Grease Trap Pumping in Beaumont, TX
Restaurants, food service kitchens, and any commercial operation generating fats-oils-grease (FOG) waste in Jefferson County need scheduled grease trap pumping to stay in compliance with TCEQ, the city wastewater authority, and the health department. Missed pumping causes overflows, kitchen backups, drain plugging, and potential fines. We run scheduled routes (monthly, quarterly, or on your interval), file the FOG waste manifest, and handle the disposal.
Why grease trap compliance matters
- Health department can suspend your food service permit for repeated FOG violations. That closes the kitchen.
- City wastewater authority can bill surcharge fees for FOG discharge exceeding your permit limits.
- Building drain plugging from FOG carryover means a plumber call, kitchen downtime, and possible remediation to the wastewater lateral.
- Insurance and franchisor requirements (for chain operations) frequently mandate documented FOG service records — missing manifests can affect claims and franchise compliance.
- Sewer backup into your kitchen from a plugged lateral is a food safety event that has to be reported to the health department.
How the pumping and manifest process works
- Vacuum truck arrives on the scheduled date. Access point (usually outdoor lid over the trap) opened.
- Trap contents pumped: floating FOG layer + intermediate wastewater + settled solids.
- Trap walls inspected for structural issues, baffles checked for damage.
- Trap re-primed with clean water to restore the water seal on the outlet baffle.
- FOG waste manifest completed on-site: gallons removed, generator name and address, waste type, hauler registration number, disposal facility name and permit number. Signed by us and by your designated on-site staff. Copy to you, copy to the disposal facility, copy to our records.
- Next-service scheduling confirmed based on your interval.
- FOG waste transported to a TCEQ-approved rendering or disposal facility — not the wastewater sewer.
Grease trap service pricing
| Service | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 500-gallon trap, scheduled monthly | $275–$450 | per pump, standard route |
| 1,000-gallon trap, scheduled monthly | $375–$550 | per pump, standard route |
| 1,500-gallon trap, scheduled monthly | $475–$700 | per pump, standard route |
| 2,000+ gallon trap, scheduled monthly | $650–$1,200 | per pump, larger truck required |
| Quarterly schedule surcharge (per pump) | +$50–$100 | vs monthly route pricing |
| Emergency / after-hours pump | +$150–$300 | weekend, holiday, or overnight |
| Under-sink interceptor service | $150–$300 | if we service it commercially |
| Grease line jetting (kitchen drain to trap) | $400–$900 | when a plugged line is the culprit |
| Trap upsizing consultation | free with existing service | if current trap is undersized for volume |
Setting the right pumping interval
The right interval keeps your trap under 25% full of FOG at pump time. Common baselines by kitchen type:
- Fast-food, fried menu: weekly to bi-weekly on smaller traps, monthly on larger.
- Full-service casual dining: monthly is standard for a properly-sized trap.
- Fine dining, moderate FOG: monthly to quarterly.
- Coffee shops, bakeries, cold-prep: quarterly to semi-annual.
- Cafeteria / institutional (schools, healthcare): monthly to quarterly depending on menu.
If your kitchen has grown volume-wise or your menu has shifted more toward FOG-heavy items, current interval might be too long. We can measure at the next service to check.
Commercial FOG questions we hear
How often does my restaurant need grease trap pumping?
Depends on trap size and cooking volume. Most Beaumont-area restaurants are on monthly or quarterly. High-volume fried operations can need bi-weekly. TCEQ and local wastewater authority may enforce a specific interval.
What does it cost in Beaumont?
$275–$650 for a typical 500–1,000 gallon restaurant trap. Larger 1,500–3,000 gallon traps $500–$1,200. Above-ground under-sink units $150–$300. Emergency call outside scheduled service $150–$300 surcharge.
Do you provide a FOG waste manifest?
Yes — every commercial FOG pump-out has a signed manifest showing waste volume, source, disposal facility, and TCEQ hauler registration number. You get a copy. Health department and wastewater authority both may ask for it.
What happens if my trap overflows?
FOG discharge to sewer, kitchen backups, potential health department action, possible surcharge fees. Overflows are almost always missed schedule or under-sized trap for actual volume — we can re-scope if the current schedule is not holding.
Can I extend the interval to save money?
Right interval is the one that keeps the trap under 25% full at pump time. A partially-full trap that gets pumped early wastes money. A trap allowed to fill past rated storage sends FOG downstream, which is a compliance risk.
Do you handle small under-sink interceptors?
Yes, if you need commercial service. Larger traps (500+ gallons) really need a professional vacuum truck — small under-sink units are usually pumped in-house by kitchen staff.
Set up scheduled grease trap service
Call (409) 895-2078. Or use the callback form. Have the operation type (restaurant / cafeteria / commissary / etc.), trap size and location if known, and current pumping schedule (or note that there is none).