The EPA estimates that fats, oils, and grease cause roughly 47% of the 400,000-plus sewer blockages that occur annually across U.S. collection systems. Cities spend billions each year unplugging grease-clogged pipes, repairing pump stations, and cleaning up sanitary sewer overflows that never should have happened. Yet the municipal FOG programs responsible for preventing all of this? Many still run on paper inspection forms, manually updated spreadsheets, and filing cabinets stuffed with cleaning logs.
That disconnect — between the scale of the problem and the tools used to manage it — is where FOG compliance software comes in. This guide breaks down what these platforms actually do, what to look for when evaluating options, and how to avoid the mistakes that derail implementations.
What Is FOG Compliance Software?
FOG compliance software is a digital platform that centralizes the management of municipal fats, oils, and grease control programs. It replaces paper-based processes with automated workflows for scheduling inspections, tracking grease interceptor cleaning records, managing violations and enforcement actions, and generating regulatory reports — all from a single system.
These platforms are built for the teams that oversee FOG programs at publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) — typically pretreatment coordinators, environmental compliance managers, and field inspectors who manage compliance across dozens or hundreds of food service establishments (FSEs).
The regulatory backdrop is straightforward. Under 40 CFR Part 403, POTWs must control discharges that could cause interference or pass-through at their treatment plants. FOG is one of the most common offenders. A functioning FOG control program requires tracking which facilities have grease interceptors, whether those interceptors are being cleaned on schedule, and what happens when they aren’t. Software doesn’t change the regulatory requirement — it changes whether your team can actually keep up with it.
Why Paper-Based FOG Programs Fall Short
The core problem isn’t effort. Most FOG coordinators work hard. The problem is that paper forms, standalone spreadsheets, and disconnected file systems create gaps that compound over time.
Here’s what that looks like in practice: A field inspector completes a grease trap inspection on a paper form. That form sits in a truck for a few days. Eventually it gets entered into a spreadsheet — maybe. If a violation was issued, there’s no automated follow-up. If the FSE was supposed to submit a cleaning record by a certain date, someone has to manually check whether it arrived. Multiply that across 200 or 500 FSEs, and the math doesn’t work.
The consequences show up during audits. When a state regulatory agency or the EPA asks for documentation showing your FOG program is working — that you’re inspecting on schedule, tracking cleaning compliance, and following up on violations — the answer can’t be “it’s in a binder somewhere.” It needs to be a defensible, time-stamped data trail.
And the financial exposure is real. The EPA estimated that between 23,000 and 75,000 sanitary sewer overflows occur each year, many caused by FOG buildup that a proactive program could have prevented. New York City alone spends an estimated $18–20 million per year clearing grease-related blockages and removing fatbergs from its system. These aren’t abstract numbers — they show up in budgets, consent decrees, and public health incidents.
The issue we keep running into when working with municipal teams is this: the data exists, it’s just trapped in formats that can’t be searched, filtered, reported on, or shared. That’s the gap FOG compliance software closes.
7 Features That Matter in FOG Compliance Software
Not every FOG software platform is built the same way, and the feature list on a vendor’s website won’t tell you whether the tool actually improves compliance. Here’s what to evaluate based on what drives outcomes — not just what sounds good in a demo.
1. Automated Inspection Scheduling
The software should assign inspection frequencies per facility based on risk, history, or permit conditions — then auto-generate schedules and reminders. If your team is still building inspection routes manually each month, you’re burning hours that could be spent in the field.
2. Electronic Cleaning Record Submission
Waste haulers and FSEs should be able to submit grease interceptor cleaning records digitally — from the field, in real time. This eliminates the lag between a pump-out happening and your team knowing about it. Platforms that support hauler self-service portals cut administrative follow-up dramatically.
3. Real-Time Compliance Dashboards
You need to see, at a glance, which facilities are compliant, which are overdue, and which have open violations. A dashboard that summarizes cleaning status, inspection results, and enforcement actions across your entire program is worth more than a hundred individual reports.
4. Violation Tracking With Escalation Workflows
When a facility misses a cleaning deadline or fails an inspection, the system should flag it — and guide your team through the enforcement escalation. Notices of violation, corrective action deadlines, and fine schedules should be tracked in one place, not scattered across emails and memos.
5. FSE Self-Service Portal
Giving food service establishments access to their own compliance status, inspection history, and upcoming deadlines reduces inbound calls to your office and puts accountability where it belongs. Some platforms let FSEs upload documentation, acknowledge violations, and schedule cleanings through the portal.
6. Integration With Existing Systems
Your FOG data doesn’t exist in isolation. Look for platforms that connect with GIS for mapping, billing systems for fee management, and lab information management systems (LIMS) for sample results. The fewer manual data transfers between systems, the fewer errors.
7. Audit-Ready Reporting
When you need to produce a compliance summary for regulators, the report should take minutes — not weeks. The software should generate pre-built reports aligned with your permit requirements, plus ad hoc reports for internal analysis.
[COMPARISON TABLE]
| Evaluation Factor | Standalone FOG Tools | Microsoft-Based Platforms |
| Inspection scheduling | Purpose-built, often with mobile apps | Configurable via Power Automate + SharePoint lists |
| Cleaning record tracking | Hauler portals included in most platforms | Custom forms via Power Apps with portal access |
| Compliance dashboards | Pre-built dashboards specific to FOG metrics | Power BI dashboards — highly customizable |
| Violation management | Workflow automation within the platform | Power Automate workflows with escalation logic |
| Integration (GIS, billing, LIMS) | Varies — some offer APIs, many are closed | Strong — native connectors across Microsoft ecosystem |
| Cost structure | Per-user or per-facility annual subscription | Often included in existing Microsoft 365 licensing |
| Customization | Limited to vendor’s configuration options | Fully customizable to match local regulations |
The takeaway: standalone FOG tools are faster to deploy out of the box, but Microsoft-based platforms offer deeper customization and can eliminate the cost of adding another vendor — especially if your organization already pays for Microsoft 365 licenses.
How Microsoft-Based Platforms Handle FOG Management
Here’s the part nobody mentions when talking about FOG compliance software: many municipalities already have the foundation for a compliance platform sitting unused in their existing Microsoft 365 subscription.
SharePoint handles document management and structured data. Power Apps builds the field inspection forms. Power Automate triggers the workflows — cleaning reminders, violation escalations, overdue alerts. Power BI generates the dashboards and reports. When these tools are configured specifically for a FOG control program, the result looks and functions like a purpose-built compliance platform — because it is one.
This is the approach behind Nexinite’s Pretreatment Information Management System (PIMS), which is built entirely on the Microsoft 365 stack. PIMS supports pretreatment and FOG program management by centralizing permit tracking, inspection workflows, sample management, and compliance reporting — all within an environment the organization already owns and maintains.
The advantage isn’t just cost. It’s that your FOG data lives in the same ecosystem as the rest of your operational data — your document management, your project tracking, your internal communications. That integration reduces the “swivel chair” problem where staff toggle between five different systems to do one job.
After deploying compliance platforms for pretreatment programs, we’ve found that the organizations who get the best results aren’t always the ones with the fanciest software — they’re the ones whose platform matches their actual workflows instead of forcing them into a vendor’s rigid template.
Want to see how this works for your program? Talk to our team about how a Microsoft-based compliance platform can support your FOG program without adding another vendor to your stack.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing FOG Software
Before you schedule demos, get clear on what you actually need. These questions save time and prevent expensive mismatches:
Can the platform match our local regulations? FOG programs vary widely — some municipalities track polar and non-polar FOG separately, some issue permits by interceptor size, others by facility type. The software needs to flex to your ordinance, not the other way around.
What does data migration look like? If you have years of inspection records in spreadsheets or a legacy database, moving that data into a new system is a project unto itself. Ask whether the vendor provides migration support or if you’re on your own.
How do field inspectors access the system? Mobile access is non-negotiable for FOG programs. Ask whether the platform has a native mobile app, a responsive web interface, or requires a laptop in the field. Then test it on the devices your team actually uses.
What happens if we outgrow the tool? Your FOG program might be 150 FSEs today and 400 in three years. Ask about pricing tiers, user limits, and whether the platform scales without a major cost jump.
Who owns the data? This matters more than most teams realize. If you leave the vendor, can you export your entire dataset in a usable format? Or is it locked in a proprietary system?
Mistakes That Derail FOG Software Implementations
Even the right software fails when the rollout is mishandled. These are the patterns we see most often:
Buying features you’ll never use. A platform with 50 modules sounds impressive — until you realize your team only needs 8 of them, and the complexity slows everyone down. Start with what solves your top three pain points.
Skipping user adoption planning. If your field inspectors don’t trust the new system or find it harder than the old paper forms, they’ll revert within weeks. Pilot with a small group, gather feedback, and adjust before a full rollout. This is where wastewater pretreatment software implementations succeed or stall.
Ignoring data migration. Going live with an empty system means losing your compliance history — which is the last thing you want before an audit. Budget time and resources for migrating historical inspection records, cleaning logs, and violation histories.
Choosing a tool that can’t grow with your program. Municipal FOG programs evolve. New regulations, annexed service areas, additional FSE categories. If your software can’t adapt without a costly overhaul, you’ll be shopping again in two years. Building on a flexible foundation like Microsoft 365 and SharePoint gives your team room to expand without starting over.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FOG compliance software cost?
Pricing varies widely depending on the platform. Standalone FOG tools typically charge per user or per facility on an annual subscription, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars per year. Microsoft-based solutions may cost less overall if the organization already holds Microsoft 365 licenses, since the platform is built on existing infrastructure.
Can FOG software replace our existing pretreatment system?
It depends on scope. Some FOG platforms are purpose-built only for fats, oils, and grease tracking and won’t cover industrial pretreatment, sample management, or NPDES reporting. If your program manages both FOG and industrial users, a unified pretreatment information management system may be a better fit than two separate tools.
How long does it take to implement FOG compliance software?
Standalone SaaS platforms typically deploy in 4–12 weeks depending on program complexity and data migration needs. Microsoft-based custom solutions may take 8–16 weeks but offer more flexibility in matching your specific workflows and reporting requirements.
Do waste haulers and FSEs need training to use the system?
Most modern FOG platforms include self-service portals designed for haulers and food service establishments. These portals are typically straightforward — uploading cleaning records, viewing compliance status, acknowledging violations. Brief training (often a 15-minute walkthrough or video) is usually enough to get external users comfortable.
The right FOG compliance software doesn’t just digitize your program — it changes what your team can accomplish with the same headcount and budget. The gap between a reactive FOG program and a proactive one usually comes down to whether your data works for you or against you.
If your team is still chasing paper and manually tracking compliance across hundreds of FSEs, the math is already working against you. Reach out to Nexinite to discuss how a Microsoft-based compliance platform can bring your FOG program into a system that actually scales.