Not every kitchen can bury a grease trap in the ground, and a Brisbane City dessert shop was a clear example. The tenancy sat within a busy CBD building where digging simply was not an option. Instead, the site needed an above ground grease trap that could handle the kitchen’s output without civil works.
For that reason, the operator engaged Citi Industries to design and fit a custom solution. The answer was a twin-tank unit built to suit the space and the volume.
Project Overview
This above ground grease trap installation centred on a custom twin-tank 2000-litre unit with screw lids. Because the location ruled out excavation, the entire system sat at floor level and ran along the wall. That approach kept the job clean, fast, and free of concrete cutting.
The brief also covered removing the old tank, running new drainage, and leaving a provisional point for a future tenant. Therefore, the work served both the current kitchen and the building’s next occupant.
Key scope items included:
- Custom twin-tank 2000-litre above ground grease trap with screw lids
- Trade waste drainage connecting the kitchen to the new unit
- Removal of the old tank to a refuse centre, with the pump-out handled by others
- New trade waste line run along the wall to the kitchen area
- A provisional connection point left ready for the incoming tenant
- One RPZD backflow valve fitted on the closest hosetap
- Pedestrian barricading across the affected area during the works
Challenges
A dessert shop still produces fats and sugars that cannot flow straight to the sewer. Under Urban Utilities trade waste guidelines, that waste needs interception before it reaches the network. So even a compact CBD kitchen requires a properly sized grease trap.
The building itself set the hardest limit. With no ground to dig and tight floor space, a standard tank would not fit. As a result, the team designed a custom twin-tank unit, splitting the 2000-litre capacity across two linked vessels. This layout slid into the available footprint while keeping the full treatment volume.
Working in an occupied CBD address brought its own demands. Pedestrians passed close to the work zone, so barricading stayed up throughout.
Key constraints on this project:
- No ground available, which made an above ground grease trap the only path
- Tight CBD footprint required a custom twin-tank design rather than a single tank
- Old tank needed removal and disposal before the new system could take over
- A provisional point had to be left for a future tenant’s fit-out
- Pedestrian traffic close to the site called for constant barricading
Solutions
Citi Industries planned the install around the building’s limits and the operator’s timeline. Each stage below kept disruption to the tenancy low.
Clearing the Old Tank
First, the existing tank came out. A separate contractor pumped it down, then the crew removed the unit and carted it to a refuse centre. Clearing the old equipment opened the floor space the new system needed. Subsequently, the area was ready for the custom build.
Designing and Setting the Twin-Tank Unit
Next, the team installed the custom twin-tank 2000-litre grease trap with screw lids. A grease trap intercepts fats and oils, holding them while clean water passes to the sewer. Splitting the capacity across two tanks let the unit fit a space a single 2000-litre tank never could.
Screw lids suit an above ground setting, since they seal firmly and open easily for servicing. For comparable sites, our above ground grease traps range covers a spread of capacities.
Wall-Run Drainage and a Provisional Point
Then, the crew ran the new trade waste line along the wall to the kitchen area. A wall run avoids floor penetrations, which matters in a leased CBD tenancy. The team also left a provisional connection point for the incoming tenant.
That foresight saves the next operator from reopening finished work. Our commercial plumbing services often build in this kind of allowance during a fit-out.
Backflow Protection
Finally, the team fitted an RPZD backflow valve on the closest hosetap. An RPZD, or Reduced Pressure Zone Device, stops contaminated water flowing back into the mains. Because the kitchen connects to a trade waste area, this valve is a compliance requirement rather than an optional extra.
Final Outcome
A CBD tenancy that could not take a buried tank now runs a compliant above ground grease trap. Citi Industries completed the Brisbane install in December 2025 without disrupting the surrounding businesses. As a result, the dessert shop trades legally, and the building is ready for its next tenant.
- Custom twin-tank 2000-litre unit fitted where no below-ground option existed
- Old tank removed and disposed of cleanly before the new build
- Wall-run drainage avoided floor penetrations in the leased space
- Provisional point and RPZD valve left the system future-ready and compliant
Since the work met Queensland regulated plumbing work requirements, the operator holds a system that stands up to inspection. The provisional point also adds value for the landlord and the next occupant.
Final Thoughts
A tight CBD kitchen does not have to settle for a poor trade waste solution. When the ground is off-limits, a well-designed above ground grease trap does the same job at floor level. However, the fit only works when the design matches the space.
Citi Industries builds custom units for exactly these situations. Because of that, operators in awkward tenancies still get full treatment capacity and clean compliance. The team measures the space, designs to suit, and leaves the site ready for what comes next.
Whether you run a dessert shop, a cafe, or a full kitchen, a custom grease trap can fit where a standard one cannot. Request a grease trap quote and the team will assess your space and your trade waste needs.
Call Citi Industries on 1300 002 484 to discuss your project.
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