Authority
Metro Nashville food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater must submit a FOG plan to Metro Water Services and install approved grease control equipment.
Utility-owned compliance workflow
Rule holder: Metro Nashville Water Services Grease Management
This page serves Nashville operators, but the actual grease and manifest workflow is governed by Metro Nashville Water Services Grease Management. The city URL is an entry surface; the authority route is the canonical source-backed path.
Nashville FOG rules
Nashville grease trap and interceptor rules
Nashville, TN grease trap rules for restaurants: interceptor approval, pump-out timing, manifests to keep on site, and hauler checks.
Proof on site
Keep grease cleaning logs, hauler manifests, and annual grease interceptor or grease trap certification forms on site, and submit the passing annual certification to Metro Water Services after completion.
Likely fail trigger
Metro Water requires a corrective action response when a grease interceptor or grease trap fails annual certification, and pushing the non-water portion of grease control equipment into the public sewer is treated as a sewer-use violation.
Next action
Verify the installed interceptor type against the city approval letter.
Authority Summary
Metro Nashville food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater must submit a FOG plan to Metro Water Services and install approved grease control equipment.
Keep on site
Keep grease cleaning logs, hauler manifests, and annual grease interceptor or grease trap certification forms on site, and submit the passing annual certification to Metro Water Services after completion.
Official requirement
Local Interceptor Requirements
Official requirement
Metro Nashville food service establishments that discharge grease-laden wastewater must submit a FOG plan to Metro Water Services and install approved grease control equipment.
Official requirement
Metro Nashville Water Services Grease Management approves the interceptor setup through plan review.
Official requirement
Grease interceptors must be serviced at least every 90 days unless an approved DMD or DMA program supports up to 180 days, and sooner when grease plus solids exceed 25% of the wetted depth. Grease traps must be cleaned at least every 30 days and every two weeks when grease plus solids exceed 25% of trap depth.
Keep on site
Inspection-Ready Proof
fact_check
Keep grease cleaning logs, hauler manifests, and annual grease interceptor or grease trap certification forms on site, and submit the passing annual certification to Metro Water Services after completion.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
fact_check
The interceptor approval letter or equivalent plan-review record.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
fact_check
A service history that explains why the current cadence is safe.
Keep this accessible before the inspector has to ask twice.
Inspection and enforcement risk
Common Inspection Failures
Metro Water requires a corrective action response when a grease interceptor or grease trap fails annual certification, and pushing the non-water portion of grease control equipment into the public sewer is treated as a sewer-use violation.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
A missing manifest trail weakens every pump-out claim.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
Overdue service or an unclear interceptor setup can push the issue back to the operator.
Failure to resolve this condition can trigger corrective action or delayed approval.
High risk
Need a hauler check before the next pump-out?
Start with the city's official list and then confirm the vendor still covers grease waste and manifest handling.
Nashville publishes an authority-backed hauler or preferred-pumper list, but it does not recommend or endorse any provider on that list.
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Source stack
Authority-backed sources
Last verified: 2026-04-07
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Metro Water's grease management page ties Nashville food service operators to the current FOG policy, approved hauler certification list, grease cleaning log, and annual certification workflow for grease control equipment.
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Metro Water's 2025 FOG Policy requires annual certification of grease control equipment, corrective action responses after failed certifications, Metro-approved equipment through plan review, and service intervals tied to 90-day, 180-day, 30-day, and 25% accumulation rules depending on device type and program status.
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Metro Water publishes an approved grease waste hauler and plumber list and says a passing annual grease interceptor or grease trap certification must be submitted to [email protected] after completion.
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Metro Water provides a grease cleaning log form that records the date cleaned, service company, grease waste hauler, gallons removed, disposal location, and notes for grease control equipment maintenance.