Sussex County Engineering, Utility Permits Division

Building Sewer Connection Permit and Grease/Oil-Water Interceptors (County sewer and water districts)

Sussex County Code Chapter 110, Article VIII applies to every water service pipe and building sewer installation connected to County-owned systems. A plumber doing this work must hold a State of Delaware Master Plumber license and must first apply to the Sussex County Engineer for the required permit, signed by the plumber and the building owner; the work is inspected (with 24 hours' notice and an open-trench inspection) and the signed permit is issued on final completion. The article requires that "All food-processing establishments discharging into the sewer system through a building sewer shall capture as much grease as possible within the confines of their business" and "shall install, maintain, and use grease traps, grease interceptors or other comparable devices"; the Engineer may make unannounced inspections of food-processing establishments during operating hours. "Oil-water interceptors shall be required for all commercial, storage or repair garages; gasoline stations with grease racks, grease pits or wash racks; all car washes". The county's Utility Permits page states that the Utility Permits Division issues permits and schedules inspections for all sewer and water connections in the sewer and water districts. The permit fee is not published on that page or in the article; contact the Division at (302) 855-7719. A property outside the County sewer and water districts has no County connection permit.