GREASE INTERCEPTOR/TRAP SIZING AND INSTALLATION GUIDE
Grease protection is an essential element for restaurants, cafes, catering facilities, commissaries, hotels, cafeterias,
convenience stores, full-service grocery stores, schools, hospitals, and food manufacturing plants. Grease interceptors
are installed on “gray” water drain lines and are designed to remove fats, oils and grease (FOG) from wastewater. The
retained FOG should be regularly removed or pumped out of the interceptor. The interceptor must be cleaned
whenever 25 percent of any chamber becomes filled with FOG or solids.
Definitions
Hydromechanical Grease Interceptors (HGIs) can be located inside or outside the facility and are required to have an
approved type of vented flow restrictor. Flow restrictors slow the flow of water entering the grease interceptor. The
total capacity of the fixtures discharging into an HGI, in gallons, shall not exceed two and one-half (2 ½) times the
certified gallons-per-minute flow rate of the interceptor.
Gravity Grease Interceptors (GGIs) are generally installed in the ground outside the facility, upstream from the “black”
water (sanitary waste) drain line and are at least 500 gallons in capacity. In existing buildings like the downtown
corridor, space for a GGI usually does not exist. Breaking down the fixtures into smaller groups and running them
through an appropriately sized HGI is the best solution.
A Drainage Fixture Unit (DFU) is a unit of measure for the load-producing effects on a plumbing system from different
kinds of plumbing fixtures. Things like produce prep sinks and hand washing sinks do not need to be connected to the
grease device. If they are not plumbed into the device then they should not be included in the sizing calculation.
Examples of DFU Calculations
Table 1 on the next page (“Determining DFUs”) lists the number of DFUs per fixture. Table 2 (“Fixture Equivalents”)
lists the number of DFUs per pipe diameter. Example 1: Restaurant with 40 seats, serves 120 meals per hour*:
3-comp sink (9 DFUs)
2-comp food prep sink (6 DFUs)
mop sink (3 DFUs)
3 hand washing sinks (3 DFUs)
2 floor drains (4 DFUs) +
dishwasher with 2” pipe to floor sink (2”drain line for 4 DFUs)
Total = 29 DFUs
Example 2:
Restaurant with 40 seats, serves 40 meals per hour* or less: *Meals per peak hour is determined by multiplying
3-comp sink (9 DFUs) the number of seats by 60 and dividing by the
2-comp food prep sink (not connected) mop sink (3 DFUs) estimated time (minutes) it takes for a patron to eat.
hand wash sink (not connected), pre-rinse sink (3 DFU’s)
+ dishwasher (not connected)
Total = 15 DFUs
Table 4 on the next page (“HGI Sizing Chart”) is used to determine the size of HGI needed, if that is the type of grease
interceptor being installed. In Example 1, based on 29 DFUs a 75 gallon per minute (gpm) unit would be required. In
Example 2, a 50 gpm unit would be required.
Table 5 (“GGI” Sizing Chart”) is used to determine the size of GGI needed. Example 1 would require a 100-gallon unit.
Example 2 would require a 750-gallon unit.
For more information, contact Program Manager Joel Goodwin at 206.780.3583 or jgoodwin@[Link]
Public Works Operations & Maintenance, 7305 Hidden Cove Rd, BI, WA 98110 Pg. 1 of 4
The flow chart on the next page can be used to determine what type of grease interceptor is allowed, whether or not a
garbage disposal is allowed, and what the next steps of permitting might be.
Table 1
Type of Fixture # of DFUs Comments
3-compartment sink 9
2-compartment sink Use floor sink criteria based Each compartment is 3 DFUs.
upon drain size or number of
sinks, whichever is larger
Floor sinks DFUs based upon sink drain See table 2 below or section 702.1 in the UPC. *Floor
size* sinks that receive only ice machine and cooler
condensate are not counted.
Mop sink 3 If cooking meat, then new mop sinks must be
connected to grease protection.
Wok sink 3
Floor drains 2
Trench drains 2 DFUs per lineal foot of
drain
Soup Kettle 2 DFUs per lineal foot of
trench drain
Braziers 2 DFUs per lineal foot of
trench drain
Steam tables Use floor sink or trench drain
criteria, whichever is
appropriate.
Dishwasher pre-rinse sink 3
Dishwashers Use floor sink criteria
Food waste disposers, Use next larger size of GGI FOG bearing food waste disposers can only discharge
including pulpers than would otherwise be to properly sized GGIs
required
Table 2 Table 3
Fixture unit equivalents from section 702.1 of the UPC Pipe Size, GPM, Maximum DFU Count
Drain Size in inches DFU’S Pipe Size, Max. Full Pipe Max. DFU
1-1/4 1 Inches Flow (gpm) Count
1-1/2 3 2 20 8
2 4 2-1/2 38.2 14
3 6 3 60 35
4 8 4 125 216
5 230 428
6 375 720
For more information, contact Program Manager Joel Goodwin at 206.780.3583 or jgoodwin@[Link]
Public Works Operations & Maintenance, 7305 Hidden Cove Rd, BI, WA 98110 Pg. 2 of 4
Table 4 Table 5
Hydromechanical Grease Interceptor (HGI) Sizing Chart Gravity Grease Interceptor (GGI) Sizing Chart
DFU’s* HGI Flow (GPM) DFU’s* GGI Volume (GAL)
8 20 8 500
10 25 21 750
13 35 35 1,000
20 50 90 1.250
35 75 172 1,500
172 100 216 2,000
216 150 307 2,500
342 200 342 3,000
428 250 428 4,000
576 350 576 5,000
720 500 720 7,500
2112 10,000
2640 15,000
* The maximum allowable number of DFU’s that can be connected to the grease interceptor.
The information above if from section 702.0 and table 7-5, 10-2 and 10-3 of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).
For more information, contact Program Manager Joel Goodwin at 206.780.3583 or jgoodwin@[Link]
Public Works Operations & Maintenance, 7305 Hidden Cove Rd, BI, WA 98110 Pg. 3 of 4
Pre-treatment Device Decision Tree
Fats Oils and Grease (FOG)
Pre-treatment Device
Decision Tree
40 seats or less ,
AND No
Food
less then 40 meals per Grinder?
hour?
Yes
Yes
No
GGI
Required.
Size Per
GGI
HGI DFU using
Required.
Allowed . Table 5,
Size Per
Size Per then
DFU using
DFU using increase by
Table 5
Table 4 one size .
Key
HGI – Hydromechanical Grease Interceptor
GGI – Gravity Grease Interceptor
DFU – Drainage Fixture Unit
For more information, contact Program Manager Joel Goodwin at 206.780.3583 or jgoodwin@[Link]
Public Works Operations & Maintenance, 7305 Hidden Cove Rd, BI, WA 98110 Pg. 4 of 4