How often does Sydney Water require a grease trap pump-out in New South Wales?

There is no single fixed interval. The frequency is set per venue in your trade waste agreement, based on your trap size and how much fat, oil and grease you produce. For most food venues that works out to somewhere between monthly and quarterly.

What happens if I miss a scheduled clean in New South Wales?

You risk a fine of up to $11,000, plus the real-world risk of an overflow. An emergency call-out to clear an overflowing trap typically costs three to four times a scheduled clean.

How do I prove my grease trap is compliant?

Keep the waste transport or disposal certificate from each pump-out. It records the volume removed and the licensed facility it went to, which is what the authority asks for if your account is reviewed.

Compliance · NSW

Grease trap compliance in New South Wales

If your venue runs a commercial kitchen in New South Wales, you must pump out your grease trap on a schedule set by your water authority, using a licensed transporter. Miss it and you risk a fine and, more often, an overflow that costs far more to fix than the clean would have.

Who regulates your grease trap in New South Wales

Trade waste in New South Wales is regulated by:

Sydney Water, Greater Sydney, including the Blue Mountains and Illawarra
Hunter Water, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter
Local councils, Regional NSW outside the metro water utilities, under the Local Government Act

How often you must pump out

Sydney Water sets your pump-out frequency per venue, written into your trade waste agreement. It depends on your trap size and your fat, oil and grease load, so a busy fryer-heavy kitchen is cleaned more often than a small cafe. For most venues the interval lands between monthly and quarterly. Treat any general advice as a starting point; the figure in your agreement is the one that counts.

Background reading: how often should a grease trap be cleaned.

The licensed transporter requirement

Sydney Water requires you to use an approved Wastesafe transporter to pump out your trap. Wastesafe is the electronic system that tracks the generation, collection, transport and disposal of grease trap waste, so your cleans are logged against your account.

Penalties for non-compliance in New South Wales

Fines reach $11,000. Discharging liquid trade waste without approval is an offence under section 626 of the NSW Local Government Act 1993, which carries a maximum fine of $11,000.

The bigger practical cost is usually an overflow event plus an emergency call-out, which runs three to four times the price of a scheduled clean.

What a compliant clean includes

A proper pump-out is a full extraction of solids and liquids, a scrape and inspection of the internal baffles, a refill with clean water, and a waste transport certificate you keep on file. That certificate is your proof of compliance.

Questions New South Wales operators ask

How often does Sydney Water require a grease trap pump-out in New South Wales?: There is no single fixed interval. The frequency is set per venue in your trade waste agreement, based on your trap size and how much fat, oil and grease you produce. For most food venues that works out to somewhere between monthly and quarterly.
What happens if I miss a scheduled clean in New South Wales?: You risk a fine of up to $11,000, plus the real-world risk of an overflow. An emergency call-out to clear an overflowing trap typically costs three to four times a scheduled clean.
Do I have to use a licensed transporter?: Sydney Water requires you to use an approved Wastesafe transporter to pump out your trap. Wastesafe is the electronic system that tracks the generation, collection, transport and disposal of grease trap waste, so your cleans are logged against your account.
How do I prove my grease trap is compliant?: Keep the waste transport or disposal certificate from each pump-out. It records the volume removed and the licensed facility it went to, which is what the authority asks for if your account is reviewed.