Click here to visit the plan checks page for more information.

No, there are no permits or fees involved. There are no fees for the inspections or for the plan check.

You can find Best Practices for Restaurants here.

Your inspection report should have the name of your Environmental Inspector at the bottom. You can call our main number, (408) 945-3000 to reach them.

You should try and confine the spill so it does not go into any storm drains. Contact your property management or a plumber to correct the spill. Spills should be put back into the sanitary sewer. If your spill reaches a storm drain or the street, you should contact your city collection system or call us at (408) 945-3000 and indicate you would like to report a spill or illegal discharge.

Grease traps need to be serviced at least monthly (every 30 days) and grease interceptors need to be serviced at least quarterly (every 90 days). If your business generates heavy loadings of grease then these devices will need to be serviced more frequently.

Fats, Oils, and Grease do not mix with water and have a tendency to separate from water solutions. They stick to sewer pipe walls, creating layers of buildup that restrict and/or block the wastewater flow. This problem requires pipes to be cleaned more frequently and can cause blockages.

FOG can solidify in the sewer pipes and cling to the inner walls. Over time the inside diameter of the pipes gets smaller and smaller and eventually causing a blockage. Sometimes chunks of grease will come loose, from an area and then lodge further downstream. This can also cause a blockage.

A blockage will not allow wastewater to leave your facility. The wastewater then will backup into your facility or house and cause an overflow. Backups into your facility are a health risk. Your business may have to close down until the backup is corrected and the spill area is cleaned up. Backups are costly to repair and can occur at inconvenient times. Blockages can also cause sewage to back up on streets and enter storm drains, endangering public health and the health of our creeks and Bay.

Fats, Oils, and Grease are a normal byproduct of cooking and food preparation processes. Common sources include food scraps, meat fats, cooking oils, lard, baked goods, salad dressings, sauces, marinades, dairy products, shortening, butter, and margarine.

Never pour Fats, Oils and Grease down the sewer. Scrape and wipe food off of dishes and cooking utensils prior to washing, and use strainers in your kitchen sinks and floor drains.

Please report sewer blockages, spills or bad odors to the City immediately. Call (408) 794-1900 weekdays, between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and (408) 277-8956 all other times, including weekends and holidays. If a blockage exists in the plumbing on private property you must call your property manager or plumber to fix the problem.