Case Plumbing

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.

Fitting out a tenancy inside a live shopping centre is a different discipline to working on a standalone site. A bubble tea retailer in North Ipswich needed drainage, trade waste, and water supply brought into a bare shop. Every metre of that work had to thread through a busy multi-level building without disturbing it.

For that reason, the tenant engaged Citi Industries to deliver the plumbing fit-out. The job called for under-slab pipework, fire-rated penetrations, and a long run to a shared grease trap.

Project Overview

This shopping centre trade waste project connected a new beverage tenancy to the building’s existing services. Because the work sat below the slab, the team suspended pipework rather than digging trenches. That approach suited a centre where the floor above stayed in use throughout.

The scope blended drainage, trade waste, fire protection, and water supply into one coordinated fit-out. Each element followed the tenancy plan and the centre’s base-build infrastructure.

Key scope items included:

• Eight core-drilled penetrations, allowed for plumbing works only
• Fire collars supplied and fitted to all penetrations through the slab below centre level
• New trade waste pipework suspended under the slab to each fixture as per plan
• Connection to the existing base-build trade waste line below the shop lease line
• A new trade waste line run roughly 80m to shared grease trap number six
• A new 20mm cold water line drawn up through the slab into the tenancy

Challenges

A shopping centre is a shared, fire-rated structure, so plumbing cannot simply pass through it. Every penetration through the slab breaks a fire barrier that must then be restored. Therefore, fire collars were essential on all eight core holes to seal each opening against fire spread.

Distance posed the second hurdle. The tenancy’s nearest shared grease trap, unit six, sat near the central ramp by Ultra Tune. That point lay roughly 80m from the lease line, so the new trade waste line had to travel a long suspended path under the slab. Maintaining correct fall across that distance took careful planning.

Working below an operating centre added constant coordination. Under Urban Utilities trade waste guidelines, the connections also had to meet trade waste standards.

Key constraints on this project:

• Eight slab penetrations each needed a fire collar to restore the fire rating
• The shared grease trap sat roughly 80m away near the central ramp
• Trade waste pipework had to hold correct fall across a long suspended run
• All work stayed below the shop lease line and the centre slab
• Connections had to tie cleanly into existing base-build infrastructure

Solutions

Citi Industries staged the fit-out to work with the centre, not against it. Each phase below kept the building’s systems intact.

Coring and Fire-Rated Penetrations

To begin, the team core-drilled eight penetrations through the slab, strictly for the plumbing works. Each opening then received a fire collar. A fire collar is a fitting that wraps a pipe penetration and seals it shut under heat, holding the slab’s fire rating.

This step is non-negotiable in a shared building, since an unsealed penetration weakens the whole structure’s fire defence. Our commercial plumbing services treat fire-stopping as core to any centre fit-out.

Suspended Under-Slab Trade Waste

Next, the crew ran new trade waste pipework suspended beneath the slab. The line reached each fixture as set out in the tenancy plan, then tied into the existing base-build trade waste line below the lease line. Suspending the pipe avoided cutting the floor above, which kept the centre trading.

Holding the right gradient mattered most here. The team set each hanger so waste flowed freely toward the connection point.

The 80m Run to the Shared Grease Trap

Then came the longest leg of the job. The tenancy had to discharge to grease trap number six, near the central ramp by Ultra Tune, around 80m away. So, the crew extended a new trade waste line from the lease line, below the slab, the full distance to that trap.

Across 80m, fall is everything, because too little slope stalls the flow. The work followed Queensland regulated plumbing work requirements to keep the long run compliant and free-draining.

Cold Water Supply and Accessible Metering

Finally, the team drew a new 20mm cold water line from the existing supply up through the slab into the tenancy. They fitted the water meter on a column rather than a hidden recess. That placement gives easy access for future reading and maintenance, which suits a long-term retail tenancy. You can read how we approach trade waste plumbing installation on similar projects.

Final Outcome

A bare shop now runs as a fully serviced beverage tenancy. Citi Industries completed the North Ipswich fit-out in December 2025 without disrupting the centre around it. As a result, the retailer gained compliant drainage, trade waste, and water supply ready for trade.

• Eight slab penetrations sealed with fire collars to hold the fire rating
• Suspended trade waste pipework connected to base-build services below the lease line
• An 80m trade waste run delivered clean fall to the shared grease trap
• Cold water connected and metered on a column for easy future access

Because the work met trade waste and plumbing standards, the tenancy holds infrastructure the centre can rely on. The accessible meter also simplifies billing and servicing down the track.

Final Thoughts

Shopping centre fit-outs reward planning over speed. The shared slab, the fire ratings, and the distance to services all shape how the plumbing must run. However, a coordinated approach turns those limits into a clean, compliant result.

Citi Industries plans each tenancy fit-out around the building it sits in. Because of that, retailers open on time without compromising the centre’s systems. The team cores carefully, fire-seals every penetration, and holds fall across even the longest runs.

If you are fitting out a tenancy in a centre or complex, the team can map the works. Enquire about a fit-out, and we will coordinate with base-build services and deliver compliant trade waste and water supply.

Call Citi Industries on 1300 002 484 to discuss your project.

Plumbing rules tighten over the decades, and infrastructure that once passed can quietly fall out of step. A meat processing factory in Morningside faced exactly that with its overflow relief gully. The existing ORG met the standards of its build era, yet it no longer satisfied current plumbing regulations.

Because of this, the factory engaged Citi Industries to design and install a compliant replacement. The job demanded precise depth work, careful excavation, and a council sign-off at the end.

Project Overview

This overflow relief gully installation replaced a non-compliant unit at a working factory. The core challenge was depth, since an ORG only protects a building when it sits low enough in the system. Therefore, the team planned the new sewer run around one exact target level.

The scope reached well past the gully itself. It took in concrete cutting, excavation, a new sewer line, a bollard-mounted hosetap, full reinstatement, and a council inspection.

Key scope items included:

• Replacement of the existing non-compliant ORG with a new compliant unit
• Concrete scanning to locate all below-ground services before cutting
• Concrete cutting from the far right front of the factory across to the fence
• Excavation to the sewer line, with a new line run diagonally to the fence
• A new ORG set with a finishing collar and grate at the required depth
• A new bollard-mounted hosetap positioned above the ORG grate
• Backfilling, spoil removal, and preparation for fresh concrete
• Steel dowels and mesh drilled into the existing slab before the pour
• New concrete to the trenches, a full site clean, and one council inspection

Challenges

An overflow relief gully is a grated outlet that sits outside a building. When a sewer blockage builds pressure, the grate lifts and releases the surcharge outdoors rather than inside. According to the QBCC overflow relief gully requirements, the gully must sit at a set level to work safely.

Depth was the defining problem on this site. The new overflow point had to reach close to 225mm below the internal floor level. To pin that down, the team took laser measurements across the area. They found a point roughly 4m from the building corner sitting around 220mm below the internal floor.

Reaching that depth meant running a new sewer line diagonally to the fence. Meanwhile, the old slab hid live services, so scanning had to come before any cut.

Key constraints on this project:

• The new ORG had to sit close to 225mm below the internal floor level
• Laser measurement was needed to confirm the exact achievable depth on site
• A diagonal sewer run to the fence was required to reach that depth
• Concrete scanning preceded all cutting to protect buried services
• The completed drainage work required a formal council inspection

Solutions

Citi Industries worked the job from survey through to council sign-off. Each stage below built toward a compliant, lasting result.

Scanning, Cutting and Setting the Levels

To begin, the crew scanned the concrete to map every service below the slab. With the ground confirmed safe, they cut from the far right front of the factory across to the fence. Laser readings then set the target depth, since the ORG fails its purpose if it sits too high.

This kind of survey-led groundwork underpins our industrial drainage solutions, because guesswork has no place near live sewer lines.

Running the New Sewer Line

Next, the team excavated down to the existing sewer. To achieve the required fall and depth, they ran a new line diagonally across to the fence. That diagonal route was the key to hitting roughly 220mm below the internal floor at the chosen point.

Getting this right matters under Queensland regulated plumbing work requirements. An ORG set at the correct level lets a surcharge escape outdoors, which shields the factory interior from sewage backup.

Setting the ORG and the Bollard Hosetap

After the line was in, the crew set the new ORG with its finishing collar and grate. They then ran a water line across from the existing hosetap on the right-side corner. A fresh hosetap went onto a new bollard fixed into the ground, positioned directly above the ORG grate.

That hosetap placement is not optional, since a water point above the grate is required as part of any ORG installation. Our commercial plumbing services build these compliance details in from the start.

Reinstatement and Council Inspection

Finally, the team backfilled the trenches and carted the excess spoil off site. To bond the new slab to the old, they drilled steel dowels and mesh into the existing concrete. Fresh concrete then filled the trenches, followed by a full site clean.

To close the job properly, Citi Industries arranged one council inspection for the drainage work. That sign-off confirmed the new ORG met current standards.

Final Outcome

A factory that carried an outdated overflow point now holds a fully compliant ORG. Citi Industries completed the Morningside works in December 2025 and passed the council inspection. As a result, the building gained proper protection against sewer surcharge.

• New ORG set close to 225mm below the internal floor, as the standard requires
• Diagonal sewer run delivered the depth the old layout could not
• Bollard hosetap installed above the grate to meet ORG installation rules
• Drainage work inspected and signed off by the council

Since the build followed plumbing compliance and standards Australia, the factory holds infrastructure that suits its current obligations. The reinstated concrete leaves the work zone clean and finished. 

Next Steps

Compliance is not a fixed line, because regulations move and older buildings drift behind them. An ORG that passed on build day can become a liability years later. However, a well-planned replacement brings the site back into step without guesswork.

Citi Industries treats drainage compliance as a precision task, not a rough dig. When depth decides whether a system works, laser-set levels remove the doubt. The team scans first, builds to the standard, and arranges the inspection that proves it.

If your site runs older drainage that may no longer comply, the team can assess it. We provide trade waste plumbing installation, ORG upgrades, and the council liaison a clean handover needs.

Call Citi Industries on 1300 002 484 to discuss your project.