Grease Trap Installation Coopers Plains

A craft brewery in Coopers Plains needed a commercial kitchen fitted out and trade waste compliant before it could open. The site had no existing grease trap or trade waste drainage in place. Without them, Urban Utilities would not approve the sewer connection, and the kitchen could not legally operate.

As a result, the business engaged Citi Industries to deliver this grease trap installation in Coopers Plains from the ground up, including below-ground infrastructure, sewer pump station, and full internal plumbing fitout.

Project Overview

This grease trap installation in Coopers Plains involved a full commercial kitchen fitout within an existing tenancy. Consequently, the scope required significant groundworks, including concrete scanning, cutting, excavation for below-ground infrastructure, and full slab reinstatement after installation.

The primary constraint involved the sewer connection point sitting in an active driveway at the front of the building. Additionally, the site had no gravity fall to sewer. Therefore, the project required a below-ground grease trap rated for vehicle loading, a sewer pump station to lift effluent, and a complete internal plumbing fitout to meet Queensland trade waste requirements.

Key scope items included:

Concrete scanning, cutting, and removal for all below-ground groundworks
2,000-litre below-ground grease trap with Class D vehicular traffic lid
Halgan 1050-litre dual vortex sewer pump station with control panel
Trade waste drainage run as per hydraulic design, connecting to sewer in the driveway
Atmospheric venting to both the grease trap and the new trade waste line
New trade waste line extended inside the tenancy to connect all kitchen fixtures as per plan
One RPZD backflow prevention valve on the closest hosetap
One bucket trap installed in the commercial kitchen
Cold water and hot water rough-in, sanitary plumbing, and fixture connections inside the tenancy

Challenges

Commercial kitchens in Queensland must meet trade waste requirements before Urban Utilities approves a sewer connection. That means a correctly sized grease trap, compliant drainage, and venting that follows the hydraulic design. Without approval, the kitchen cannot open.

This site added complexity beyond the standard compliance requirements. The only available sewer connection point was in the driveway at the front of the building. Consequently, the grease trap had to carry a Class D lid rated for vehicular traffic loads. Furthermore, the building had no gravity fall to sewer. Because of this, the team needed a pump station to lift wastewater up to the connection point. The job also required concrete scanning before any groundworks could begin, to locate existing services below the slab.

Key constraints on this project:

Driveway connection point required a Class D vehicular traffic lid on the grease trap
No gravity drainage available, so a pump station was essential to move effluent to sewer
The team completed concrete scanning before any cutting or excavation commenced
Both the grease trap and trade waste line needed independent venting to atmosphere
Active pedestrian traffic around the site meant full barricading was in place throughout the works

What Was Delivered

Citi Industries managed the full scope from concrete scanning through to internal fixture connection. The following sections outline each stage of the grease trap installation.

Below-Ground Grease Trap Supply and Installation

Citi Industries began by scanning and cutting the concrete to allow excavation for the below-ground grease trap. A grease trap is an underground interceptor tank that captures fats, oils, and grease before kitchen wastewater enters the sewer. Without one, those substances solidify in pipes and cause blockages that damage sewer infrastructure.

The team installed a 2,000-litre below-ground unit with a Class D lid. Class D is the load rating required when a lid sits in a vehicle-accessible area. A lower-rated lid would fail under traffic loads, creating both a safety hazard and a compliance breach. Subsequently, the team completed full concrete reinstatement after installation.

Sewer Pump Station Supply and Installation

Because the building had no gravity fall to sewer, the site needed a pump station. A sewer pump station is an underground chamber fitted with submersible pumps that lift wastewater to the sewer connection point when gravity drainage is not achievable.

Citi Industries supplied and installed a Halgan 1050-litre dual vortex pump station, complete with a control panel. Dual vortex pumps handle solid waste without blocking, which makes them well suited to commercial kitchen trade waste. Notably, electrical connection to the control panel fell outside this scope and the client coordinated it separately.

Trade Waste Drainage and Atmospheric Venting

Citi Industries installed all external trade waste drainage in accordance with the hydraulic design. The line runs from inside the tenancy, through the grease trap, and out to the sewer connection in the driveway. The team independently vented both the grease trap and the trade waste line to atmosphere. This is a requirement under Queensland regulated plumbing work requirements to prevent pressure buildup and odour from entering the building.

Additionally, Citi Industries extended the new trade waste line inside the tenancy to connect all kitchen fixtures as per the hydraulic plan.

Backflow Prevention Valve

Citi Industries installed one RPZD backflow prevention valve on the closest hosetap. A Reduced Pressure Zone Device, or RPZD, prevents contaminated water from flowing back into the potable water supply. Therefore, this valve is a compliance requirement for any water connection serving a trade waste area, as listed on the Australian Business Licence and Information Service for Queensland Urban Utilities trade waste approval.

Bucket Trap in the Commercial Kitchen

Citi Industries installed one bucket trap in the commercial kitchen. A bucket trap captures solid matter at floor level before it enters the drainage system. This reduces the load on the grease trap and extends the interval between pump-outs. The scope excluded a linear drain due to cost. However, the bucket trap met the drainage requirement for this kitchen layout.

Internal Plumbing Fitout

Inside the tenancy, Citi Industries completed the cold water rough-in, hot water rough-in, and sanitary plumbing. The team then connected the basin, wash sink, and cleaners sink with tapware as per the hydraulic plan. The client supplied all fixtures and tapware. As a result, the internal trade waste line now runs through to every relevant fixture, completing the system end to end.

Final Outcome

This grease trap installation in Coopers Plains has given the business a fully compliant trade waste system that meets Urban Utilities trade waste requirements for commercial kitchen operations. Citi Industries completed the external groundworks without incident in an active driveway environment, reinstating the concrete to match the existing surface. Consequently, the kitchen can operate legally from day one, and the drainage infrastructure is correctly sized for the volume it needs to handle.

Below-ground grease trap and sewer pump station built to Urban Utilities approval conditions
Class D-rated lid correctly matched to the vehicle-accessible driveway position
Pump station resolves the absence of gravity drainage without structural changes to the building
All internal fixtures operational and connected as per the hydraulic design

Need a Grease Trap Installed the Right Way?

Running a commercial kitchen means compliance does not stop at fit-out. Once the doors open, the trade waste system has to keep working, stay registered, and hold up under regular use. Trade waste systems that aren’t installed to spec tend to show problems quickly through failed inspections, pump-outs that come too soon, or approvals that don’t hold.

Citi Industries focuses on getting the installation right the first time so the business isn’t dealing with rework or failed inspections after opening. The team understands Queensland trade waste requirements, works to hydraulic design, and gets Urban Utilities approval conditions met before the job is called complete. For hospitality operators and facilities managers, that means one less thing to chase before opening day.

Whether you are fitting out a new commercial kitchen or replacing an existing system that is no longer compliant, speak with the team at Citi Industries. The team works to hydraulic design, meets Urban Utilities approval conditions, and provides the documentation needed for a clean handover.