(a) General Discharge Prohibitions. 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. No discharger shall contribute or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or wastewater which causes pass-through or interference or any of the following described substances into the POTW or otherwise to the facilities of the City:
(1) 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 140°F, or 60°C, using the test method specified in 40 C.F.R. 261.21.
(2) Solid or viscous substances which will or may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the POTW.
(3) Any wastewater having a pH less than 5.5 or higher than 9.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment or personnel of the system. Free acids and alkalies of such wastes must be neutralized at all times within the permissible range of pH. If the pH of the City water exceeds 9.5, the upper limit shall be raised to the pH of the City water.
(4) Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or exceed the limitation set forth in the National Categorical Pretreatment Standards, as established by the U.S. EPA, 40 C.F.R.
(5) Any noxious or malodorous liquids, or pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that, in the opinion of the Director, may cause acute worker health and safety problems or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for their maintenance and repair.
(6) 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 or 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, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act or State standards applicable to the sludge management method being used.
(7) Any substance which will cause the POTW to violate its NPDES and/or other disposal system permits.
(8) Any substance with objectionable color not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.
(9) Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW resulting in interference. However, in no case shall wastewater with a temperature at the introduction into the wastewater treatment plant which exceeds 40°C (104°F) be discharged into the POTW.
(10) Any slugload, which means any pollutant, including oxygen demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.), released in a single extraordinary discharge episode of such volume or strength as to cause interference to the POTW.
(11) Any unpolluted water, including, but not limited to, noncontact cooling water, except such water may be discharged into a sewer which is designated to carry storm water.
(12) Any wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half- life or concentrations as to exceed limits in compliance with applicable State or Federal regulations.
(13) No person shall discharge wastewater containing in excess of:
Local Industrial Discharge Limitations
| |
Pollutant | Limitations Daily Max in mg/L |
Total Arsenic | 0.8 |
Total Barium | 3.7 |
Pollutant | Limitations Daily Max in mg/L |
Total Cadmium | 0.5 |
Total Chromium | 10.6 |
Dissolved Hexavalent Chromium | 0.6 |
Total Copper | 3.4 |
Cyanide Free | 0.4 |
Total Lead | 3.9 |
Total Mercury | BMP |
Total Molybdenum | 1.0 |
Total Nickel | 0.8 |
Total Selenium | 0.3 |
Total Silver | 0.9 |
Total Zinc | 6.9 |
CBOD5 | * |
TSS | * |
NH3N | * |
Oil & Grease | * |
pH | Not <5.5 |
pH | Not >9.5 |
BMP = Best Management Program | |
*Subject to Surcharge Program | |
(14) Trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the Director.
(15) Sludges, screenings, or other residues from the pretreatment of industrial wastes.
(16) Medical wastes, except as specifically authorized by the Director in a wastewater discharge permit.
(17) Wastewater causing, alone or in conjunction with other sources, the treatment plant's effluent to fail a toxicity test.
(18) Detergents, surface-active agents, or other substances which may cause excessive foaming in the POTW.
(b) Duties of Director; Prohibited Discharges. When the Director determines that a discharger is contributing any of the above enumerated substances in such amounts as to interfere with the operations of the POTW, the Director shall:
(1) Advise the discharger of the impact of the contribution on the POTW; and
(2) Develop effluent limits for such discharger to correct the interference with the POTW.
(3) The Director shall evaluate whether each SIU needs an accidental discharge/slug discharge control plan or other action to control slug discharges. Evaluations shall be review once per control mechanism cycle.
(c) Limitations on Wastewater Strength.
(1) National Categorical Pretreatment Standards. National Categorical Pretreatment Standards, as promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) pursuant to the Act, shall be met by all dischargers of the regulated industrial categories. An application for modification of the National Categorical Pretreatment Standards may be considered for submittal to the approval authority by the Director, when the City's wastewater treatment systems achieve consistent removal of the pollutants, as defined by 40 C.F.R. 403.7 or its successor.
(2) Right of revision. The City reserves the right to amend this chapter to provide limitations or requirements on discharges to the POTW, where deemed necessary, to comply with the objectives set forth in Section 1049.01.
(3) Dilution. No discharger shall increase the use of potable or process water in any way, nor mix separate waste streams, for the purpose of diluting a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the standards set forth in this chapter. The Director may impose mass limitations on dischargers which are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements, or in other cases where the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.
(d) Accidental Discharges.
(1) If determined necessary by the Director, discharger shall provide protection (i.e. curbing, retention wall) from the accidental discharge of prohibited or regulated materials or substances established by this chapter. Where necessary, facilities to prevent the accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the discharger's cost and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the Director for review and shall be approved by the Director prior to construction of the facility. Each existing discharger shall complete its detailed plan, complete forms provided by the City and submit the same to the Director within 30 days. No discharger who discharges to the POTW after the aforesaid date shall be permitted to introduce pollutants into the system until accidental discharge protection procedures have been approved by the Director. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures by the Director shall not relieve the discharger from the responsibility to modify its facilities as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter.
(2) Dischargers shall verbally notify the Director immediately upon the occurrence of a slugload or accidental discharge of substances prohibited by this chapter, with a written notification letter to follow within two working days. Both notifications shall include the location of the discharge, the date and time thereof, the type of waste, the concentration and volume and corrective actions. Any discharger who discharges a slugload of prohibited materials shall be liable for any expense, loss or damage to the POTW, in addition to the amount of any fines imposed on the authority on account thereof under State or Federal law.
(3) Signs shall be permanently posted, in conspicuous places on the discharger's premises, advising employees whom to call in the event of a slugload or accidental discharge. Employers shall instruct all employees who may cause or discover such a discharge with respect to emergency notification procedures.
(e) Bypass Not Violating Applicable Pretreatment Standards or Requirements. A discharger may allow any 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. These bypasses are not subject to the provisions of division (f) and (g) of this section. Notification must be made to the City within one day or less of the bypass.
(f) Prohibition of Bypass.
(1) Bypass is prohibited, and the Director may take enforcement action against a discharger for a bypass, unless:
A. The bypass was unavoidable to prevent loss of life, personal injury or severe property damage;
B. There were no feasible alternatives to the bypass, such as the use of auxiliary treatment facilities, the retention of untreated wastes, or maintenance during normal periods of equipment downtime. This condition is not satisfied if adequate back-up equipment should have been installed in the exercise of reasonable engineering judgment to prevent a bypass which occurred during normal periods of equipment downtime or preventative maintenance; and
C. The discharger submitted notices as required under division (G) of this section.
(2) The Director may approve an anticipated bypass, after considering its adverse effects, if the Director determines that it will meet the three conditions listed in division (f)(1).
(g) Notice.
(1) If a discharger knows in advance of the need for a bypass, it shall submit prior notice to the Director, if possible, at least ten days before the date of the bypass.
(2) A discharger shall provide oral notice of an unanticipated bypass that exceeds applicable pretreatment standards to the Director within 24 hours from the time the discharger becomes aware of the bypass. A written submission shall also be provided within five days of the time the discharger becomes aware of the bypass. The written submission shall contain a description of the bypass and its cause; the duration of the bypass, including exact dates and times, 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 a recurrence of the bypass. The Director may waive the written submission on a case-by-case basis if the oral report has been received within 24 hours.
(h) Hauled Wastewater. City residents' recreational vehicles may discharge at the POTW, with the permission of the Director or authorised plant personnel.
(Ord. 180-06. Passed 1-4-07; Ord. 180-10. Passed 12-16-10; Ord. 102-11. Passed 2-3-11.)