A. General Prohibitions: No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the POTW any pollutant or wastewater which may cause pass-through or interference. These general prohibitions apply to all users of the POTW whether or not they are subject to categorical pretreatment standards or any other federal, state, or local pretreatment standards or requirements.
B. Specific Discharge Prohibitions:
1. No user shall contribute or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any of the following described substances into the POTW:
a. Any wastewater having a pH less than 6.5 and not higher than 8.5.
b. Any toxic and nontoxic pollutants including oxygen demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.) in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, to constitute a hazard to humans or animals or to exceed the limitations set forth in categorical pretreatment standards.
c. Any liquids, solids or gases which by reason of their nature or quantity are, or may be sufficient either alone or by interaction with other substances to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in another way to the POTW or to the operation of the POTW. At no time shall two (2) successive readings on an explosion hazard meter, at the point of discharge into the system (or at any point in the system), be more than five percent (5%) nor any single reading over ten percent (10%) of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the meter. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides, sulfides and any other substance which the city deems to be a fire hazard or a hazard to the system.
d. Pollutants which create a fire or explosive hazard in the POTW, including, but not limited to, waste streams with a closed cup flashpoint of less than one hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit (140°F) (60°C) using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21.
e. Any solid or viscous substances which will or may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the wastewater system, such as, but not limited to: grease, garbage with particles greater than one-half inch (1/2") in any dimension, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides, or fleshings, entrails, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent limestone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, wastepaper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, and residues from refining, or processing of fuel or lubricating oil, mud or glass grinding or polishing wastes.
f. Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin, in amounts that will cause interference or pass-through.
g. Any noxious or malodorous liquid, gases or solids which either singly or by interaction are capable of creating a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for their maintenance and repair.
h. Pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems.
i. Any substance which may cause the POTW's effluent or treatment residues, sludges or scums to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse or to interfere with the reclamation process. In no case shall a substance discharged to the POTW cause the POTW to be in noncompliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines or regulations developed under section 405 of the act; any criteria, guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to the solid waste disposal act, the clean air act, the toxic substances control act or state standards applicable to the sludge management method being used.
j. Any substance which will cause the POTW to violate its NPDES and/or other disposal system permits.
k. Any substance with objectionable color not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.
l. Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW treatment plant resulting in interference; but in no case, wastewater with a temperature at the introduction into the POTW treatment plant which exceeds forty degrees Celsius (40°C) (104°F). If, in the opinion of the city, lower temperatures of such wastes could harm either the sewers, sewage treatment process or equipment; have an adverse effect on the receiving streams or otherwise endanger life, health or property; or constitute a nuisance, the city may prohibit such discharges.
m. Any wastewater at a flow rate and/or pollutant discharge rate which is excessive over a relatively short time period so that there is a treatment process upset and subsequent loss of treatment efficiency.
n. Any wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as exceed limits established by the city in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.
o. Any wastewater which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance.
2. Pollutants, substances, or wastewater prohibited by this chapter shall not be processed or stored in such a manner that could result in their discharge to the POTW.
C. Prohibitions On Storm Drainage And Ground Water: Stormwater, ground water, rainwater, street drainage, subsurface drainage or yard drainage shall not be discharged through direct or indirect connections to the wastewater collection system unless specifically authorized by the city. The city may approve the discharge of such water only when no reasonable alternative method of disposal and/or treatment is available. If authorization is granted for the discharge of such waters into the sewer, an indirect discharge permit may be issued. The user shall pay all applicable charges and fees and meet such other conditions as required by the city.
D. Prohibitions On Unpolluted Water: Unpolluted water in excess of two thousand (2,000) gallons per day, including, but not limited to, cooling water, process water or blowdown from cooling towers or evaporative coolers shall not be discharged through direct or indirect connection to the sewer unless specifically authorized by the city. The city may approve the discharge of such water only when no reasonable alternative method of disposal and/or treatment is available. If authorization is granted for the discharge of such waters into the sewer, an indirect discharge permit may be issued. The user shall pay all applicable charges and fees and meet such other conditions as required by the city.
E. Prohibition On Hazardous Waste: Any substance that exhibits a characteristic of a hazardous waste or is listed as a hazardous waste pursuant to 40 CFR 261 shall not be discharged through direct or indirect connections to the wastewater collection system unless a permit is issued by the city. The city may approve the discharge of such wastes only if the user has complied with all state and federal hazardous waste management regulations; no reasonable alternative method of disposal and/or treatment is available; and the discharge will not cause upset, pass-through, or interference, or otherwise endanger life, health, or property. If a permit is granted for the discharge of such wastes, the user shall pay the applicable charges and fees and meet such other conditions as required by the city.
F. Limitations On Point Of Discharge: No person shall discharge any substances directly into a manhole or other opening into the sewer other than through an approved building sewer connection unless specifically authorized by the city. If authorization is granted, an indirect discharge permit may be issued. The user shall pay all applicable charges and fees and meet such other conditions as required by the city.
G. Septage And Vehicle Transported Waste:
1. No septic tanks are allowed within city limits.
2. Recreational vehicle sanitary waste disposal stations available to the public shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. Issuance of an indirect discharge permit and payment of appropriate fees may be required. Recreational vehicle septage waste disposal through a city approved building sewer connection for such purposes at a private residence is permitted.
H. Special Cleanup Projects: Wastewater generated from, including, but not limited to, the cleanup of spills, leaking underground storage tanks, monitoring wells or other similar sources shall not be discharged through direct or indirect connections to the sewer unless an indirect discharge permit is issued by the city. The city may approve the discharge of such wastewater only when no reasonable alternative method of disposal and/or treatment is available. If a permit is granted for the discharge of such wastewaters into the sewer, the user shall pay the applicable charges and fees and meet such other conditions as required by the city. Each temporary discharge permit must be reviewed and reissued if the user wishes to discharge past the original expiration date. (Ord. 228, 6-10-2009)