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Case Study: Irving, TX



The City of Irving, TX, spans 67.7 square miles and serves a population within this vibrant North Texas community. With approximately 1,800 Food Service Establishments (FSEs), the city collaborates with the Trinity River Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant, which serves 26 customer cities. In recent years, Irving's FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease) program has reduced grease-related sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) by more than 40%, lowering maintenance costs for the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and prolonging the longevity of the city's infrastructure. 


Irving’s Environmental Compliance Division, led by Industrial Pretreatment Supervisor Edwin King and his team of Environmental Compliance Specialist Paige Akins and Environmental Compliance Inspector Mr. Julian Garcia, employs a proactive approach to improve FSE compliance. This includes frequent quality assurance inspections, oil and grease sampling, and public education. Key to their success is enforcing proper grease trap installation during the Certificate of Occupancy (CO) process and re-evaluating grease trap sizing during ownership changes. 


 



Irving works with neighboring cities via the North Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) grease round-up program and regularly evaluates its FOG ordinance to ensure effectiveness. By using databases such as Linko and City Works, the city tracks grease-related SSOs and monitors infrastructure integrity. 


With a dedicated two-person team, the city has made significant strides, including bringing 247 facilities into compliance in the past six months. Irving’s methods for measuring FOG buildup include monthly sampling and grease trap evaluations at the time of cleaning, ensuring structural integrity. Additionally, Irving actively issues Notices of Violation (NOVs) to liquid waste haulers and FSEs when needed, ensuring continued regulatory compliance. 


Tricks of the trade in Irving’s program include unannounced inspections, enforcement of stricter pumping frequency requirements (with over 120 frequency change letters sent to facilities), and the use of GIS mapping to track FSEs monitored for oil and grease sampling. 


“The mission of the Water Utilities Department is to deliver exceptional services in the distribution of high-quality drinking water and the safe disposal of sewage while protecting the health and environment of our residents, businesses and visitors.” 


The City of Irving’s FOG program offers a model of effective wastewater pretreatment through diligent monitoring, proactive inspections, and inter-city collaboration, resulting in lower SSOs, reduced WWTP costs, and improved long-term infrastructure health. 


Edwin King is Irving’s Industrial Pretreatment Supervisor over Pretreatment, FOG and CO’s for the Environmental Compliance Division. He can be reached at elking@cityofirving.org for further questions or comments. 

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