Columbus, Georgia, the state's second-largest city, boasts a population of over 250,000. Nestled on the banks of the Chattahoochee River, which forms the natural border between Georgia and Alabama, Columbus offers a diverse community with a rich blend of outdoor and indoor activities. Whether it's the Class 4 whitewater rapids on the Chattahoochee, the 15-mile River Walk for walking, rollerblading, Dragon Fly trails, and biking, or visiting the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, there's something for everyone. The city also features Olympic-level softball facilities, a baseball park set to host the Atlanta Braves AA affiliate in 2025, Fort Moore Military Installation, and the National Infantry Museum.
The Columbus Water Works (CWW) is the primary water and sewer service provider for the region, covering Muscogee County, Fort Moore, and parts of Harris and Talbot Counties. In the 1990s, rapid growth led to an increase in issues related to fats, oils, and grease (FOG), including backups, sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), and blockages at the wastewater treatment plant.
In response, CWW revised its Sanitary Sewer Ordinance in 2004, dedicating a section specifically to Food Service Establishments (FSEs) and car washes. It went from a 1 paragraph section from the late 1980s to a 5-page article in their 2004 revision. This section outlines the design, operation, inspection, maintenance, records retention, sizing, and enforcement requirements. Today, CWW permits over 800 facilities, tracking them via the Swift Comply Database. Inground grease traps are permitted for five years, while secondary (under-sink) traps are permitted for three years. All facilities must keep cleanout and maintenance records onsite for at least three years.
To ensure compliance, CWW partnered with the local health department. Before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy, the health department requires a letter from CWW confirming that the FSE has met all FOG requirements. CWW performs initial inspections for new facilities and spot inspections for existing ones, checking cleanout records to ensure compliance with the established cleaning frequencies. These frequencies are often based on historical data, with typical establishments like burger joints, chicken spots, and seafood restaurants requiring similar cleanout schedules. For new or unfamiliar facility types, CWW uses a sludge judge device to measure grease levels and adjust cleaning schedules accordingly.
Between 2004 and 2007, CWW focused on ensuring that all required facilities installed grease-removal devices. Although there was initial resistance due to costs, FSE owners eventually complied. Between 2008-2010, CWW saw a significant reduction in FOG-related issues, with most problems shifting from commercial areas to residential neighborhoods. This prompted CWW to expand its focus to residential FOG reduction initiatives. They installed collection cages around the city for residents to drop off household grease, placed collection containers at participating apartment complexes, and provided options for commercial facilities to dispose of fryer grease and maintain secondary traps. The program grew to the point where CWW created a dedicated position for FOG collection and purchased a new pumper truck to service participating facilities.
Current FOG Data:
Permitted FSEs: 843
Permitted FOG waste haulers: 7
Commercial Participants: 98
Apartment Complexes: 55
Stationary Sites: 17
Annual FOG received from waste haulers: 2.0 – 2.5 million gallons
Annual FOG collected from stationary sites, apartments, and commercial containers: 72,250 gallons
CWW stands out as one of the few municipalities in Georgia that accepted FOG at its wastewater treatment plant. They had a designated discharge station for FOG, which was injected into thermophilic digesters to boost methane gas production. Due to obsolete equipment this program is on hold until they retrofit their WWTP. They are looking for new equipment that would restart this program turning FOG into Energy.
Maintaining this program has yielded numerous benefits for CWW, including a reduction in stop-up calls, SSOs, and maintenance costs for lift stations and the wastewater treatment facility. It has also fostered stronger partnerships with local businesses and the community.
“We are reaching for extraordinary heights, setting a goal for ourselves of being the nation's best provider of utility services. This means not only integrating the delivery of safe water and collection of wastewater... but providing future generations with a legacy of responsible environmental stewardship of the middle Chattahoochee River watershed.”
CWW’s has completed the design necessary for a future expansion of our FOG receiving station at our wastewater treatment plant and is exploring a renewable natural gas program where the methane gas produced from our anaerobic digestion will be cleaned up to natural gas line standards.
CWW's FOG program has received national recognition, winning awards such as the NACWA National Environmental Achievement Award and the Keep Georgia Beautiful Waste Reduction and Recycling Award. The program's success can be attributed to strong organizational support and effective communication. CWW reached the community through bill inserts, community events, TV ads, and their annual Open House.
Chris Cornett is the program’s dedicated contact. Chris has been working with CWW for 29 years. He is the Assistant Manager of Regulatory Compliance for CWW and is at the heart of this initiative. For any queries, Chris can be reached at ccornett@cwwga.org.