What is a Grease trap?

A grease trap is an external collection tank usually required for restaurants and  takeaways which collects “FOG” (Fats, Oils & Grease ).

Cork County Council controls the discharge of FOG to public sewers by issuing Trade  Effluent Licences (TELs) to FSEs in accordance with Section 16 of the Water Pollution Act.

What are Fats, Oils & Greases (FOG) ?

FOG is a liquid waste generated in commercial kitchens during food preparation and washing up. It originates from butter, lard, vegetable fats, oils, meats, nuts, cereals, etc. It is washed down the drain into the public sewer where it cools, solidifies and accumulates and eventually causes a blockage. FOG also causes problems at waste treatment plants so it is important these liquids are collected in grease traps.

Installing & Maintaining a Grease Trap

Most FSE Operators will be required by the TEL to install and maintain a grease trap to limit the amount of FOG discharged by the FSE to the public sewer. More than one grease trap may be required for larger FSEs. The grease trap will separate the FOG from the wastewater. The FOG then rises to the top of the trap for eventual collection and disposal.
Grease Traps should be located downstream of the following:
• Pot sinks;
• Rinse sinks;
• Soup kettles or similar devices;
• Dishwashers;
• Steam combination ovens;
• Water cooled wok ranges;
• Any other sinks, fixtures or drains through which a significant amount of oil, fat or
grease may be introduced.

Please note that grease traps that use chemicals or enzymes additives to dissolve the collected FOG are not acceptable to Cork County Council.  Bacteria additives only may be used where the FSE Operator has demonstrated to Cork County Council or its agents that the use of such additives enables compliance with the conditions of the TEL.

Emptying Grease Traps

Grease traps must be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure the continued removal of FOG and also to prevent odours. Generally, grease traps should be cleaned when FOG and food solids occupy 25% of the grease trap. FOG should be removed from the top of the  chamber and food solids should be removed from the bottom of the trap. Frequency of  cleaning will depend on the grease trap, throughput, kitchen practices, and the type and size of FSE.

It is recommended that the services of a specialist contractor should be engaged to clean the grease trap and to remove and treat the waste material. This contractor shall have a waste collection permit and shall transfer the solid waste from the bottom of the grease trap to a permitted composting facility. The FOG fraction of the waste material may be recyclable. Cork County Council recommends that the FSE Operator enters into a written contract with the contractor for the cleaning of the grease trap and for the removal and treatment of the waste material for an agreed period of time.

Countywide Drain Services Ltd is an approved Grease trap and inceptor tank cleaner and holds all related permits for the safe cleaning of grease traps.

For more information, contact us today on 021 7334550 or fill in details here 

Looking to register your septic tank?

If you have heard all the news about the new Irish septic tank regulations and are looking to register your tank with your local authorities, you might have found it difficult to find out how to register.

This is because legislation governing the controversial proposals has not yet fully passed though the Oireachtas, although it is expected that registration will then commence around mid April.

Don’t worry…

Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government,  is urging rural households not to fear the new system. ”It’s hugely important that we comply as a nation with the legislation,” he says.”I am not introducing this legislation because I want to, it’s to address a European Court of Justice ruling against Ireland from October 2009. Failure to comply would mean a lump-sum penalty of €2.7m, and fines of over €26,000 per day – more than €9.5m per annum”.

Costs:

Government recently announced that there would be an initial 5 euro registration charge for the first three months to encourage householders to register. Following that period, the registration charge will be 50 euros. The registration system is currently being developed and is expected to be ready in mid April. I will announce full details of how people can register after the conclusion of this consultation process.”

Can’t wait or still worried?

Countywide Drain Services Ltd have developed a service for households where they will clean the tank and include an free engineers inspection if needed. They can also offer advice on the new regulations.

Contact them today if you live in the Munster area on 021 7334550 or check out Septic Tank Inspection Service promotion

See below for our new promotion which includes a Free septic tank inspection when we empty your tank. If our qualified team think that your tank may fail the new inspection which will be launched by local councils soon, we will send out one of our certified engineers to provide a independent detailed report on your spetic tank or bio unit free of charge.

This will give you piece of mind when you need to register the tank with your local authority in the future.

Click on Septic Tank Inspection Promotion to download a pdf version of this offer.

If you have any questions on this offer or any of the other services Countywide Drain Services Ltd provide, phone  office today 021 7334550 or email us direct

As you can see, we have a large selection of equipment and trucks to suit all jobs from domestic work in estates to large waste plants.

Septic tank and Sludge emptying truck

Mobile drain cleaning and tank emptying truck suitable for city work

Our Mobile CCTV surveillance van to check out drains before any digging is needed.

For cleaning drains, our high pressure jetting hose is suitable for all jobs.

Why not visit out website Drain Cleaning Ireland or contact one of our team on 0217334550 if you have any questions regarding your drainage systems.

The Irish government have been put under pressure by lobby groups sense they have introduced this regulation..

However under the proposed regulations, householders who do not avail of the incentive scheme will have to pay a registration charge of €50 to facilitate inspections of their tanks.

Contact one of our team today for details on Registering your septic tank

Full details on Septic tank Regulations Ireland

This is one of the most popular phone calls that we get at Countywide Drain Services and foul smells are an indicator that your sewage pipes may be blocked.

It can be difficult for home owners as the bad smell builds up over time soproblem may have happened weeks before.

Causes for foul sewer smells:

• Raw toilet sewage clogged near pipe or tank
• Hairs from shower/bath build-up
• Septic tanking overflowing and causing blockages
• Pipes too small to take raw sewage

Solution:

It depends on the reasons that are causing the foul smell but one of our team can check this out quickly and remove this horrible smell from your home.

• Emptying septic tank
• Freeing blocked pipe
• Changing sewer connections

Phone Countywide Drain Services Ltd today on 0217334550  or visit our Drain Cleaning page for further details.

If your drain or sewer is blocked, there is a number of options you can try yourself to unclog the blockage and get the water flowing again.

1. Prepare

Clean the area around the blocked drain or pipe and move any objects. – It could get messy!

2. Unblock with Plunger

Use a plunger and place over the opening but make sure any other holes are covered so you can build up pressure in the drain system. Pump the plunger and try this a few times . If this does not free up the blocked drain, move onto the next step.

3.  Drain Cleaner

Use a commercial drain cleaner fluid and read the instructions first. Add the amount into the pipe and after 10 minutes, pour water down the blocked drain and see if this will flush it clear. If this does not work, move to next step.

4. Remove pipe

If you can see the blocked pipe such as a toilet joint or sink pipe, try opening the joint . Make sure you have old cloths and a container that you can hold any leaked water. Open the joints with a plumbers wrench and once removed , use a metal clothes hanger to push out the clogged dirt or hair. Once done, check to see if its not blocked and place the pipe together and test. if this does not work, move to next step.

5. Drain Expert

If your sewer or drains are still blocked , call your local plumber or if in the Cork city or county area , phone Countywide Drain Services today on 0217334550 and speak to our domestic drain cleaning team who will assist and provide a competitive call out charge to unblock those clogged up drains hassle free. We have a 24 hour emergency service .

Check out the Drain Cleaning section on the website.

Other tips:   How to unblock a toilet 

Here at Countywide we know that money can be a bit tight after the Christmas season, so because of the new septic tank regulations & to celebrate the New Year we are holding a competition exclusively for our Facebook fans!

To be in with a chance of winning a €200 voucher to clean out your septic tank/bio unit simply answer the following question:

Due to new legislation how much are the government charging to register your septic tank/bio unit?

Clue: The answer will be on our Website www.countywidedrainservices.ie and our facebook Page countywide drains

All you need to do is:

1. Click on either the voucher or Facebook link below

2. Like our Facebook page
3. “Comment” your answer below
4. Get all your friends to LIKE our Page
5. Then get your friends to ‘Like’ your Post

The winner will be the person with the most ‘Likes’ on their ‘comment’
Votes will only be counted if your friends have liked our page too!
The competition ends at midnight 17/01/2012 & the winner will be announced on the 18/01/2012 at 12:00 noon.

Facebook Page
BEST OF LUCK EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What is the New septic tank legislation

The new legislation has been put in place to help Ireland as a nation to alleviate the problem of poor ground water quality. Every day our government is being penalised by the European Commission until it takes steps to enforce the rules for ground water quality which have been laid down. The majority of rural homes in Ireland have their domestic sewage treatment needs met by a septic tank. If you live outside of an urban area the likelihood is that your waste water is sent to a septic tank.

What does it mean if I have a septic tank?

If you have a septic tank or  a bio treatment unit, it means that from January 1st 2012 you will have to comply with new legislation. You will have to register your tank with your local County Council, you will then have to have an inspection carried out on the tank to ensure it is in good working order. If you have neglected to have your tank cleaned out on a regular basis (Recommendation is every 2 years for septic tank and 12 months for a bio unit), then it is expected that your tank is not working as efficiently as it should be.

How much does this cost?

The cost of registering your tank is €50.oo payable to your local County council. Further costs will be dependant on the results of the inspection carried out.

What happens then?

Once your tank is inspected, recommendations may then be made. If your septic tank has not been serviced on a regular basis or de-sludged then it is most likely that your domestic sewage is being handled by outdated technologies or is not performing as well as it could be.

Actions :

The following are a number of outcomes that may arise after inspection of your septic tank:
• No action. This will happen if you have a working septic tank that is serviced and waste water is disposed of effectively.

• Your septic tank needs to be de-sludged/empted . This will occur if your septic tank is working effectively but needs to be cleaned out and has not been for more than one year. (Book your septic tank clean here)

• Your percolation area needs to be replaced. This will happen when your percolation area has become ineffective and discharge waste is becoming visible on the surface of your garden.

• Your septic tank needs to be replaced. This will occur if you have a septic tank that is not working properly and is discharging waste water into the surrounding ground water.
What if I have further enquiries?

You should contact your local council for more details or you can phone our office and we should be able to assist you. Just mention that you are calling about the new Septic tank regulations so we can get our expert in that area to talk to you.

Worried about your tank not passing ? Check out our Free inspection with every empty promotion

We have a FAQ but here we can supply information in more detail.

Feel free to add your drain pics and comments .

Regards

The Countywide drain services team.