Grease Trap Mandate Causing Problems for Tri State Businesses
Some Evansville business owners are running into a financial roadblock because of a recent grease trap ordinance.
According to Evansville Water and Sewer officials, the ordinance requires restaurants to expand the size of their grease traps.
Officials say grease mixed with heavy rain can displace the sewer's ability to contain that excess water, creating an overflow of raw sewage.
Spudz 'n Stuff on First Avenue is one of locations where owners say this new regulation stalled their opening.
Craig Wargel and Andrea Clark are the owners of Spudz n Stuff where they spent nearly $12,000 on a new grease trap.
"We would like to open several more but with this, it will stop us. We want one downtown but there is no way in the world we can come up with that kind of money each time so it's going to hinder all small business owners to ever open another place," said Clark.
"Everything we put into the store is our money so this is a small business person's nightmare when I found out I have to put in an additional $12,000 worth of grease trap," added Wargel.
The mandate is based on how many people the restaurant can serve. The greater the capacity, the bigger the grease trap.
Matt McBride, the coordinator of Evansville Water and Sewer Utilities said these new regulations were set back in August. He spoke on how grease mixed with heavy rain can displace the sewer's ability to contain that excess water, creating an overflow of raw sewage.
As more municipalities require additional regulations to prevent fats, oil and grease from entering their sewer system, installing The Drain Strainer can prevent your grease trap from getting clogged with food solids.