Authority
All commercial and institutional food preparation businesses in Austin must have an Austin Water-approved grease interceptor unless a variance applies.
Local utility office
Rule holder: Austin Water Pretreatment Program
Austin operators often search by city name, but Austin Water Pretreatment Program is the office that sets the local grease, hauling, and paperwork rules on this page.
Austin FOG rules
Austin grease trap and interceptor rules
Austin, TX grease trap rules for restaurants: interceptor approval, pump-out timing, manifests to keep on site, and hauler checks.
Proof on site
Trip ticket manifest documentation must be followed and retained for up to three years.
Likely fail trigger
Failure to maintain the device or manifest trail can trigger pretreatment notices, escalation, and potential service consequences.
Next action
Verify the installed interceptor type against the city approval letter.
Do this next
Verify the installed interceptor type against the city approval letter.
Use the rest of the page to confirm the local rule and proof burden, but start with the next move below.
First move
Verify the installed interceptor type against the city approval letter.
Stage this proof
Trip ticket manifest documentation must be followed and retained for up to three years.
Authority Summary
All commercial and institutional food preparation businesses in Austin must have an Austin Water-approved grease interceptor unless a variance applies.
Keep on site
Trip ticket manifest documentation must be followed and retained for up to three years.
Official requirement
Local Interceptor Requirements
Official requirement
All commercial and institutional food preparation businesses in Austin must have an Austin Water-approved grease interceptor unless a variance applies.
Official requirement
Austin Water Pretreatment Program approves the interceptor setup through plan review.
Official requirement
Austin City Code Section 15-10-197 requires complete cleaning at least once every three months, or sooner when grease and solids reach the 50 percent trigger.
Keep on site
Inspection-Ready Proof
fact_check
Trip ticket manifest documentation must be followed and retained for up to three years.
Store this where staff can reach it quickly during an inspection.
fact_check
The interceptor approval letter or equivalent plan-review record.
Store this where staff can reach it quickly during an inspection.
fact_check
A service history that explains why the current cadence is safe.
Store this where staff can reach it quickly during an inspection.
Inspection and enforcement risk
Common Inspection Failures
Failure to maintain the device or manifest trail can trigger pretreatment notices, escalation, and potential service consequences.
Inspectors commonly flag this when records are missing, overdue, or incomplete.
High risk
A missing manifest trail weakens every pump-out claim.
Inspectors commonly flag this when records are missing, overdue, or incomplete.
High risk
Overdue service or an unclear interceptor setup can push the issue back to the operator.
Inspectors commonly flag this when records are missing, overdue, or incomplete.
High risk
Need a hauler check before the next pump-out?
Start with the city's official list and then confirm the service company still covers grease waste and manifest handling.
Austin publishes an official hauler or preferred-pumper list, but it does not recommend or endorse any provider on that list.
Source stack
Official sources for this page
Last verified: 2026-04-07
-
Austin Water's current grease interceptor brochure says food-preparation businesses need an approved grease interceptor, service is due at least every 90 days or sooner at the 50 percent trigger, and disposal records must be retained and made available for inspection.
-
Austin's WEIRS report lists active liquid waste haulers currently permitted by the city and says the city neither recommends nor endorses providers on the report.