Around 8,000 commercial establishments in Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito have enrolled in a grease trap program run by the Comisión Estatal de Servicios Públicos de Tijuana (CESPT), the region’s public utilities commission. The program, called “Atrapa la Grasa y Sólidos” (Trap the Grease and Solids), requires businesses to install retention systems that prevent fats, oils, and solid waste from entering the municipal sewer network.
CESPT Director General Mónica Vega Aguirre announced the milestone during an inspection visit to a participating restaurant earlier this week. She noted that grease buildup is one of the leading causes of pipe blockages and raw sewage overflows into streets and residential neighborhoods across Tijuana.
Compliance Certificates Awarded to 50+ Businesses
More than 50 establishments received compliance certificates from CESPT for properly installing and maintaining grease retention equipment. The certified businesses include restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and laundromats. During the inspection, Vega Aguirre observed a grease interceptor with a capacity of 7,200 liters, a system designed to separate and capture waste before it reaches the sanitary drainage system.
CESPT is also urging non-residential users that have not yet joined, including maquiladoras and other industrial operations, to register through its Permanent Wastewater Discharge Control Program. Program details and registration are available on CESPT’s website at cespt.gob.mx.
Restaurant Industry Flags Household Grease Disposal
The National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC) praised the program’s results but pointed to a broader challenge: household grease disposal habits. Residential users routinely pour cooking oil and food waste down kitchen drains, contributing to the same blockage problems the commercial program aims to prevent.
Sewage overflows have been a chronic infrastructure problem in Tijuana for years. Spills affect colonias across the city and have drawn attention from U.S. authorities due to cross-border wastewater flows into the Tijuana River Valley and nearby areas of San Diego County. The grease trap program is one of several CESPT initiatives aimed at reducing the volume of debris and buildup that clogs aging sewer lines.
CESPT’s board of directors includes representatives from the municipal governments of both Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito, along with private sector and citizen members. The agency oversees water and sewage services for both municipalities.
This story was first reported by La Jornada Baja California.