Arcata Municipal Code Art. 6 General Sewer Use Requirements

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. Furthermore, no user may contribute the following substances to the POTW:

A. Pollutants which create a fire or explosive hazard in POTW, including, but not limited to, waste with a closed-cup flash point of less than one hundred forty (140) degrees F (sixty (60) degrees C) using the test methods as specified by 40 CFR 261.21.

B. Wastewater having a pH less than five (5.0) or more than nine point five (9.5), or otherwise causing corrosive structural damage to the POTW or equipment, or endangering City personnel.

C. Solid or viscous substances in amounts which will cause obstruction of the flow in the POTW resulting in interference, but in no case solids greater than three (3) inches in any dimension which do not readily disintegrate.

D. 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 either the POTW; any wastewater treatment or sludge process, or which will constitute a hazard to humans or animals.

E. Wastewater which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW resulting in interference, and in no case wastewater which causes the temperature at the introduction into the POTW to exceed one hundred four (104) degrees F (forty (40) degrees C).

F. Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin, in amounts that will cause pass-through or interference.

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. Trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the Director of Environmental Services in accordance with Section 7470.4.

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, a hazard to life, or to prevent entry into the sewer for maintenance and repair.

J. Wastewater which imparts color which cannot be removed by the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye waste and vegetable tanning solutions, which consequently impart color to the POTW’s effluent thereby violating the City’s NPDES permit.

K. Wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes except as specifically approved by the Director of Environmental Services in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.

L. Stormwater, surface water, ground water, artesian well water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, swimming pool drainage, condensate, deionized water, noncontact cooling water, process water or blowdown from cooling towers or evaporative coolers, and unpolluted industrial wastewater, unless specifically authorized by Director of Environmental Services.

M. Sludges, screenings, or other residues from the pretreatment of industrial wastes.

N. Any medical waste, except as specifically authorized by the Director of Environmental Services in a wastewater discharge permit.

O. Any wastewater causing the treatment plant’s effluent to fail a toxicity test.

P. Any waste containing detergents, surface active agents, or other substances which may cause excessive foaming in the POTW.

Q. Any fats, oils or grease (FOG) of vegetable or animal origin in amounts that will cause pass-through or interference.

R. Any solid waste subject to regulation as a hazardous waste pursuant to 40 CFR Part 261.

Waste prohibited by this Section shall not be processed or stored in such a manner that could be discharged to the POTW. All drains located in process or materials storage areas must be protected from intentional or accidental discharge or discharge into a pretreatment facility before connecting to the POTW. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Industrial users must comply with the categorical pretreatment standards found at 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405-471. When wastewater subject to a categorical pretreatment standard is mixed with wastewater not regulated by the same standard, the Director of Environmental Services shall impose an alternate limit in accordance with 40 CFR 403.6(e), the combined wastestream formula. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. Local Limits. The City Council shall, pursuant to 40 CFR 403.5, establish by resolution pollutant-specific local limits for all discharges into the POTW to protect against pass-through and/or interference. No industrial user may discharge wastewater into the POTW in concentrations or amounts that exceed the local limits established by City Council resolution. Any such violation is subject to the enforcement provisions of this Chapter. Local limits shall apply at the point the wastewater is discharged into the POTW. In addition to the concentration-based limits adopted as local limits, the City may impose mass limitations as conditions of any wastewater discharge permit when the industrial user is using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or pretreatment requirements.

B. Pollution Prevention, BMPs. The City Council may establish by resolution a pollution prevention policy to protect against pass-through and interference applicable to industrial discharges, including discharges from industrial users with temporary and/or mobile facilities, which shall include BMPs as appropriate to implement local limits and the requirements of Section 7460. No industrial user shall discharge wastewater into the POTW without implementation of BMPs to control discharges of specific pollutants as established by said policy. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

The City may establish by ordinance or as conditions in any wastewater discharge permit discharge limitations that are more stringent than pretreatment standards or pretreatment requirements. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

A. No industrial user shall 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 a discharge limitation unless expressly authorized by the applicable pretreatment standard or pretreatment requirement. The Director of Environmental Services may impose an alternate discharge limit, using the combined wastestream formula as required by Section 7461 on industrial users who are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements.

B. Seasonal flow discharges may be subject to POTW service capacity allocation by the Director of Environmental Services. If overloading conditions occur or threaten to occur at the POTW or if unused service capacity is insufficient to accommodate all seasonal flows, the Director may allocate available service capacity among all seasonal dischargers. In allocating the flow or constituent load, the Director shall take into account the industrial user’s nonseasonal flow, wastewater conservation practices, economic and environmental impact, historical data, and any other considerations advanced by the discharger which will help the Director make an equitable allocation. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Waste from garbage grinders shall not be discharged into the POTW except:

A. Waste generated in preparation of food from a dwelling unit; or

B. Where an industrial user has obtained written approval for that specific use from the City, and agrees to implement BMPs, self-monitor for specific wastewater constituents, and to meet other conditions as reasonably required by the Director of Environmental Services to prevent interference.

C. When allowed, garbage grinders must shred the waste to a degree that will allow all particles to be carried freely under normal flow conditions prevailing in the POTW. Garbage grinders shall not be used for grinding plastic, paper products, inert materials, or garden refuse. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

No user, including but not limited to users operating temporary or mobile facilities, may discharge any substances directly into a manhole or other opening in the POTW other than through an approved building sewer, unless the user has been issued a permit by the City for direct discharge. If a permit is issued for direct discharge, the user shall pay applicable charges and fees and shall meet such other conditions as required by the City. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)

Waste not permitted to be discharged into the POTW must be transported to a State-approved disposal site. (Ord. 1461, eff. 9/18/2015)