Grease Trap Regulations in Arkansas

Overview of Arkansas FOG Compliance

Food service businesses in Arkansas must control fats, oils, and grease (FOG) before kitchen wastewater reaches a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). When FOG cools inside sewer pipes, it coats the walls and blocks flow. This causes Sanitary Sewer Overflows (SSOs). SSOs release untreated sewage into streets, basements, and waterways. Grease causes 47 percent of dry-weather sewer blockages in the US. This comes from the EPA's 2004 Report to Congress on Impacts and Control of CSOs and SSOs. Arkansas uses state authority and local pretreatment programs to keep FOG out of the sewer.

Compliance for an Arkansas restaurant has three layers. The federal layer is the National Pretreatment Program under 40 CFR Part 403. It requires every POTW that has had grease problems to enforce local pretreatment limits. The state layer is the Arkansas Water and Air Pollution Control Act. The local layer is the city or utility ordinance — it sets pump-out frequency, sizing rules, hauler registration, and fine amounts. Each Arkansas city writes its own rules, so an operator in Fort Smith faces different paperwork than one in Little Rock or Fayetteville.

Governing Authorities

The state regulator is the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality (DEQ), part of the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment. DEQ runs the Arkansas portion of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). It reviews local pretreatment programs to confirm they meet Clean Water Act standards. DEQ rarely cites restaurants directly. It focuses on POTWs that fail to control industrial users, and on major spills and illegal dumping.

The legal basis is the Arkansas Water and Air Pollution Control Act at Ark. Code Ann. § 8-4-101 et seq. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 8-4-103(g)(1), city sewer utilities can seek penalties up to $1,000 per day per violation against users that break local pretreatment standards. For severe harm or illegal dumping, DEQ can assess penalties up to $10,000 per violation. Each continuing day is a separate offense.

Federal oversight sits with EPA Region 6, which covers Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. EPA Region 6 has been involved in Arkansas FOG enforcement — most notably through a major consent decree in Fort Smith.

Daily enforcement falls to the local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). That is the city water utility or sewer department. The AHJ issues discharge permits, runs inspections, and writes citations. Requirements differ between cities. Always confirm with your AHJ before installing or modifying an interceptor. What works in Little Rock may not meet the rules in Fort Smith.

Installation and Sizing Requirements

Arkansas has no single statewide sizing table. Each city adopts its own plumbing code. Local officials use the plumbing code their AHJ has adopted. Most follow the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) or the International Plumbing Code (IPC). Under IPC § 1003.3.1, any fixture producing grease-laden waste needs an interceptor. This covers restaurants, hotel kitchens, hospitals, school kitchens, bars, factory cafeterias, and clubs. Pot sinks, pre-rinse sinks, soup kettles, wok stations, and food-prep floor drains are all on the list.

For under-counter (hydromechanical) units, UPC § 1014.2.1 allows flow ratings from 20 to 50 gallons per minute. Total fixture capacity into one unit cannot exceed 2.5 times its certified gpm rating. UPC Table 1014.2.1(1) links pipe size to interceptor size. A 2-inch line carries up to 20 gpm and needs a 20 gpm interceptor. A 3-inch line carries 60 gpm and needs a 75 gpm interceptor. A 4-inch line carries 125 gpm and needs a 150 gpm interceptor.

For gravity grease interceptors (GGIs) placed outside the building, the IPC sets a minimum of 500 gallons (IPC Chapter 2). UPC § 1014.3.4 requires gravity units outdoors unless the AHJ approves an indoor spot in a well-ventilated space. Sizing follows Drainage Fixture Units (DFUs) under UPC § 1014.3.6. Automatic grease removal devices must work as a passive interceptor if power fails.

Before installation, confirm three things with the AHJ. First, the local minimum capacity — some Arkansas utilities require 1,000 gallons or more for full-service kitchens. Second, the required venting and sample port layout. Third, whether the AHJ allows indoor hydromechanical units for your menu type.

Cleaning and Maintenance Frequency

The standard across Arkansas is the "25% Rule." When the FOG layer and settled sludge together exceed 25% of the unit's total liquid depth, the interceptor stops working. Incoming wastewater bypasses the baffles and FOG flows into the public sewer. Arkansas inspectors apply the 25% Rule whether or not a calendar interval is in local rules. The standard appears in CSA B481.4 and EPA pretreatment guidance.

Pump-outs must be complete. Licensed haulers must remove everything: the floating grease cap, the wastewater, and the bottom sludge. "Decanting" is banned. That is when a hauler pumps the unit and then puts the water back in. Running hot water through a trap is also banned. Heat melts the grease cap and pushes FOG into the sewer.

Most Arkansas POTWs set a quarterly minimum. They shorten that for high-volume kitchens, fryer-heavy menus, or sites with past overflow problems. The local permit interval is the floor. The 25% Rule is the hard ceiling. If your trap reaches 25% in six weeks, you must pump every six weeks — not wait for the quarter to end. The permit schedule does not override the physical condition of the unit.

Fort Smith

Fort Smith has the most closely watched FOG program in Arkansas. A $255 million federal consent decree with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice drove that. The decree addressed chronic SSOs. Under it, Fort Smith adopted a Capacity, Management, Operation, and Maintenance (CMOM) program. It also adopted Ordinance 89-16 (FOG Program) and Ordinance 27-16 (Pretreatment Ordinance), run by Fort Smith Utilities. Commercial kitchens must get a FOG Generator Permit. They must follow the SCRAPE method: Scrape scraps, Collect liquid oils, Rotate cleaning schedules, Assign cleanup tasks, Prepare foods with fewer fats, Educate employees.

Little Rock

Pretreatment in Little Rock is run by the Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority (LRWRA) under Ordinance No. 21,801. LRWRA requires every food service business to enroll in a digital FOG reporting program. It tracks pump-out frequency and confirms haulers are submitting records. Inspectors make routine site visits. Non-compliance leads to violation notices and fines. Repeat offenders can face water shutoff or closure.

Springdale

Springdale puts FOG control in Chapter 114 (Utilities) of its municipal code. The city extended its FOG rules to mobile food vendors. Under Use Unit 52, food truck courts on the public sewer must install grease interceptors and show proof of an active service contract. Contact the City of Springdale for current permit forms.

Fayetteville

Fayetteville uses a numbers-based approach under Chapter 28 of its municipal code. The Fayetteville Public Works Commission (PWC) monitors commercial users for high-strength wastewater. When an effluent stream exceeds baseline levels for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) or Total Suspended Solids (TSS), the city adds a sanitary sewer surcharge. This offsets the added cost of treating the more polluted wastewater. Surcharges are in addition to any pretreatment violation fine.

Record-Keeping and Manifest Requirements

Federal law requires Industrial Users to keep monitoring records for at least three years under 40 CFR § 403.12(o)(2). The three-year period extends during any unresolved legal action. Arkansas POTWs adopt this floor in their local ordinances. Most also require service manifests to be kept at the food service site — not just in the hauler's records. Store your records on site in a binder or folder the inspector can access quickly.

A complete Arkansas service manifest must include these items: business name and permit number, date and time of service, and volume of waste removed. It must also note the condition of the grease cap and sludge, the hauler's company name and license number, and the disposal facility. A signed acknowledgement from someone on site is required too. Inspectors can demand these records during unannounced visits. A site that cannot produce three years of manifests is non-compliant — even if the interceptor is clean.

Under 40 CFR § 403.12(e)(2), any monitoring waiver must be written into the user's permit. The user must certify on each report that no activity has raised the regulated pollutant level. A restaurant that changes its menu, adds a fryer, or expands its hours may void an existing waiver. Full sampling requirements would then apply again.

Fines and Penalties

Arkansas penalty limits are set by state law — not city-by-city tables. Two figures matter most:

• $1,000 per day, per violation — municipal cap. Under Ark. Code Ann. § 8-4-103(g)(1), a city sewer utility can pursue penalties up to $1,000 per day per violation. Each day is a separate offense.
• $10,000 per day, per violation — state cap. The Arkansas Water and Air Pollution Control Act lets DEQ assess penalties up to $10,000 per violation (Ark. Code Ann. § 8-4-101 et seq.). This applies to severe infractions, illegal dumping, or ongoing harm to state waters. Each day counts as a separate offense.

Within those limits, each city sets its own fees and escalation steps. Fort Smith, Little Rock, Springdale, and Fayetteville publish their own citation amounts through their local utility. Those numbers change with ordinance updates. Get the current schedule from the AHJ that issued your permit. Do not rely on third-party websites for fine amounts. Ordinances update without notice, and posted amounts are often out of date.

Three other enforcement risks matter in Arkansas. First, cities can bill a business for cleanup and repairs when a grease blockage is traced back to that site. Second, a business that causes an SSO can be named in a federal Clean Water Act action through EPA Region 6. Federal statute sets those civil penalties. Third, repeat offenders risk discharge permit suspension — which shuts the kitchen until compliance is restored.

To avoid these outcomes, do five things. Install a correctly sized interceptor. Service it before the 25% threshold is reached. Use only state-permitted haulers. Keep at least three years of complete manifests on site. Respond promptly to any violation notice from your local utility. A written response to a notice — even if you dispute the finding — shows good faith. That matters if the case goes to a hearing.