(A) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged the following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes if it appears likely in the opinion of the Superintendent that the wastes can harm either the sewers, sewage treatment process or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. In forming his or her opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the Superintendent will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, nature of the sewage treatment process, capacity of the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:
(1) Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150°F (65°C);
(2) Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid, or gas;
(3) Any waters or wastes 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 process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant, including but not limited to cyanides in excess of two mg/l as CN in the wastes as discharged to the public sewer;
(4) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the sewage works;
(5) 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, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers and the like, either whole or ground by garbage grinders;
(6) Any waters or wastes having the following shall be subject to the review of the Superintendent:
(a) A five-day BOD greater than 250 parts per million by weight;
(b) Containing more than 300 parts per million by weight of suspended solids; or
(c) Having an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average sewage flow of the city.
(7) (a) Where necessary in the opinion of the Superintendent, the owner shall provide, at his or her expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:
1. Reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 250 parts per million by weight;
2. Reduce the suspended solids to 300 parts per million by weight; or
3. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such waters or wastes.
(b) Plans, specifications, and other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Superintendent and no construction of facilities shall be commenced until the approvals are obtained in writing.
(8) Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease, or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 mg/1 or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32° and 150°F (0 and 65°C).
(9) Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor three-fourths horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the Superintendent;
(10) Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not;
(11) Any water or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and similar objectionable or toxic substances, or wastes exerting an excessive chlorine requirement, to such degree that any material received in the composite sewage at the sewage treatment works exceeds the limits established by the Superintendent for these materials;
(12) Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the Superintendent as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage, to meet the requirements of state, federal, or other public agencies of jurisdiction for the discharge to the receiving waters;
(13) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of a half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Superintendent in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations;
(14) Any waters or wastes having a pH in excess of 9.5;
(15) Materials which exert or cause:
(a) Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, Fuller's earth, lime slurries, and lime residues) or of dissolved solids, (such as but not limited to, sodium chloride or 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; and/or
(d) Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting slugs as defined herein.
(16) Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to the degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
(Prior Code, § 3-211)
Statutory reference:
Authority, see Neb. RS 16-681