Oil/water separators are underground vaults, usually constructed of concrete, installed between a drain or drain network and the connecting sewer pipe. These grease traps vaults are designed with baffles to trap sediment(s) and retain floating oils and grease while allowing water to discharge.

The large capacity of these separator systems slows discharge water allowing oil to float to the surface and solid material to settle to the bottom. Oil/water separators can be costly to maintain and may lead to regulatory violations if not properly managed.

Just because an oil/water separator is still draining, it may not be functioning at its full efficiency. Like any filtration system, an oil/water separator needs to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis.

The efficiency of a separator system is most affected by settled solids or sludge on the bottom of the separator, and by oils floating on the water surface.

We recommend that an oil/water separator be inspected every six months to a year and the system be cleaned when needed. A separator with fewer sediments and lower amounts of oil entering the system may only need to be cleaned every few years.s.