble/hot spot runs) –Run camera to troubleshoot any utility that daily cleaning crews encounter

10 The Regulations -- Runoff Cities that operate a storm drain system (that’s us) cannot allow inputs to the system that cause or contribute to contamination in our waterways. This includes: –Prohibitions on commercial washwater entering the system. –Cities must follow “Best Management Practices” for all of our work. –Cities must inspect commercial operations to ensure compliance with our Water Quality Ordinance. Total City Costs = about $5 million

11 Newport Beach was responsible for roughly 85% of the enforcement actions countywide in this report…

12 The Regulations - Sewers Wastewater –All wastewater collection agencies in north and central OC must tighten up regulations regarding FOG. This includes: Limiting or eliminating all grease in the system via BMPs and grease control devices. Fines for spills (applied to us) Penalties for improper management practices that lead to a spill (applied to you) New requirements on us to maintain our system, replace older pipes, and inspect FSEs.

13 So what does this mean for you? Sewers : –Jon Kinley will continue to visit you. Jon will: Inspect your grease interceptors and logs; Look for signs of BMP adherence. Let us know if he thinks there’s a problem – he’ll let you know, too. –You won’t have to retroactively install a grease interceptor if you don’t have one now (no change from current practice), unless you remodel or significantly change your kitchen and menu. –If we can show that your practices have resulted in a spill, we have to pass the clean-up costs and fines on to you – we can do this now. –We have asked the City Council to allow us to transfer the cost of some of the hotspot program on to those facilities that are not properly controlling FOG.

14 So what does this mean for you? Urban Runoff: –Jon Kinley has also started Urban Runoff education and inspections (not as frequent as FOG inspections). –Our five Code and Water Quality Enforcement Officers will be doing 24-7 inspections of the entire city. Out philosophy is still: Knock and Talk – educate first. But if the violation is particularly egregious, you’ll get the fine the first time. Administrative Citations -- $100, $200, and $500 fines. –We will do all we can to help you do things the right way – web site ( site visits, references. –It’s best to remember this: Don’t let water from your business get into the storm drain – dirty or clean.

15 What’s it going to cost? There will be a permit for all FSEs that produce FOG – we’ll charge about $15-20 a year. If you have a grease interceptor and it’s the right size and it’s maintained well, we have asked Council to allow us to charge you the cost of the inspections only – about $ a year. If you don’t have a GI or your GI is too small, you may have to shoulder the cost of any hotspot cleaning (over one “free” cleaning per year) for your pipes – about $ a year. If improper practices cause a spill, you pay the cost of clean-up, our fine if we are levied a fine, and any penalties allowed in the Code.

16 About our FSEs Of Newport Beach’s 355 Food Service Establishments: –159 have an adequately sized Grease Interceptor (GI) –40 have an inadequately sized GI –67 have operations that don’t require a GI –89 don’t have a GI but have operations that need one! –(21 are in IRWD’s service area, but we inspect them -- IRWD does not inspect GIs) ECIS’ inspection regimen –199 FSEs inspected 3x a year –393 GI Lids popped and inspected (incl. 37 IRWD lids) –156 FSEs inspected 2x a year for FOG BMPs 25 exempt from inspections due to operations –All NB FSEs inspected once a year for Urban Runoff BMPs –$27,500/year Jon’s cost for GI & FOG BMP inspections –$18,500/year Jon’s cost for Urban Runoff BMP inspections

17 Why Now? The Urban Runoff regulations were increased in January 2002 – there’s no change there. The Wastewater Regulations were adopted by the Regional Board two years ago, but take effect in January –We need to adopt our new Ordinance and FOG Control Program and have them in place by

18 Do we have other options? On the regulations, no. On the fees, yes. We could keep our same activities and keep applying it to the overall rate base (all of us) -- but: –The overall rate base has been covering the cost of FOG/GI inspections – and they shouldn’t be. –The overall rate base has been covering the cost of the Hotspot program – and they shouldn’t be. Some have suggested phasing in the fees over time – that’s something we need to discuss with Council…

19 Next Steps We want your input – today and later. We have to take the new Wastewater/Sewer Ordinance to City Council, along with amendments to the Master Fee Resolution. –Likely to be in November or even later this month (for 1 st Reading). These are public hearings. –As noted, the Ordinance needs to be in effect by Inspections are ongoing by Jon Kinley and by Code and Water Quality. Your comments are always welcome about their work.

20 For more information Call us: –Dave Kiff – –Terresa Moritz (FOG) – –Jim Sinasek (URO)– Web sites: – –

BMPs for FOG and Urban Runoff Jon Kinley, ECIS

Q & A