Delano Municipal Code Ch. 13.24 Discharges

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any public sewer.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

Storm water and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as storm drains or to a natural outlet approved by the engineer. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, on approval of the engineer, to a storm drain or natural outlet.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any prohibited discharges as defined in 40 CFR 403.5. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:

A. No person shall discharge wastewater as described below or containing constituents in excess of the quantities listed below:

Exception. The City of Delano Public Works Department may discharge contaminated by-products from the wellhead treatment of municipal water wells, subject to applicable regulations.

The term "free cyanides" means those cyanides amenable to chlorination as described in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, 1972, Standard ID 2036-72 Method B, Page 553;

B. No person shall discharge any wastewater:

1. Containing more than one hundred milligrams per liter of oil or grease or mineral of petroleum origin,

2. Containing more than two hundred milligrams per liter of oil or grease of animal or vegetable origin,

3. Containing recognizable parts of the human anatomy,

4. In violation of any applicable federal or state standards or other local regulations covering wastewater disposal,

5. Containing constituents in excess of the levels stated in their annual discharge permit;

C. Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, kerosene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohol, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides, and sulfides, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas that is a fire hazard or explosion hazard to the system;

D. Any waters or wastes containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes which may injure or interfere with any sewage 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;

E. Any wastewater with a pH less than six or greater than 9.5, or having any corrosive or detrimental characteristic that may cause injury to wastewater treatment or maintenance personnel, or may cause damage to structures, equipment or other physical facilities of the sewerage system. Discharge of wastewater with a pH greater than 9.5 may be allowed with the approval of the engineer;

F. Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or damage to the sewerage facilities, or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, whole blood, paunch manure, hair, hides or fleshings, entrails, and papers dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders, grease, garbage particles greater than one-half inch in any dimension, animal guts or tissue, bones, spent lime, stone or marble dust, grass clippings, spent grains, spent hops, wastepaper, glass grinding or polishing wastes;

G. Impairment of the effective maintenance or operation of the sewerage system;

H. The release of toxic, hazardous wastes, malodorous gas or malodorous gas producing substances that can pass through the wastewater treatment plant making it unsuitable for disposal;

I. Any waste incompatible pollutant in excess of that permitted in the city's permit or special agreement;

J. Any waste which causes the city's effluent or any other product of the treatment process, residues, sludges, or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation, reuse, or disposal;

K. Discoloration or any other condition which affects the quality of the city treatment works effluent in such a manner that receiving water quality requirements established by regulatory agencies cannot be met;

L. Quantities or rates of flow which overload the city's collection or treatment facilities, or cause excessive city collection or treatment cost, or may use a disproportionate share of the city's facilities;

M. Conditions which violate any statute or any rule, regulation, or ordinance of any public agency or state or federal regulatory body having jurisdiction over the discharge of wastewater through the sanitary sewer system;

N. Any waste having a temperature of one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit or higher or which would result in effluent temperatures at the treatment plant in excess of one hundred four degrees Fahrenheit;

O. Any waters or wastes having a B.O.D. greater than two hundred fifty milligrams per liter;

P. Any waters or wastes containing more than three hundred milligrams per liter of suspended solids;

Q. Any wastes requiring an excessive quantity of chlorine or other chemical compound used for disinfection purposes;

R. Any water or wastes containing algaecides, fungicides, antibiotics, insecticides, herbicides, strong oxidizing agents, or strong reducing agents;

S. Any wastewater containing substances that may precipitate, solidify, or become viscous at temperatures between forty degrees Fahrenheit and one hundred degrees Fahrenheit;

T. A slug load or any waste stream that has a flow rate or contains a concentration or quantity of pollutants that exceeds for any time period longer than fifteen minutes more than five times the average twenty-four hour flow rate, concentration or quantity during normal operation;

U. Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the engineer or applicable state or federal regulations.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged to the public sewer any substances, materials, waters or wastes if it appears likely, in the opinion of the engineer or inspector, that such wastes may harm either the sewers, sewage treatment process, or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or that may otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. In forming his opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the engineer or inspector 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, degree of treatability of wastes in the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The engineer shall reserve the right to limit any discharger or the discharge of any constituent to the sewage system which causes or has the potential to cause a violation of regulations enforced by state, federal, or other public agencies of jurisdiction.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

The value of B.O.D. to be used in determining the strength of industrial wastes or domestic sewage shall be the average of at least four grab samples taken at reasonable intervals.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

A. If any waters or wastes are discharged, or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in this chapter, and which in the judgment of the engineer may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment, or receiving waters, or which otherwise may create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the engineer may:

1. Reject the wastes;

2. Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition (which shall at a minimum comply with 40 CFR 403.6, or more stringent limits, if determined by the city) for discharge to the public sewers;

3. Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and/or

4. Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastes not covered by existing taxes or sewer charges.

B. If the engineer permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review, inspection and approval of the engineer, and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances and laws.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

Where preliminary treatment of flow-equalizing facilities are provided for any water or waste, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner, at his expense.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

Backwash water from swimming pool filters shall be connected to and discharged into a public sewer by an approved connection, including a required air gap separation.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

It is unlawful for any person to drain or empty or cause to be drained, or emptied any swimming pool onto any public right-of-way, including but not limited to streets and alleys.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

It is unlawful for any person to drain or empty or cause to be drained or emptied any swimming pool into any public sewer without first obtaining prior approval and a permit from the engineer.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

It is unlawful for any person to discharge or cause to be discharged into any storm drain or stormwater channel or natural watercourse, whether currently carrying water or not, or into any pipe or waterway leading to such drain, channel, or watercourse, any solid or fluid material which may impair the useful functioning of such drain, channel, or watercourse, or which may cause expense to the city, or other public agency, in maintaining the proper functioning of same, or which may cause public nuisance or public hazard or which may cause contamination of natural surface or subsurface waters.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

It is unlawful for any person to deposit or discharge or cause to be deposited or discharged into any sump which is not impermeable or into any pit or well, or onto the ground, or into any storm drain or watercourse, any material which by seeping underground or by being leached or by reacting with the soil may cause such alterations of usable underground waters to be detrimental and as to be beyond the range of the effects of ordinary nonindustrial land uses on underground waters into which such wastes may seep.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

Any water added for the purpose of diluting wastes which would otherwise exceed applicable maximum concentration limitations will not be allowed.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

A. Protection Measures. Each user will ensure that the wastewater treatment plant is protected from accidental discharge of prohibited materials, other substances regulated by this chapter, or other "problem" discharges, including slug loadings. Such protection shall be provided and maintained by the user at the owner's or user's own cost and expense. Detailed plans showing protection shall be submitted to the city for review and shall be approved by the city before construction of the facility. All existing users shall complete such a plan within twelve months of the date that these ordinances become effective. No user who commences contribution to the wastewater treatment plant after the effective date of these amendments to this chapter shall be permitted to introduce pollutant(s) into the system until accidental discharge procedures have been approved by the city. Review and approval of such plans and operation procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify the user's facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter. In the case of an accidental discharge, it is the responsibility of the user to immediately telephone and notify the wastewater treatment plant of the incident. The notification shall include location of discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume and corrective actions. Any fines or penalties incurred by the city as a result of an accidental discharge shall be assessed against the accidental discharger.

B. Written Notice. Within five days following an accidental discharge, the user shall submit to the city engineer 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 wastewater treatment plant, 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 chapter or other applicable law.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).

All potential dischargers, as determined by the city, may be required to have an annually updated discharge survey report on file with the city. The discharge survey report may include, but not be limited to, the nature of the user's business, production quantities, hours of operation, number and classification of employees, or other information which relates to the user's operation, including wastewater discharge. Such reports may also include the chemical constituents and quantity of liquid or gaseous materials stored on site even though they are not normally discharged. Industrial users may be subject to additional applicable reporting requirements under Section 13.44.090 of this title.

(Ord. 1153 §3 (Att. B (part)), 2006).