(a) General Prohibitions. No Discharger 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 Dischargers to the POTW whether or not they are subject to categorical Pretreatment Standards or any other National, State, or local Pretreatment Standards or Requirements.
(b) Specific Prohibitions. No Discharger shall contribute or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any of the following described pollutants, substances, or wastewater into the wastewater disposal system or otherwise to the facilities of the City and the Control Authority:
(1) Pollutants that create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW, including, but not limited to, wastestreams with a closed cup flashpoint of less than one hundred forty (140) degrees Fahrenheit or sixty (60) degrees Celsius using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21;
(2) Wastewater having a pH less than 6.0 or more than 9.0, or otherwise causing corrosive damage or hazard to the POTW or equipment or personnel; unless specifically allowed by a site-specific industrial wastewater discharge permit;
(3) Solid or viscous substances in amounts that will cause obstruction of the flow in the POTW resulting in Interference;
(4) Any Slugload or pollutants, including oxygen demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.) released in a discharge at a flow rate or pollutant concentration that, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, will cause Interference with the POTW;
(5) Wastewater having a temperature greater than one hundred fifty (150) degrees Fahrenheit or sixty-five (65) degrees Celsius, or which will inhibit biological activity in the Rocky River WWTP resulting in Interference, but in no case wastewater which causes the temperature at the introduction into the treatment plant to exceed one hundred four (104) degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius);
(6) Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin, in amounts that will cause interference or pass through;
(7) Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, or constitute a hazard to humans or animals. This includes, but is not limited to, pollutants that 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;
(8) Trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the POTW per Section 915.03 (e);
(9) Any noxious or malodorous liquids, 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;
(10) Any substance which may cause the Rocky River WWTP 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 Rocky River WWTP cause the Rocky River WWTP to be in non-compliance 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;
(11) Any substance which will cause the Rocky River WWTP to violate its NPDES Permit;
(12) Any substance with objectionable color not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions;
(13) Any unpolluted water including, but not limited to non-contact cooling water;
(14) 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 regulations;
(15) Any wastewater which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance; and
(16) Detergents, surface-active agents, or other substances which that might cause excessive foaming in the POTW.
(c) Limitations on Wastewater Strength.
(1) National Categorical Pretreatment Standards. National categorical pretreatment standards as promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (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 by submittal to the USEPA Regional Administrator by the Control Authority, when the Rocky River wastewater treatment system achieves consistent removal of the pollutants as defined by 40 CFR, 403.7.
(2) State Pretreatment Standards. Users must comply with the State of Ohio Pretreatment Rules codified at Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 3745-3.
(3) Local Limits. The Superintendent is authorized to establish Local Limits pursuant to 40 CFR 403.5(c). The following pollutant limits are established to protect against Pass Through and Interference. No person shall discharge wastewater containing in excess of the following concentrations. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of toxic pollutants. The average concentration of toxic substances into the sewage system from any one establishment shall be the magnitude of the stated concentrations with peak concentrations not greater than twice this amount (unless otherwise stated). However, where low downstream dilution might be expected, the requirements may be modified at the discretion of the Control Authority.
SUBSTANCE | CONCENTRATION |
Arsenic | 0.50 mg/L |
Cadmium | 0.10 mg/L |
Chromium (Hexavalent) | 0.37 mg/L |
Copper | 0.74 mg/L |
Cyanide | 0.10 mg/L |
Lead | 0.50 mg/L |
Mercury | BMP's mg/L |
Nickel | 0.55 mg/L |
Selenium | 1.51 mg/L |
Silver | 0.50 mg/L |
Zinc | 10.00 mg/L |
These limits may be modified as necessary to comply with State and Federal toxic waste discharge standards. The Control Authority may develop Best Management Practices (BMP's) in individual wastewater discharge permits, to implement Local Limits and the requirements of Section 915.03.
(4) Right of Revision. The City reserves the right to amend this chapter to provide for more stringent limitations or requirements on discharges to the Rocky River WWTP where deemed necessary to comply with the objectives set forth in Section 915.01(c) of this chapter.
(5) 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.
(6) Calculation of Equivalent Mass and Concentration Limits for Categorical Standards. 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 a mass of pollutant discharged per day or effluent concentration for purposes of calculating effluent limitations applicable to individual Industrial Dischargers following the methodology contained in 40 CFR 403.6(c)(3) and (c)(4). Industrial Dischargers will be required to comply with the equivalent limitations in lieu of the promulgated categorical standards from which the equivalent limitations were derived.
(d) Accidental Discharge/ Slug Discharge Control Plans. The POTW shall evaluate whether each SIU needs an accidental discharge/slug discharge control plan or other action to control Slug Discharges. The POTW 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 POTW may develop such a plan for any User. An accidental discharge/slug discharge control plan shall address, at a minimum, the following:
(1) Description of discharge practices, including nonroutine batch discharges;
(2) Description of stored chemicals;
(3) Procedures for immediately notifying the POTW of any accidental or Slug Discharge, as required below; and
(4) 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.
Each Discharger shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited or regulated materials or substances established by this chapter. Where necessary, facilities to prevent 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 Control Authority for review, and shall be approved by the Control Authority before construction of the facility. No Discharger who discharges to the Rocky River WWTP shall be permitted to introduce pollutants into the system until Slug Discharge Control Plans have been approved by the Control Authority. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures by the Control Authority shall not relieve the Discharger from the responsibility to modify its facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter.
Dischargers shall notify the Control Authority immediately upon the occurrence of a "slugload", or accidental discharge of substances prohibited by this chapter. The notification shall include location of discharge, date and time thereof, type of waste, concentration and volume and corrective actions. Any Discharger who discharges a slugload of prohibitive materials shall be liable for any expense, loss or damage to the Rocky River WWTP, in addition to the amount of any fines imposed on the City and/or Control Authority on account thereof under State or Federal law.
Signs shall be permanently posted in conspicuous places on Discharger's premises, advising employees whom to call in the event of a slug or accidental discharge. Employers shall instruct all employees who may cause or discover such a discharge with respect to emergency notification procedure.
Significant Industrial Users are required to notify the Control Authority immediately of any changes at its facility affecting the potential for a Slug Discharge.
(e) No person shall access the sewer system or Rocky River WWTP for any activity including discharge of hauled septic or industrial wastes except at locations and at times as designated by the Control Authority which also may prohibit the disposal of such hauled wastes. The discharge of hauled wastes is subject to all other requirements of this Chapter. Any removal of manhole lids, or other access to the sewer system for the purpose of discharging wastes at times and/or locations other than those designated by the Control Authority, or without the expressed permission of the Control Authority shall be considered a violation and shall be subject to enforcement action including fines and penalties allowed under this Chapter.
(Ord. 74-12. Passed 12-10-12.)