Maintaining compliance
Under the Water Services Act 2012, in order for trade waste to be accepted into our wastewater system, all food handling and preparation type business or operators (such as lunch bars, cafes, restaurants etc) must hold a current trade waste permit. They must also comply with all permit conditions, including the installation or upgrade of pre-treatment fixtures.
Why do we have pre-treatment requirements?
Trade waste pre-treatment such as grease arrestors and commercial type sink strainers are very important because they reduce the amount of fats, oils, grease and solids entering our wastewater system. If these build up, they cause odorous and toxic gasses, corrosion, blockages and wastewater overflows. Blockages and overflows impact the community and our ability to provide customers effective wastewater services.
How do I know if I am non-compliant?
You can check your compliance by:
- reviewing your permit conditions
- confirming the trade waste permit was issued to you and your business and not the previous operator
- contacting us to confirm business requirements
Key stages in the non-compliance management process
- We will communicate the requirement to install or upgrade grease arrestors and /or commercial type fixed sink strainers to customers during their trade waste application assessment process. The trade waste permit will state the grease arrestor must be installed or upgraded within 12 months from the permit issue date.
- Customers who install or upgrade their grease arrestor and/or fixed sink strainers as required within 90 days of the permit issue date will not be subject to daily charges.
- Customers who have not installed or upgraded their grease arrestor and/or fixed sink strainers within 90 days of the permit issue date will become subject to daily charges. Charges will continue for the remainder of the 12 months unless the grease arrestor is installed or upgraded prior to the required date.
- Customers who fail to comply within 12 months breach the conditions of their trade waste permit and may then be subject to legal action and/or disconnected from our wastewater system in accordance with the Water Services Act 2012. Breaches of trade waste permit conditions may incur a fine of $10,000, plus $500 a day until compliance has been met.
An extended installation period without the charges may be negotiated if there are extenuating circumstances and the customer provides a written commitment to install or upgrade.
When was this introduced?
We implemented the non-compliance management process in July 2016.
When do we review trade waste permit conditions?
Triggers for reviewing your trade waste permit are:
- Change of owner/ operator.
- Change of process; for example, change of food preparation or cooking practices.
- Following a trade waste investigation where a business may have caused a detrimental effect (such as a fat blockage) on the operation of the wastewater system and/ or affecting the health and safety of Water Corporation workers or contractors.
- In some cases, following a routine inspection.
Can I just pay the charges rather than install pre-treatment?
No. 'Polluter payments' in lieu of installing or upgrading a grease arrestor and/ or fixed sink strainers is not an acceptable or sustainable option.
Are there any other costs if I am not compliant?
Yes. Any customer who applies for a trade waste permit and is required to install or upgrade a grease arrestor and/ or fixed sink strainers will have 12 months to comply. After an initial 90 days, you'll be subject to a daily charge of up to $25.83 (2024-25 FY) per trading day for the remainder of the 12-month period, at which time if it remains non-compliant, they may be subject to prosecution, additional penalties and/ or disconnection from our wastewater system.
These charges are based on the nature and operation of the business and can be up to $7,087.71 per year.
The table below shows examples of the charges for different business types across different trading days:
| |
Approximate charge within first 12 months |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Example of business types* | Minimum trade waste pre-treatment requirements |
Daily charges (2024-25 FY) |
5 trading days per week | 6 trading days per week | 7 trading days per week | |
| A |
Coffee shop (no cooking) Day care |
Installation of approved commercial in-sink and floor strainers | $6.46 | $1,265.90 | $1,517.79 | $1,769.68 | |
| B |
Takeaway shop |
Installation of a conventional type of approved grease/ solids arrestor | $10.76 | $2,109.84 | $2,529.65 | $2,949.46 | |
| C |
Cafe |
Installation of a conventional type of approved grease/ solids arrestor | $25.83 | $5,063.60 | $6,071.16 | $7,078.71 | |
* For any business types not listed above please contact us for more information.
Failing to comply with permit conditions after the 12 month period may incur a fine of $10,000, plus $500 a day until compliance has been met, in accordance with the Water Services Act 2012.
Can my permit be revoked if I fail to comply with my permit conditions?
Yes. In addition, if your permit is revoked and you continue to discharge without written approval you may incur a fine of $50,000, plus $2,000 a day in accordance with the Water Services Act 2012.
What if I’m buying or selling a business?
There are some important factors to consider when buying or selling a food handling and preparation type business:
If you're buying a food handling and preparation type business, you must:
- Ask the current owner to provide you their valid trade waste permit to review the general and any special conditions that may impact a new business owner. As we review trade waste standards on a regular basis, or business may have changed their processes or practices from their original permit approval, there may be additional permit conditions to that of the previous owner in order to meet current Water Corporation standards. As any of our standards change, we update our Trade waste pages.
- Confirm if your proposed business needs pre-treatment in the form of a grease arrestor and /or commercial type fixed sink strainers.
- Confirm if the business is connected to a grease arrestor and or commercial type fixed sink strainer.
- Confirm the grease arrestor installed meets the current sizing standards.