Every commercial kitchen in Auckland that cooks with fat sends grease towards the drain. A working grease trap catches it. A trap that is undersized, overdue for a pump-out or cracked lets fat through, where it sets in your own kitchen line first and then in Watercare's sewer. The usual result is blocked drains in the middle of service.
Cheeky's Plumbers keeps food businesses on the right side of the trade waste rules. To be clear about who does what: large in-ground traps are pumped out by liquid waste contractors with vacuum tankers. We install, size and repair traps, clean small under-sink units, jet the fatty lines feeding them, and book and line up pump-outs so the records are in one place.
Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Grease Trap Cleaning Jobs We Handle Across Auckland
- Grease trap cleaning
- Grease trap installation
- Grease trap pump out
- Trade waste compliance
- Under sink grease trap cleaning
- Commercial kitchen drain jetting
What Auckland's trade waste rules require
Trade waste in Auckland is governed by the Trade Waste Bylaw 2013, administered by Watercare. Its Schedule 1 sets minimum requirements for food service premises that prepare hot food or food that produces greasy or oily waste, which covers cafés, restaurants, takeaways, bakeries, food caravans and canteens. Watercare's own advice is to install a grease trap and have it commercially cleaned regularly.
Grease traps designed to G13/AS2 are the acceptable solution under the Building Code. Grease interceptors and digesters are alternative solutions needing Watercare approval, and for a grease converter Watercare asks for a supplier statement and your service agreement. If you are fitting out a new kitchen, our commercial plumbing team can plan this with your designer.
- An appropriately sized grease trap for the size of the operation
- Traps maintained and routinely serviced
- Service records kept for 5 years, available to the council on request
- Used cooking oil collected, never poured down the drain
- Sink strainers and floor drain screens to keep food solids out
How often should a grease trap be pumped out?
There is no single number, because frequency depends on trap size and how much fat your kitchen produces. Guidelines written for New Zealand trade waste officers say passive grease traps generally need servicing at least every 3 months, and grease converters or mechanical systems at least every 6 months by a qualified technician. A good rule of thumb is that at least 30% of the trap's capacity should still be free when it is serviced.
The same guidelines note that busy seasons change the picture: a trap that copes on a 3 monthly cycle through winter may need doing every month or 6 weeks over summer. A trade waste officer can require a review if the trap is too small, if fat builds up in the sewer near your connection, or if samples from the trap exceed 500 g/m3 of fats, oils and grease.
How It Works
What a plumber does, and what the tanker does
Pumping out a large in-ground trap means removing the whole contents, scraping the baffles and walls, and refilling with cold water. That is done by a liquid waste contractor with a vacuum truck, who also handles disposal and paperwork for the waste. We work alongside them rather than pretending to replace them.
Our part is everything around the trap: we install and replace traps, repair cracked lids, baffles and inlet or outlet pipes, clean small under-sink units, clear and jet the kitchen lines that run into the trap, and book pump-outs on a schedule. Fat that has already escaped past the trap usually needs hydro jetting to remove properly.
Sizing and installing a grease trap
The trade waste officer guidelines set a minimum of 500 litres for passive traps. Smaller units, such as under-sink traps in tight tenancies, need written council approval and are serviced more often to make up for the size. Sizing is based on the fixtures draining to the trap; in the guidelines' worked example, a kitchen with a double pot sink, a single pot sink and a hand basin works out to a 1,000 litre trap.
Where the trap goes matters as much as its size. It should sit as close to the building as possible, before any toilet connections, with clear access for inspections and for the vacuum truck, and a hose tap within 5 to 6 metres. Installing an in-ground trap is drainlaying work, and we handle it as part of a fit-out or upgrade.
Signs your trap or kitchen line is struggling
Fat problems rarely appear overnight. Watch for:
- Sinks or floor wastes slow to drain after a busy service
- Rancid smells around the trap lid or floor drains
- Water backing up into the trap's inspection point
- A thick crust of fat on top of the trap well before its next pump-out
- Repeat blockages in the line between the kitchen and the trap
Why Choose Cheeky's Plumbers for Grease Trap Cleaning
Honest about the tanker
We tell you plainly that large traps are pumped by liquid waste contractors, and we coordinate them instead of marking up a job we cannot do ourselves.
Jetting gear on the van
Our vans carry jetters and drain cameras, so fat in the kitchen line is cleared and checked on camera in the same visit.
Records ready for inspection
Each visit gets a photo and video job report, and we keep pump-out dates together so you can show 5 years of service history when asked.
Sizing done properly
New and replacement traps are sized to your fixtures and output, and placed for easy tanker access.
Work around service hours
Jetting and repairs are booked before opening or after close so the kitchen keeps trading.
Grease Trap Cleaning FAQs
Does my café need a grease trap in Auckland?
If you prepare hot food or food that creates greasy waste, the Trade Waste Bylaw requires an appropriately sized grease trap, routinely serviced, with records kept for 5 years.
How often does a grease trap need cleaning?
New Zealand trade waste guidelines say passive traps generally need servicing at least every 3 months, more often in busy periods. Aim to have at least 30% capacity free at each service.
Do plumbers pump out grease traps?
Large in-ground traps are pumped by liquid waste contractors with vacuum trucks. We clean small under-sink traps, jet the lines, repair and install traps, and coordinate pump-outs.
What records do I need to keep?
Service records for your grease trap must be kept for 5 years and may be requested by the council. Keep dates, who serviced it and the trap size and location.
Can I use a grease converter instead of a trap?
Possibly, but interceptors and digesters are alternative solutions that need Watercare approval, including a supplier statement and a service agreement.
Why does my kitchen drain keep blocking even with a grease trap?
Fat can set in the line before it reaches the trap, or pass through an overfull or damaged trap. Jetting the line and checking the trap usually finds the cause.
Grease Trap Cleaning Across Auckland
Our grease trap cleaning team works in every Auckland suburb. Find your local plumbers:
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