November 6, 2026 · Charlotte
Charlotte Water FlowFree: A Restaurant Grease Trap Guide
What the program means for your kitchen, what to keep on file and how to stay ready for an inspection.
If you run a kitchen in Charlotte, your grease trap answers to Charlotte Water. Its fats, oils and grease program is called FlowFree, and it exists because grease that gets into the sewer hardens, blocks pipes and causes overflows. Here is what the program means for a restaurant and how to stay ready for an inspection.
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Who FlowFree applies to
Food service businesses that connect to Charlotte Water's sewer system: restaurants, cafeterias, hotel kitchens, schools and other kitchens that prepare food. Charlotte Water's Grease Trap Policy says all food service establishments must have approved grease handling facilities. Kitchens outside Charlotte Water's service area answer to their own utility, so check who sends your water bill.
What the program expects from your kitchen
The details are in your permit, the Grease Trap Policy and Charlotte Water's FlowFree page. In general, expect:
- A working grease control device approved for your kitchen, a trap or an interceptor
- Regular, complete pumping by a Charlotte Water approved hauler. The policy says outside traps should be pumped quarterly and small under the sink traps monthly, or at the discretion of the Control Authority.
- Records on site showing each service and how the waste was disposed of. The policy calls for keeping these records for three years.
- "No Grease" signs at sinks and documented employee training, both named in the policy
- Good kitchen habits: wipe pans before washing, strainers in sinks, and collect waste oil for recycling instead of pouring it down the drain
Sources: Charlotte Water FlowFree and the Charlotte Water Grease Trap Policy (PDF). The FlowFree page also links the list of permitted grease haulers.
What happens at an inspection
Charlotte Water inspects grease traps. An inspector may look at the trap, check its condition and ask for your service records. A kitchen can look spotless and still get written up if the paperwork is missing, and the policy says repeated unsatisfactory inspections can lead to penalties. That is why we leave a service report after every visit, so the record exists before anyone asks for it.
Trap or lines? Know the difference
Pumping empties the trap. It does not clean the drain lines that feed it. If drains stay slow after the trap is pumped, grease is coating the pipes. Hydro jetting clears it. See our drain jetting service in Charlotte.
A simple FlowFree routine
- Find your permit and note your pumping interval
- Book recurring service so it never slips
- File every service report at the kitchen the same day
- Jet the lines on a preventive schedule if you have repeat clogs
- Keep used cooking oil in closed containers, away from storm drains
Is your kitchen fully protected? Free Kitchen Compliance Assessment. 20 minutes. No charge. No obligation.
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704-970-7290.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Charlotte Water FlowFree?
It is Charlotte Water's fats, oils and grease program. It sets the rules for how food service businesses keep grease out of the sewer.
How often should a Charlotte restaurant pump its grease trap?
Charlotte Water's Grease Trap Policy says outside traps should be pumped quarterly and small under the sink traps monthly, or at the discretion of the Control Authority. Busy, fryer heavy kitchens may need service more often.
What records do I need?
Records of every service and how the waste was disposed of, kept at the kitchen. The policy calls for keeping them for three years.
Does TruShine serve kitchens outside Charlotte?
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