The Grease Co warns aging SoCal sewers face added strain from restaurant grease

The Grease Co is highlighting how fats, oils and grease from commercial kitchens can worsen pressure on Southern California’s aging sewer systems. The company says better grease control, used oil separation and licensed recycling can help reduce blockages, backups and compliance risk.

Why it matters: - Southern California sewer networks in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura and Riverside are aging and need ongoing inspection, repair and replacement. - Grease from restaurants can add avoidable strain to those systems, increasing the risk of blockages, backups and costly maintenance. - Proper grease management also affects restaurant compliance, because wastewater rules can trigger inspections, penalties and service disruptions.

What happened: - The Grease Co issued a warning on Oct. 7, 2026, about growing grease-management concerns tied to SoCal sewer infrastructure. - The company said commercial kitchens generate fats, oils and grease through frying, cooking, food prep, dishwashing and equipment cleaning. - The company said grease that enters drains can travel into cooler underground pipes, where it adheres to pipe surfaces and builds up over time.

The details: - Sewer systems degrade over time as pipes and joints deteriorate, roots intrude, sediment accumulates and demand changes. - Municipal wastewater agencies in Southern California rely on inspection programs, maintenance crews and, when needed, repair or replacement work. - The Grease Co said repeated grease discharges can gradually restrict pipe flow capacity and lead to slower drainage, blockages or wastewater backups. - Restaurant operations can produce multiple waste streams, including used fryer oil, grease-laden wastewater, food particles, wash water and cleaning residues. - The company advised restaurants to keep used cooking oil separate from wastewater, store it in sealed containers and keep grease out of drains. - Grease traps and interceptors should be used and maintained through regular inspection, cleaning and maintenance. - Used cooking oil should be collected through an appropriate pickup program and stored safely until pickup. - Restaurants that generate substantial volumes may be able to sell used oil to licensed kitchen grease haulers, depending on oil quality, volume and local market conditions. - Restaurants should follow local wastewater requirements and maintain oil removal and grease-control documentation.

Between the lines: - The core risk is not a single spill, but repeated daily kitchen activity that slowly creates problems underground before operators notice them. - The warning frames grease control as both an infrastructure issue and a business issue, since violations can create financial exposure for restaurants. - In San Diego, the city’s Food Establishment Wastewater Discharge program investigates grease-related sewer blockages and can escalate enforcement, including administrative fees, permit revocation and termination of sewer service. - Municipal agencies may also have to investigate spills, deploy crews, clean affected lines and respond to environmental or infrastructure impacts.

What's next: - Restaurants are likely to face continued pressure to tighten grease-control practices as SoCal agencies keep maintaining older sewer systems. - More operators may turn to licensed used cooking oil recycling programs and formal grease-hauling arrangements to reduce compliance risk and improve waste handling. - The Grease Co said keeping grease out of wastewater can help direct recoverable oil toward recycling channels and reduce pressure on public infrastructure.