Fresno County Municipal Code Ch. 14.13 Regulation of Wastewater Discharges in County of Fresno Wastewater…

The board of supervisors of the county of Fresno, hereinafter referred to as the county, finds and declares that it is necessary to establish regulations, governing the discharge of wastewater into wastewater treatment facilities operated by the county. The purpose of these regulations shall be to protect the health and safety of the citizens of the county, to assure compliance with applicable portions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), to regulate the discharge requirements as set by Regional Water Quality Control Board (Central Valley Region) and to regulate the quantity and quality of the wastewater discharged into the county systems.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

A. "County" means the county of Fresno which includes its designated representatives.

B. "Connection" means the physical attachment of a building, fixture, plumbing system, trap or any other facility discharging wastewater into a county wastewater collection or treatment system.

C. "Director" means the director of the public works and development services department.

D. "Discharger" means any person who discharges, causes, or permits the discharge of wastewater into the county's wastewater collection or treatment system.

E. "Grease, fat, and oil" means any material, or like material, that is soluble in petroleum ether.

F. "Interceptor (clarifier)" means a device designed and installed so as to separate and retain deleterious, hazardous, or undesirable matter from normal wastes and permit normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal by gravity (UPC 1988).

G. "Sewage" (wastewater) means a combination of wastes and water, whether treated or untreated, from residences, commercial buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with such ground, surface and storm waters as may be present which are discharged into or permitted to enter a county sewer.

H. "Sewer" means a pipe or conduit for holding and carrying wastewater, including the manholes and all other appurtenant facilities which are necessary or convenient to the holding or carrying of wastewater.

I. "Stormwater" means water that shall not be discharged into the county sewers and shall include, but are not limited to rainwater, street drainage, roof drainage, or yard drainage.

J. "Trap" means a fitting or device so designed and constructed as to provide, when properly vented, a liquid seal which will prevent the back passage of air without materially affecting the flow of sewage or wastewater through it.

K. "User" means any person connected to and using a county operated wastewater treatment facility.

L. "Wastewater" means the same as sewage (see subsection G of this section).

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

No person shall discharge to a public sewer of the county, wastes which cause, threaten to cause, or are capable of casing either alone or by interaction with other substances, the following effects:

A. A fire or explosion;

B. Obstruction of flow in a sewer system, injury to the system or damage to the wastewater collection treatment or disposal facilities;

C. Risk of danger to life or threat to the safety of personnel;

D. A nuisance, or prevention of the effective maintenance or operation of the sewer system, through having a strong, unpleasant odor;

E. Air pollution by the release of toxic or malodorous gases or malodorous gas-producing substances;

F. Interference with the wastewater treatment process;

G. The county's facility effluent, or any other treatment process product, such as residues, sludges, or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation and/or reuse;

H. A detrimental environmental impact or a nuisance in the waters of the state of California or a condition unacceptable to any public agency having regulatory jurisdiction over the agency; discoloration or any other condition in the quality of the county's facility effluent in which "receiving" water quality requirements established by law cannot be met;

I. Conditions at or near the treatment facility which violate any statute or any rule, regulation, or ordinance of any public agency or state or federal regulatory body;

J. Quantities or rates of flow which overload collection or treatment facilities or cause excessive collection or treatment costs.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

Stormwater, groundwater, rainwater, water well development water, street drainage, subsurface drainage, irrigation drainage, or yard drainage shall not be discharged through direct or indirect connections to a county community sewer unless authorized by the county. The county may authorize the discharge of such water only when, in the sole opinion of the county, no reasonable alternative method of disposal is available, and may require cessation of such discharge if found to be existing. If authorization is given for the discharge of such water into a county community sewer, the discharger shall pay the applicable user charges and fees and meet such other conditions as may be required.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

There shall be no discharge of holding tank waste into a community sewer.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

Interceptors for grease, oil, and sand shall be provided when, in the opinion of the county, they are necessary for the protection of the sewage system from liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, any flammable wastes, sand, or other harmful ingredients. Such interceptors shall be required on discharge from all service stations, restaurants, automotive repair garages, and dry cleaning establishments, as well as on other facilities that the county may designate. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the county and shall be so located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. Interceptors described herein shall not be required for buildings used solely for residential purposes.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

Grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of a construction that is water tight, and equipped with easily removable covers which, when bolted in place, shall be impervious to gas and water.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

When installed, all grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at his expense, in continually efficient operation at all times.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

A. In any instance, effluent limitations designated by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act shall apply when they are more stringent than those in this chapter. Under Section 307(b) of the Act, federal pretreatment standards are designed to achieve two purposes:

1. To protect the operation of publicly owned treatment works; and

2. To prevent the discharge of pollutants which pass through such works inadequately treated.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

The officers, employees and inspectors of the public works and development services department shall have the right to enter upon the premises of any person connected to a public sewer operated by the county, at reasonable hours to inspect and to determine whether this chapter is being violated.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

A. The director is charged with the duty of enforcing this chapter. The provisions of this chapter shall be applicable to any building, structure or property connected to the county-operated sewer system, whether the same is owned, operated or controlled by a private party or by a public or quasi-public agency, corporation or association, other than the county.

B. Whenever the director finds that a discharge of wastewater has been taking place in violation of any prohibition or limitations prescribed in this chapter or any of the county, state or federal effluent limitations, he shall serve a written notice upon such person. This notice will require the submission, for his approval, of a detailed time schedule of specific action which the user is required to take in order to prevent or correct such violation. Any failure to comply with such an approved time schedule or sampling and analysis, shall likewise be deemed a violation of this chapter.

C. If a violation is not corrected by timely compliance, the director may order any user to show cause why service should not be terminated.

D. It is declared to be a policy of the county that any user of wastewater treatment facilities operated by the county who violates any provision of this ordinance may have, upon due process, service disconnected from the sewer system.

E. If a user violates the discharge prohibitions of this chapter, and does not comply with subsection B of this section or an order pursuant to subsection C of this section, then a notice of termination shall be forwarded by registered mail (return receipt requested), certified mail or personal service to the owner(s) of record of the property.

F. The director shall approve reconnection to the sewer system operated by the county upon proof of the elimination of the non-complying discharge. Reinstatement of sewer service shall be in accordance with guidelines established by the director.

G. Any user who is found to have violated an order of the director or who willfully or negligently fails to comply with any provisions of this chapter or the orders, rules, or regulations hereunder, shall be fined not more than six thousand dollars for each offense (California Government Code, Section 54740). Each day on which a violation may occur or continue shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense. The county may petition the Superior Court to impose, assess, and recover a fine or to issue a preliminary or permanent injunction, or a combination thereof, as may be appropriate in restraining the continuance of such violation.

H. All costs, including overhead incurred for labor, sampling, laboratory analysis, and equipment, as a result of a user failing to comply with any provision of this chapter, shall be reimbursed to the county by that user.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)

Minimum standards of the design and construction of sewers shall be in accordance with Chapter 15.20 of the Fresno County Ordinance Code.

(Ord. 91-037, § 1)