(A) General conditions. The following described substances, materials, waters or wastes shall be limited in discharges to municipal systems to concentration or quantities which: will not harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment, will maintain and protect water quality in the receiving stream, and will not otherwise endanger lives, limb, public property, or constitute a nuisance. The Superintendent may set additional limitations or limitations more stringent than those established in the provisions below if in his or her opinion more severe limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. Further, the Superintendent may grant waivers of the limits set by this section when determined by him or her to be in the best interest of the community and the sewer system. In forming his or her opinion as to the acceptability of a discharge, the Superintendent shall give consideration to such factors as the quantity of subject waste in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, the wastewater treatment process employed, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors.
(B) Restricted discharges.
(1) Wastewater containing more that 25 milligrams per liter of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oils, or products of mineral oil origin.
(2) Wastewater containing floatable oils, fat, or grease, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 milligrams per liter (100mg/l) or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures 32 - 150 degrees F (0 - 65 degrees C).
(3) Any food waste that has not been properly shredded. Food waste grinders may be connected to sanitary sewers from homes, motels, institutions, restaurants, hospitals, catering establishments, or similar places where food waste originates from the preparation of food in kitchens for the purpose of consumption on the premises or when served by caterers. Paper products are prohibited from being discharged into the sewer system.
(4) Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants which: injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, causes the city to violate the terms of its KPDES permit, prevents the use of acceptable sludge disposal methods, or exceed a limitation set forth in a categorical pretreatment standard.
(5) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the city in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.
(6) Any water or wastes which by interaction with other water or wastes in the public sewer system, release obnoxious gases, form suspended solids which interfere with the collection system, or create a condition deleterious to structures and treatment processes.
(7) Any wastewater with objectionable color which cannot be removed to an acceptable level within the operation of the wastewater treatment process but in no case, wastewater with a color that exceeds 250 ADMI units.
(8) Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed to the extent required by the city's NPDES/KPDES permit.
(9) Any waste(s) or wastewater(s) classified as a hazardous waste by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) or any other applicable federal, state or local regulation without a 60-day prior notification of such discharge to the Superintendent. This notification must include the name of the hazardous waste, the EPA hazardous waste number, type of discharge, volume/mass of discharge and time of occurrence(s). The Superintendent may prohibit or condition the discharge(s) at any time.
(10) Any water or wastes which have characteristics based on a 24-hour composite sample, grab or a shorter period composite sample, if more representative, that exceed the following normal maximum domestic wastewater parameter concentrations.
Parameter | Maximum Allowable Concentrations |
BOD | 250 mg/l |
COD | 350 mg/l |
TSS | 250 mg/l |
NH3-N | 40 mg/l |
(11) The following limitations are established for characteristics of any wastewaters to be discharged into the municipal sewer system. All significant commercial/industrial users must comply with these limitations where they are more stringent than applicable state and/or federal regulations.
Parameter | Maximum Daily Concentration (mg/l) |
Parameter | Maximum Daily Concentration (mg/l) |
Arsenic | 0.10 |
Cadmium | 0.01 |
Chromium | 0.596 |
Copper | 0.248 |
Cyanide, Amenable | 0.10 |
Lead | 0.05 |
Mercury | 0.00025 |
Nickel | 0.05 |
Silver | 0.331 |
Zinc | 0.28 |
(12) The city has received authority through the U.S. EPA and state statutes to enforce the requirements of 40 CFR Subchapter N, 40 CFR 403, and 40 CFR Part 35. All users shall comply with the requirements of those regulations.
(C) Dilution of wastewater discharge. No user shall ever increase the use of process water or, in any way, attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in the federal categorical pretreatment standards, or in any pollutant specific limitation developed by the city or state.
(D) Grease, oil, and sand interceptors. Grease, oil, and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing floatable grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand, or other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. Further, all restaurants, carry-out food establishments and other commercial cooking facilities shall install grease traps (interceptors). All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Superintendent and shall be located so as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In the maintaining of these interceptors the owner(s) shall be responsible for the proper removal and disposal by appropriate means of the captured material and shall maintain records of the dates, identity of hauler and means of disposal. The city requires hauling of the collected materials to be done by currently licensed waste disposal firms. Interceptors shall also comply with applicable regulations of the County Health Department.
(E) Special industrial pretreatment requirements.
(1) Pursuant to the requirements imposed on publicly owned wastewater treatment works by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 and later amendments, all pretreatment standards promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for new and existing industrial dischargers to public sewer systems are hereby made a part of this chapter. Any industrial waste discharge which violates these EPA pretreatment standards shall be in violation of this chapter.
(2) Where pretreatment by flow equalizing facilities are provided or required for any waters or wastes, the industry shall be solely responsible for the continued maintenance to assure satisfactory and effective operation of such facilities and at their expense.
(F) Protection from accidental and slug discharges.
(1) (a) Each significant commercial/industrial user shall provide protection from accidental and/or slug discharges of prohibited materials or other substances regulated by this chapter which adversely affects the POTW. Facilities to prevent accidental and/or slug discharges of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the owner or user's own cost and expense. Periodically, the Superintendent will determine whether each commercial/industrial user needs to develop or update a plan to control accidental or slug discharges. If the Superintendent determines that an accidental/ slug control plan or revision is necessary, the plan shall contain the following:
1. Description of discharge practices;
2. Description of stored chemicals;
3. Procedures for notifying the POTW;
4. Prevention procedures for spills.
(b) In the case of all possible or actual accidental and/or slug discharges, it is the responsibility of the user to immediately telephone and notify the Superintendent and Shelby County Dispatch. Said notification shall be in accord with standard operating procedures. The notification shall include location of discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume, and corrective actions.
(2) Written notice. Within five days following an accidental discharge, the user shall submit to the Superintendent a detailed written report describing the cause of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage, or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the POTW, fish kills, or any other damage to person or property; nor shall such notification relieve the user of any fines, civil penalties, or other liability which may be imposed by this section, the enforcement response plan or other applicable law.
(3) Notice to employees. A notice shall be permanently posted on the user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a dangerous discharge. Employers shall insure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.
(G) State requirements. State requirements and limitations on discharges shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than federal requirements and limitations or those in this chapter.
(H) City's right of revision. The city reserves the right to establish more stringent limitations, or requirements on discharges to the POTW if deemed necessary to comply with the objectives presented in this chapter.
(I) Federal categorical pretreatment standards. Upon the promulgation of federal categorical pretreatment standards for a particular industrial subcategory, the federal standard, if more stringent than limitations imposed under this chapter for sources in that subcategory, shall immediately supersede the limitations imposed under this chapter.
(J) Industrial. Industrial shall be interpreted to include commercial when the discharge would otherwise invoke the provisions of this section.
(Ord. 2009-006, passed 6-17-2009)