1. General Prohibitions. No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the POTW any pollutant or wastewater which causes 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 national, State, or local pretreatment standards or requirements.
2. Discharge of Stormwater. No person shall discharge or cause or permit to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, ground water, roof water, subsurface drainage or building foundation drainage into any sanitary sewer.
3. Specific Prohibitions. No user shall discharge or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or wastewater which will interfere with the operation or performance of the sewer system. These prohibitions apply to all users, whether or not the users are subject to categorical standards or any other pretreatment requirement. No user may discharge any of the following substances to the sewer system:
A. 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 any other way to the sewer system or to the operation of the sewer system. At no time shall two 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 5 percent, nor any single reading over 10 percent of the lower limit (LEL) of the meter. At no time shall the closed cup flashpoint of the wastewater be less than 140ºF (60ºC) using the methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, the following substances in concentrations which cause exceedance of the above standard: gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benezene, ethers, alcohols, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates and carbides.
B. Any wastewater having a pH less than 6.0 or more than 10, or wastewater having any other corrosive property capable of causing structural damage to the POTW, its equipment or personnel.
C. Solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the sewer system, such as, but not limited to, grease, garbage with particles greater than 1½ inches in any dimension, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshings, entrails, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent lime, stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, waste paper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining or processing of fuel or lubricating oils, mud or glass grinding or polishing wastes.
D. Any pollutants, including oxygen-demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.), released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, will cause interference with the sewage treatment plant or interfere with the operation of the sewer system. In no case shall a slug load be discharged.
E. Wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the treatment plant resulting in interference, but in no case wastewater which causes the temperature at the introduction into the treatment plant to exceed 104ºF (40ºC).
F. Any petroleum oil, non-biodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin, in amounts that will cause interference or pass through, but in no case exceeding 20 mg/l.
G. 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.
H. Any trucked or hauled wastewater or pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the City in accordance with subsection .14 of this Section.
I. Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases, solids, or other wastewater which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, are sufficient to create a public nuisance or a hazard to life, or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for maintenance or repair.
J. Wastewater which imparts color which cannot be removed by the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions, which consequently imparts color to the treatment plant's effluent, thereby violating the City's NPDES permit.
K. Any wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the City or applicable State or Federal regulations.
L. Any substance which may cause the sewage treatment plant's effluent or any other product of the sewage plant such as residues, sludges, or scums to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse, or to interfere with the reclamation process. In no case shall a substance discharge to the sewer system cause the sewage treatment plant to be in non compliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substance Control Act or State criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.
M. Any medical wastes, except as specifically authorized by the City in an individual wastewater discharge permit.
N. Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other constituents of the wastewater, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a toxic effect in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant or to exceed the limitation set forth in an applicable categorical standard.
O. Detergents, surface-active agents, or other substances which that might cause excessive foaming in the POTW.
P. Fats, oils, or greases of animal or vegetable origin in concentrations greater than 100 mg/l.
Q. Any wastewater containing any compounds or salts of aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, lindane, methoxychlor, toxaphene, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, trichlorophenoxyproprionic acid or other persistent herbicides, pesticides or rodenticides.
R. Any wastewater which is incompatible with treatment processes in use at the sewage treatment plant so as to cause interference or pass through.
S. Any substance which will cause City to violate its NPDES and/ or State water quality management permit or applicable receiving water quality standards. Pollutants, substances, or wastewater prohibited by this Section shall not be processed or stored in such a manner that they could be discharged to the POTW.
4. Unauthorized Discharges. Discharge of any prohibited substance listed under subsection .3 of this Section shall be considered an unauthorized discharge and the City may take whatever steps are necessary to halt such a discharge, as set forth in § 18-518 of this Part.
5. National Categorical Pretreatment Standards. If the categorical standards for a particular industrial user are more stringent than local limits or other requirements imposed under this Part, then the users must comply with the categorical pretreatment standards found at 40 CFR, Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405-471. The City shall notify in writing all affected industrial users of the applicable reporting requirements under 40 CFR § 403.12. The national categorical pretreatment standards are hereby incorporated into the industrial pretreatment program as Program requirements for those industrial users subject to such categorical standards.
A. Where a categorical pretreatment standard is expressed only in terms of either the mass or the concentration of a pollutant in wastewater, the City may impose equivalent concentration or mass limits in accordance with subsections 5.D and .4.E of this Section (See 40 CFR 403.6(c)).
B. When the limits in a categorical pretreatment standard are expressed only in terms of mass of pollutant per unit of production, the City may convert the limits to equivalent limitations expressed either as mass of pollutant discharged per day or effluent concentration for purposes of calculating effluent limitations applicable to individual industrial users (See 40 CFR 403.6(c)(2)).
C. When wastewater subject to a categorical pretreatment standard is mixed with wastewater not regulated by the same standard, the City shall impose an alternate limit in accordance with 40 CFR 403.6(e).
D. The City may convert the mass limits of the categorical pretreatment standards of 40 CFR Parts 414, 419, and 455 to concentration limits for purposes of calculating limitations applicable to individual industrial users. The conversion is at the discretion of the City.
E. Once included in its permit, the industrial user must comply with the equivalent limitations developed in this Section in lieu of the promulgated categorical standards from which the equivalent limitations were derived (See 40 CFR 403.6(c)(7)). Many categorical pretreatment standards specify one limit for calculating maximum daily discharge limitations and a second limit for calculating maximum monthly average, or 4-day average, limitations. Where such standards are being applied, the same production or flow figure shall be used in calculating both the average and the maximum equivalent limitation (See 40 CFR 403.6(c) (8)).
G. Any industrial user operating under a permit incorporating equivalent mass or concentration limits calculated from a production-based standard shall notify the Superintendent within 2 business days after the user has a reasonable basis to know that the production level will significantly change within the next calendar month. Any user not notifying the Superintendent of such anticipated change will be required to meet the mass or concentration limits in its permit that were based on the original estimate of the long term average production rate (See 40 CFR 403.6(c)(9)).
6. Removal Credits. Where the sewage treatment plant achieves consistent removal of pollutants limited by categorical standards, the City may apply to the approval authority for modifications of specific limits in the categorical standards if the requirements contained in 40 CFR § 403.7 are fulfilled and prior approval from the approval authority is obtained. Any such action shall be at the sole discretion of the City.
7. State Pretreatment Standards. State requirements and limitations on discharge shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than national requirements and limitations or those established under this Part.
8. Local Limits. The City Council shall establish, and review and amend from time to time, local limits which control or limit the discharge or specific pollutants by industrial users.
A. The City is authorized to establish local limits pursuant to 40 CFR 403.5(c).
B. Local limits may be established for any substance which is discharged, or likely to be discharged, to the sewer system to protect against pass through and interference; the discharge of toxic materials in toxic amounts; threats to worker health and safety; and physical, chemical or biological damage to the sewer system.
C. Local limits may limit concentration, mass or a combination of the two.
D. Local limits shall be applied to all significant industrial users and shall be included in all wastewater discharge permits. Local limits may be applied to other industrial users if deemed appropriate by the City.
E. Discharging any pollutant in excess of a local limit established for that pollutant shall constitute an unauthorized discharge. Such discharge is subject to the actions and penalties set forth herein. The City has developed technology based local limits which are specifically set forth in each wastewater discharge permit. These local limits are incorporated herein by reference, as if set forth at length.
9. The City's Right of Revision. The City reserves the right to establish, by ordinance or in individual wastewater discharge permits, more stringent standards or requirements on discharges to the POTW consistent with the purpose of this Part.
10. Dilution. No user shall ever increase the use of process wastewater, or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge, as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with a discharge limitation unless expressly authorized by an applicable pretreatment standard or requirement. The City may impose mass limitations on users who are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements or in other cases when the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.
11. Slug Loads and Spills. Each industrial user shall provide protection from spills resulting in prohibited discharges and slug load discharges. Facilities to prevent spills and slug loads shall be provided and maintained at the owner or industrial user's own cost and expense. The City shall evaluate whether each SIU needs an accidental discharge/slug discharge control plan or other action to control slug discharges. The City may require any user to develop, submit for approval, and implement such a plan or take such other action that may be necessary to control slug discharges. Alternatively, the Superintendent may develop such a plan for any user. An accidental discharge/ slug discharge control plan shall address, at a minimum, the following:
A. SPCC Plans. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the City for review and shall be approved by the City before construction of the facility. All existing industrial users shall complete a spill prevention control and countermeasures (SPCC) plan or provide evidence that such a plan is not necessary for their facility. No industrial user who commences discharge to the sewer system after the effective date of this Part shall be permitted to introduce pollutants into the sewer system until this requirement has been fulfilled. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify its facility as necessary to meet the requirements of the industrial pretreatment program. In the case of a spill, it is the responsibility of the industrial user to immediately telephone and notify the City of the incident. The notification shall include location of discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume, corrective actions being taken or planned and expected duration.
B. Written Notice. Within 5 days following a spill, slug load or other accidental discharge, the industrial user shall submit to the City a detailed written report describing the cause of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the industrial user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the industrial user of any expense, loss, damage or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the sewer system, fish kill, or any other damage to person or property; nor shall such notification relieve the industrial user of any fines, civil penalties or other liability which may be imposed by this Part or applicable law.
C. Notice to Employees. A notice shall be permanently posted on the industrial user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a spill or other accidental discharge. Employers shall insure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.
D. Description of Stored Chemicals.
E. Procedures to Prevent Adverse Impact from Any Accidental or Slug Discharge. Such procedures include, but are not limited to, inspection and maintenance of storage areas, handling and transfer of materials, loading and unloading operations, control of plant site runoff, worker training, building of containment structures or equipment, measures for containing toxic organic pollutants, including solvents, and/ or measures and equipment for emergency response.
F. SIU Immediate Notification to the City. Significant industrial users are required to notify the City/Superintendent immediately of any changes at its facility affecting the potential for a slug discharge.
12. Notification Requirements; Hazardous Wastes and Hazardous Substances.
A. All industrial users shall notify the City, the EPA Regional Waste Management Division Director and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, in writing, of any discharge into the POTW of a substance which, if otherwise disposed of, would be hazardous waste under 40 CFR, Part 261. Such notification shall include the name of the hazardous waste, as set forth in 40 CFR, Part 261, the EPA hazardous waste number and the type of discharge (continuous, batch or other). If the industrial user discharges more than 100 kilograms of such waste per calendar month, the notification shall also include the following information, to the extent that it is known and readily available to the industrial user:
(1) An identification of the hazardous constituents contained in the waste.
(2) An estimate of the mass and concentration in the wastewater of all such constituents discharged in the most recent month.
(3) An estimate of the mass and concentration of such constituents expected to be discharged during the following 12 months.
B. Industrial users that commence discharge after the effective date of this Part shall submit the report within 180 days of first discharge of the hazardous waste, except as provided in paragraph .D.
C. The required report need be submitted only once for each hazardous waste discharge. Industrial users regulated under categorical standards which have already submitted such information in baseline monitoring reports or periodic compliance reports do not have to report this information again.
D. Industrial users that discharge less than 15 kilograms of hazardous wastes in a calendar month do not have to comply with these reporting requirements. This exemption does not apply to acute hazardous wastes as specified in 40 CFR §§ 261.30(d) and 261.33(e).
E. An industrial user shall notify the City within 5 days of becoming aware of any discharges of reportable quantities of listed or unlisted hazardous substances, as defined at 40 CFR § 302.4 (CERCLA hazardous substances). This notification shall include the time of release; the name of the substance; the identifying CAS number, if known; and the approximate quantity discharge. If the discharge constitutes a spill, change in wastewater constituents or slug load, other reporting requirements of the industrial pretreatment program may also apply.
F. Each notification required by this Section shall include a statement certifying that the industrial user has a program in place to reduce the volume and /or toxicity of the discharge wastes to the extent that it is economically practical. This statement shall be designed by the authorized representative of the industrial user.
13. Drainage of Water Filtration Systems. Discharge of filter backwash to the sewer system shall be regulated as follows:
A. Granular media filter backwash water may be discharged to the sewer system, subject to all of the applicable provisions of this Part.
B. Diatomaceous earth filter backwash, if discharged to the sewer system, shall be connected to the sewer system through tanks with no less than 3 months storage capacity of spent diatomaceous earth, which tanks shall be accessible for removing solid waste for disposal.
14. Trucked and Hauled Wastes.
A. Trucked or hauled waste may be introduced into the POTW only at locations designated by the City, and at such times as are established by the Superintendent. Such waste shall not violate subsections .1 through .12 of this Part or any other requirements established by the City.
B. The City may require haulers of industrial waste to obtain individual wastewater discharge permits. The City may require generators of hauled industrial waste to obtain individual wastewater discharge permits. The City also may prohibit the disposal of hauled industrial waste. The discharge of hauled industrial waste is subject to all other requirements of this Part.
C. Industrial waste haulers may discharge loads only at locations designated by the City or Superintendent. No load may be discharged without prior consent of the Superintendent. The Superintendent may collect samples of each hauled load to ensure compliance with applicable Standards. The City may require the industrial waste hauler to provide a waste analysis of any load prior to discharge.
D. Industrial waste haulers must provide a waste-tracking form for every load. This form shall include, at a minimum, the name and address of the industrial waste hauler, permit number, truck identification, names and addresses of sources of waste, and volume and characteristics of waste. The form shall identify the type of industry, known or suspected waste constituents, and whether any wastes are RCRA hazardous wastes.
15. Regulation of Waste Received from Other Jurisdictions.
A. If another municipality, or user located within another municipality, contributes wastewater to the POTW, the City shall enter into an inter-municipal agreement with the contributing municipality.
B. Prior to entering into an agreement required by paragraph .A, above, the City shall request the following information from the contributing municipality:
(1) A description of the quality and volume of wastewater discharged to the POTW by the contributing municipality.
(2) An inventory of all users located within the contributing municipality that are discharging to the POTW.
(3) Such other information as the City may deem necessary.
C. An inter-municipal agreement, as required by paragraph .A, above, shall contain the following conditions:
(1) A requirement for the contributing municipality to adopt a sewer use ordinance which is at least as stringent as this Part and local limits, including required baseline monitoring reports (BMRs) which are at least as stringent as those set out in § 15-517 of this Part. The requirement shall specify that such ordinance and limits must be revised as necessary to reflect changes made to the City's ordinance or local limits.
(2) A requirement for the contributing municipality to submit a revised user inventory on at least an annual basis;
(3) A provision specifying which pretreatment implementation activities, including individual wastewater discharge permit issuance, inspection and sampling, and enforcement, will be conducted by the contributing municipality; which of these activities will be conducted by the City; and which of these activities will be conducted jointly by the contributing municipality and the City.
(4) A requirement for the contributing municipality to provide the City with access to all information that the contributing municipality obtains as part of its pretreatment activities.
(5) Limits on the nature, quality, and volume of the contributing municipality's wastewater at the point where it discharges to the POTW.
(6) Requirements for monitoring the contributing municipality's discharge;
(7) A provision ensuring the City access to the facilities of users located within the contributing municipality's jurisdictional boundaries for the purpose of inspection, sampling, and any other duties deemed necessary by the City.
(8) A provision specifying remedies available for breach of the terms of the inter-municipal agreement.
(Ord. 7-6-2010, 7/6/2010, § 3.3)