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SALEM--The health board discussed the establishment of a Fat, Oil and Grease, (FOG) program, at its April meeting.
Environmental Health Director Alan Masters said he had been in contact with the utilities department about starting the program with their collaboration previously but had little success and requested permission from the board to approach the department and commission about the program again as he "didn't want to approach the board of another department without first consulting the board." Masters said he felt a FOG program was needed as the department received complaints from the utilities department "every six months or so" that they were forced to clean out their pumps due to the concentration of the fats, oils and grease in the sewer system, and that the department had been receiving similar complaints of excessive volumes of the materials from Salem Sewer. Masters also said the department and City Housing Inspector Sal Salvino had received reports from several Third Street residents of sewers backing up into their homes.
If instituted a FOG program would educate residents and restaurants within the city on proper disposal of fats, oil and grease, and would establish new enforcement limits and guidelines.
Masters explained that under current city code restaurants are required to install a grease interceptor unit, also commonly known as a grease trap, however, the code currently only necessitates that the device "must remain functional and in repair," restricting what action Masters can take to address the situation.
Masters said that while most codes cap the amount of grease that can be allowed to build up before it must be cleaned to 40% of the unit's capacity, this amount may still allow grease to escape.
"At 40% if they have a busy day, you're still going to get some overflow of grease into the sewer system," said Masters
Masters said if a FOG program set the limit at 23%, the average limit for similar programs in the state of Ohio, it would prevent this seepage, and necessitate more frequent cleanings, thus drastically reducing the amount of grease in entering the system.
Masters said that this lower limit would be enforced through more frequent, regular checks of local restaurants. Master also said under such a program restaurant would be mandated to document these cleanings and turn that documentation into the health department.
Masters said resident education could be assisted through the distribution of flyers or handouts outlining proper disposal to renters by Salvino when he conducts rental inspections.
"We think this would help the utilities department because there won't be as much fats, oils and grease in the sewer system, it would help our property owner because they wouldn't be getting backups caused by the grease, and hopefully it would knock down some of the sulfur smells in the problem areas in town," said Masters.
Health Commissioner Alana Hughes also said she'd like to see and increase in collaboration between the health and utilities departments, citing previous issues with unwillingness to complete requested water testing.
"I'd just like a little more co-operation from utilities because the other thing we had going on was the Ohio Department of Health contacted us and wanted water testing done for covid and they wouldn't do it," said Hughes.
Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey suggested to both Hughes and Masters that in the future if they are having issues getting a response from the department directly to attend the monthly utilities commission meeting and present their concerns to the commissioners directly.
Also discussed was the lease of room 106 for use as a potential in-house medical clinic which would be funded through an AARP grant should the department receive the award.
The cost to lease the room would be $1,487.50 annually, however, as the grant does not allow for the funds to be used for payment of a lease alternate sources of funding would be required. Hughes said she had discussed the matter with City Auditor Betty Brothers, and they had determined the department could remove certain line items from the department budget which could instead be paid through grant funding, such as supplies, travel and training, and AT&T cellphones. This change would allow the department to instead use money from the general fund that otherwise would have been spent on these line items to pay the lease for room 106.
It should be noted that these plans remain contingent on receipt of the AARP grant, as should the department not receive the grant there will be no need to lease the room.
"If we don't get the AARP Grant we won't have a wellness clinic, so we won't need room 106, but if we get the AARP Grant and we do the wellness clinic, we really want to set it up in room 106," said Hughes.
Other business discussed included the 2023 Workforce Development Grant. Hughes said that it had been confirmed the department would be receiving the funds, and all the remained was to receive approval from the Ohio Department of Health of the department's proposed budget for the funds.
The health board will meet next 2 p.m. May 17.