How do I install a grease trap in a commercial kitchen in Western Sydney?

The grease trap, also called a grease arrestor, is a tank that sits between your kitchen fixtures and the sewer. It slows the flow so fats, oils and grease (FOG) cool, separate and float, while cleaner water carries on. Size it wrong, approve it wrong or tap it in wrong, and you are either failing an inspection or paying to redo it.

How to install a grease trap, step by step

Here is the sequence we work to:

1. Confirm you need one. Any kitchen producing greasy wastewater (cafes, pubs, clubs, restaurants, takeaway shops, bakeries) will almost always need a grease trap before it can discharge to sewer.
2. Apply for trade waste approval. Before installing pre-treatment equipment or opening, apply to Sydney Water for approval to discharge trade wastewater.
3. Select the size and type. Have your plumber confirm the required capacity and choose a grease trap from Sydney Water’s Listed pre-treatment for food businesses.
4. Install to the approved design. A licensed plumber installs the grease trap according to the manufacturer’s instructions, Sydney Water’s requirements and the Plumbing Code of Australia. Required kitchen wastewater connections, including dishwashers, must discharge to the grease trap.
5. Test and check inspection requirements. We check falls, connections, and that the trap holds and flows as it should. Your licensed plumber should confirm the inspection requirements that apply to your installation.
6. Lodge and certify. The plumber issues a Certificate of Compliance for the plumbing and drainage work and lodges it as required.

Who can install a grease trap in NSW?

Use a licensed plumber to install your grease trap. The installation should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, the applicable plumbing requirements and the conditions of your trade wastewater approval.

Your plumber should check that the tank, connections and layout match the approved design before work begins.

At PVS Plumbing, our tradespeople are trained in-house. The crew on your site knows how a grease arrestor is meant to be set, connected and certified, because that is how we taught them.

Do I need a licensed plumber to install a grease trap?

Yes. Engage a licensed plumber to install the grease trap and complete the associated plumbing and drainage work.

There is a practical reason beyond the law. Grease traps fail for reasons that come straight back to the install:

• An undersized tank for the number of meals.
• A dishwasher plumbed so hot water melts grease straight through the arrestor.
• Poor falls.
• The wrong fixtures connected to the inlet.

A plumber who installs these regularly designs around those traps instead of discovering them later.

Ask your licensed plumber for a Certificate of Compliance when the work is complete. Keep it with your Sydney Water trade wastewater approval and premises records.

What is a Certificate of Compliance for plumbing work in NSW?

A Certificate of Compliance is the document a licensed plumber or drainer issues to certify that plumbing and drainage work meets the relevant standards and the law. For a grease trap, it confirms the arrestor and its connections were installed correctly by a licensed person.

Think of it as the receipt that proves the work is compliant, not just finished. It records who did the work, their licence, the property, and what was done. It belongs to the same family of document we deal with across licensed work, including a gas compliance certificate where gas appliances, say a wok burner or a char grill, are part of the kitchen fit-out.

For you as the owner, the Certificate of Compliance matters at three moments: documenting the completed plumbing work, passing any inspection, and selling or leasing the premises later when a buyer or tenant wants proof the kitchen drainage is legitimate. Keep it with your building records.

Who issues the Certificate of Compliance for a grease trap?

The plumber or drainer responsible for the plumbing and drainage work completes the Certificate of Compliance and provides a copy to the person who arranged the work. Ask them to confirm the inspection and lodgement requirements for your installation.

This is why who you hire for grease trap installation is not just about price. The plumber is standing behind the work with their licence when they sign that certificate. If the install is wrong, that signature is on it. When we install a grease arrestor, we issue the certificate because we are confident the work meets the standard and matches your approved design.

Key takeaways

• Approval comes first. Apply to Sydney Water to discharge trade wastewater before any grease trap installation in Western Sydney begins.
• Use a licensed plumber. Have your grease trap and its plumbing and drainage connections installed by a licensed professional.
• Get the certificate. Obtain a Certificate of Compliance for the completed plumbing and drainage work and keep it with your premises records.
• Keep your records. Hold the Certificate of Compliance and your Sydney Water trade waste agreement together.

Planning a kitchen fit-out, a menu change or a new venue across Penrith, the Hawkesbury or the Lower Blue Mountains? We install grease traps to your approved design, certify the work, and give you a fixed price before we start. Get a quote at pvsplumbing.com.au.

Frequently asked questions