(a) The following described substances, materials, waters or wastes shall be limited to discharge to the City’s sewage system in concentrations or quantities which will not cause interference or harm to either the sewers, sewage treatment process or equipment; will not have an adverse effect after treatment on the receiving stream; will not cause violations of the NPDES permit, requirements or regulations or will not endanger the public's lives or property or constitute a nuisance. The Safety-Service Director may set limitations more severe than the following if such limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. In setting these limitations to the acceptability, the Safety-Service Director shall give consideration to such factors as the quantity of the subject's wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials or construction of the sewers, the waste treatment processes employed, the capacity of the WPCC and its sludge recycling program, the degree of treatability of the wastes and other pertinent factors, including cost effectiveness.
(1) When limits in a pretreatment standard are expressed only in terms in mass pollutant per limit of production, the Safety-Service Director may convert the limits to equivalent limitations expressed either as mass of pollutants discharged per day or effluent concentrations for the purpose of calculating effluent limitations applicable to individual industrial users (IU).
(2) Any IU operating under a wastewater contribution permit incorporating equivalent mass or concentration limits calculated from a production-based standard shall notify the Safety-Service Director within two business days after the user has a reasonable basis to know that the production level will significantly change within the next calendar month. Failure to adequately notify the Safety-Service Director shall require the IU to meet the mass or concentration limits in its wastewater contribution permit that were based on the original estimate of the long-term average production rate.
(b) The limitations included in this chapter or restrictions of materials or characteristics of waste or wastewater discharged to the sewage system which will not be violated without the approval of the Safety-Service Director are as follows:
(1) Sewage or industrial wastes containing more than 50 mg/l of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil or products of mineral oil origin, as determined by approved solvent extraction methods as prescribed in the most recent revisions of 40 CFR 136 or wastes of such concentration that would cause pass through and/or interference with the WPCC treatment process or equipment.
(2) Industrial wastes containing floatable oil, fat or grease.
(3) Wastewater having a temperature higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
(4) Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.
(5) Any wastewater which, by interaction with other water or wastes in the sewage system releases obnoxious gases, forms suspended solids which interfere with the sewage system, or creates a condition injurious to structures and treatment processes. The Safety-Service Director shall require all discharges to conform to all NPDES permit requirements and any other applicable state or federal requirements.
(Ord. 24-91. Passed 7-11-94.)
(6) Any waters or wastes that create a hazard to humans or animals or create any hazards in the receiving waters of the WPCC, including but not limited to cyanides, nickel and phenols, chromium, copper, zinc, calcium, mercury and lead. The Safety-Service Director has established, reviewed and revised concentration limits for the following industrial waste discharge to the sewage system:
POLLUTANT | CITY OF BELLEVUE WWTP LOCAL LIMITS |
Arsenic | 0.39 mg/l |
Cadmium | 0.12 mg/l |
Chromium | 1.71 mg/l |
Copper | 0.15 mg/l |
Cyanide | 0.01 mg/l |
Lead | 0.01 mg/l |
Mercury | BMPs |
Molybdenum | 0.024 mg/l |
Nickel | 1.52 mg/l |
Phosphorus | 15.0 mg/l |
Selenium | 0.07 mg/l |
Silver | 0.07 mg/l |
Zinc | 1.48 mg/l |
Oil & Grease | 50.0 mg/l |
These concentrations may be changed as necessary pursuant to applicable promulgated limiting concentrations established by state or federal agencies, and to be incorporated into this section at the direction of said agencies.
(Ord. 2-13. Passed 1-28-13.)
(Ord. 2-13. Passed 1-28-13.)
(7) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as to exceed state or federal regulations.
(8) Quantities of flow, concentrations or both, which constitute “slug” as defined in Section 925.01.
(9) Materials which exert or cause:
A. Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids such as but not limited to, Fullers earth, lime slurries and lime residues or of dissolved solids such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.
B. Excessive discoloration such as but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.
C. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the sewage treatment works.
D. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting “slugs” as defined in Section 925.01.
(c) No user shall ever increase the use of process water or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the standards or in any other pollutant-specific limitations developed by the City, State or Federal Agencies.
(d) Each user shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other substances regulated by this chapter. Facilities to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the owner's or user's own cost and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the City before construction of the facility. All affected existing users shall complete such a plan within 180 days after the effective date of this chapter. Review and approval of such plans and procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify the user's facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter. In the case of an accidental discharge, the user shall be required to immediately notify the Safety-Service Director of the incident. The notification shall include location of discharge, type of waste, concentration, volume and correction.
Within five days following an accidental discharge, the user shall submit to the Safety-Service Director a detailed written report describing the cause of the discharge and measures to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the sewage system, fish kills or any other damage to person or property. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any fines, civil penalties or other liabilities which may be imposed by this chapter or other applicable law.
(e) In the event that an industrial user experiences an upset that causes a discharge of prohibited or limited materials regulated by this chapter, that user shall notify the Safety-Service Director, the Police, and the City WPCC immediately. The notification shall include the location of the discharge, type of waste(s), concentration, volume and corrective action. Within five days following the upset discharge, the user shall submit to the Safety-Service Director a detailed written report, including the following facts:
(1) An upset occurred and the IU can identify the causes of the upset.
(2) The facility was at the time being operated in a prudent and workmanlike manner and in compliance with applicable operation and maintenance procedures.
(3) The IU has submitted the following information to the City WPCC within twenty-four hours of becoming aware of the upset:
A. A description of the indirect discharge and cause of noncompliance.
B. The period of noncompliance including dates and times or, if not corrected, the anticipated time the noncompliance is expected to continue.
C. Steps being taken and/or planned to reduce, eliminate and prevent recurrence of the noncompliance.
(f) The industrial user seeking to establish the affirmative defense of an upset shall have the burden of proof.
(g) The industrial user shall control production of all discharges to the extent necessary to maintain compliance with pretreatment standards upon reduction, loss or failure of its treatment facility until the facility is restored or an alternative method of treatment is provided. This requirement applies in the situation where, among other things, the primary source of power of the treatment facility is reduced, lost or fails.
(h) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described water or wastes into the sewage system:
(1) Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquids, solids or gas with a closed cup flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Centigrade (the RCRA ignitability standard for liquid characteristic waste).
(2) Any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes to injure or interfere with any waste treatment processes, constitute a hazard in the receiving waters of the WPCC.
(3) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the sewage works.
(4) Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works such as, but not limited to ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
(i) No person shall maliciously, willfully or negligently break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure or equipment which is part of the sewage system.
(j) (1) Bypass is prohibited and the Safety Service Director may initiate enforcement activities against an IU for a bypass unless:
A. Bypass was unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury or severe property damage, or
B. There were no feasible alternatives to the bypass, such as the use of auxiliary treatment facilities, retention of untreated wastes or maintenance during normal periods of equipment downtime. This condition is not satisfied if adequate backup equipment should have been installed in the exercise of reasonable engineer judgment to prevent a bypass which occurred during normal periods of equipment downtime or preventative maintenance, and
C. The IU submitted notices as required.
(2) An industrial user may allow bypass to occur which does not cause pretreatment standards or requirements to be violated but only if it also is for essential maintenance to assure efficient operation.
A. If an industrial user knows in advance of the need for a bypass, it shall submit prior notice to the Safety- Service Director, if possible, at least ten days before the date of the bypass.
B. An industrial user shall submit oral notice of an unanticipated bypass that exceeds applicable pretreatment standards to the Safety-Service Director and the City WPCC within twenty-four hours from the time the IU becomes aware of the bypass. A written submission shall be provided within five days from the time the IU becomes aware of the bypass. The written submission shall contain a description of the bypass, its cause, its duration, including exact times and dates, and if the bypass has not been corrected, the anticipated time it is expected to continue; and steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate and prevent recurrence of the bypass. The Safety-Service Director may waive the written report on a case-by-case basis if the oral report is received within twenty-four hours.
(3) The Safety-Service Director may approve an anticipated bypass, after considering its adverse effects, if the Safety-Service Director determines that it will meet the conditions listed in subsection (j)(2) hereof.
(k) A notice shall be permanently posted on the user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a dangerous discharge. Employers shall insure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.
(l) No person shall access the sewer system or WPCC for any activity including discharge of hauled septic waste or industrial waste except at locations and at times as designated by the Safety-Service Director. Any removal of manhole lids or other access to the sewer system for the purpose of discharging waste at times and/or locations other than those designated by the Safety-Service Director or with the expressed permission of the Safety-Service Director shall be considered a violation and shall be subject to enforcement action including fines.
(m) All industrial users shall promptly notify the Safety-Service Director in advance of any substantial change in the volume or character of the pollutant in their discharge, including the listed or characteristic hazardous waste for which the industrial user has submitted initial notification under 40 CFR-403.12(p).