Restaurants that improperly dispose of kitchen grease could soon be fined by the city of Jackson.
The city council recently passed a new ordinance governing the disposal of fats, oils, and grease, or FOGs.
The ordinance was approved on a 5-2 vote, at the recommendation of Public Works Director Bob Miller.
Miller said the new code could help reduce the instances of sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) by 70 percent.
SSOs occur when the sewer system backs up and untreated wastewater leaks out of the system and into the environment.
The city is must significantly reduce SSOs as part of its consent decree with the federal government.
“One of the most unfortunate and disgusting things that can happen in Jackson is when our sanitary sewers are clogged with fats, oils and grease and (waste) surcharges into people’s yards,” Miller told the council. “That’s not only disgusting but it’s a violation of the Clean Water Act.”
The ordinance would impact all new restaurants and commercial kitchens in the capital city, as well as those that are being renovated or are under new ownership.
Under the code, those establishments would be required to install grease disposal devices and develop FOG control plans.
Existing restaurants would only be required to install new equipment if grease disposal at those locations led to blockages.
The ordinance would be enforced under a graduated system. The first violation would result in a warning letter, and subsequent violations would result in increasing monetary fines, Miller said.
The city had to establish the FOGs program as part of its sewer consent decree.
The city entered into the decree in 2012.
As part of the agreement, Jackson must meet several benchmarks or face fines from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Jackson is fined $500 every SSO that impacts bodies of water that are identified as “waters of the USA.”
Those waters include the Pearl River and tributaries leading to the Pearl River.
Between October 2 and December 31, the city reported 63 SSOs, including 54 that reached waters of the USA.
Of the SSOs, 51 were caused by grease and other solids that had clogged the system, according to the city’s January quarterly report to EPA.
Since entering the decree, the city has accumulated $394,500 fines for 789 SSOs.
Voting in favor of the measure were Council members Ashby Foote, Virgi Lindsay, Melvin Priester, Charles Tillman and Aaron Banks.
Opposed were Kenneth Stokes and De’Keither Stamps.
The ordinance takes effect 30 days from passage.
