Goleta Municipal Code Ch. 13.03 Discharge into City Sanitation Treatment System

The purpose of this chapter is to prevent waste discharge from adversely affecting the City’s sewer system, the operation of the City’s treatment facilities or the quality of the effluent from the treatment plant, through regulations and control of the quality of wastes received by the sewer system. As used herein, the term “City sewer system” includes any sewer system to which the City or its residents utilize whether owned and operated by the City or not.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

This chapter is adopted pursuant to provisions of Article XI, Section 7 of the Constitution.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

The Community Services Director shall administer and implement the provisions of this chapter. Any powers granted to or duties imposed upon the Director may be delegated to persons acting in the beneficial interest of or in the employ of the City. The Director may issue such rules and regulations as are necessary for the proper and ordinary administration of this chapter.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

A.

Backflow Prevention Device.

A backwater valve or other device approved for use by the Uniform Plumbing Code used to prevent reverse flow.

B.

Brine Waste.

A concentrated solution of dissolved solids which may be produced as a result of regeneration of a water softener exchange bed that has been used to soften water.

C.

City.

City of Goleta.

D.

City’s Sewer System.

All City’s facilities required for the conveyance of wastes to the City’s treatment facility, whether owned or operated by the City.

E.

City Treatment Facilities.

Any works, equipment or structure utilized by the City in the physical, chemical or biological treatment of waste prior to final disposal.

F.

Director.

The Community Services Director or duly authorized representative.

G.

Discharge.

To place or cause to be placed in the City’s sewer system.

H.

Pretreatment Facility.

Any works, equipment or structure employed by the user for the physical, chemical or biological treatment or flow limitation of waste prior to its discharge into the City’s sewer system.

I.

Properly Shredded Garbage.

Solid waste derived from domestic, commercial or industrial preparation, cooking and dispensing of food which has been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in the City’s sewer system.

J.

Protective Facilities.

Any works, equipment or structure required to insure that industrial waste does not have a deleterious effect on the receiving waters, the City’s sewer system or treatment facilities (1) including physical, chemical and biological treatment prior to discharge to the City’s sewer system, (2) storage to contain accidental spillage or eliminate sludge flows, and (3) all other facilities for the proper management of industrial wastes.

K.

Receiving Waters.

Those waters (including groundwater) to which effluent or its constituents, in total or in part, are ultimately returned after having passed through the City’s sewer system and treatment facility.

L.

Recycled Water.

Water which, as a result of treatment of waste, is suitable for direct beneficial use or a controlled use that would not otherwise occur and is therefore considered a valuable resource.

M.

Strong Concentrations.

Any material not specifically mentioned in this chapter which is of sufficient concentration to result in deleterious effects on the City’s sewer system or the receiving waters.

N.

Unusual Strength or Character Waste.

Waste treatable by the City using processes designed for domestic waste but exhibiting higher concentrations of specific constituents such as chemical oxygen demands, biochemical oxygen demand and suspended solids.

O.

User.

Any person that discharges, causes or permits the discharge of waste into the City’s sewer system.

P.

Waste.

Any material discharged into the City’s sewer system.

Q.

Waste, Domestic.

The water derived from the ordinary living processes, free from industrial waste and of such character as to permit satisfactory discharge without special treatment into the City’s sewer system.

R.

Waste Constituents and Characteristics.

The individual chemical, physical, bacteriological and radiological parameters, including volume and flow rate and such other parameters, that serve to define, classify or measure the contents, quality, quantity and strength of waste.

S.

Waste, Industrial.

Any waste, as distinct from domestic waste, including but not limited to liquid, solid, gaseous and radioactive material resulting from any producing, manufacturing, processing of either a commercial or industrial operation of whatever nature, discharged in the City’s sewer system.

T.

Water-Softening System or Device.

Any apparatus which removes compounds of calcium and magnesium from the water supply.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly discharge any of the following described wastes into the sewer system of the City:

A. Any waste having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

B. Any waste which may contain more than 100 milligrams per liter of fat, oil or grease.

C. Mineral oils, greases or other products of petroleum origin.

D. Any flammable or explosive waste.

E. Any garbage which has not been properly shredded.

F. Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, and shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure, viscera or other solid or viscous substances capable of causing obstruction to the flow or undue maintenance of the City’s sewer system or other interference with the proper operation of the City’s treatment facility.

G. Any waste having pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 9.0 or waste having any other corrosive properties capable of causing damage or injury to the City’s sewer system or treatment facilities or City personnel.

H. Any waste containing algicides, fungicides, antibiotics, insecticides, strong concentrations of oxidizing agents or strong concentrations of reducing agents.

I. Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance either by itself or by interaction with other substances.

J. Any domestic or other wastes obtained from a septic tank or chemical toilet.

K. Any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage or uncontaminated process water.

L. Any waste which exhibits or causes discoloration differing from that of domestic usage.

M. Any waste containing in excess of any of the following:

0.2 mg/l arsenic,

0.2 mg/l cadmium,

0.5 mg/l copper,

1.0 mg/l cyanide,

1.0 mg/l lead,

0.01 mg/l mercury,

1.0 mg/l nickel,

0.2 mg/l silver,

0.5 mg/l total chromium, or

2.0 mg/l zinc.

N. Any waste containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or which cause the treatment plant effluent to fail to meet the discharge requirements established by the California State Water Resources Control Board, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board or any other state or regulatory agency.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. It shall be unlawful for any user to install any water-softening system or device which discharges brine waste into the ground, storm drain or the City’s sewer system, unless such ground discharge is to a facility which has been authorized or permitted by a federal, state or local public agency to accept the disposal of such brine waste.

B. It shall be unlawful for any user to use or maintain any water-softening system or device to treat any part of the water supply to any premises when such system or device is activated by a timing mechanism and operation results in the discharge of brine waste to the ground, storm drain or the City’s sewer system, unless such ground discharge is to a facility which has been authorized or permitted by a federal, state or local public agency to accept the disposal of such brine waste.

C. It shall be unlawful for any user to use or maintain any water-softening system or device when operation of such system or device results in the discharge of brine waste to the ground, storm drain or the City’s sewer system, unless such ground discharge is to a facility which has been authorized or permitted by a federal, state or local public agency to accept the disposal of such brine waste.

D. Any user operating a water-treating apparatus of any kind, including any water-softening system or device, shall make such apparatus accessible to the Director for inspections upon reasonable notice, and shall submit such reports, as the Director may require, relative to the apparatus and its operation and maintenance.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided by any user when, in the opinion of the City, it is necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts or any flammable wastes, sand or other waste harmful to the City’s sewer system or treatment facilities. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the City and shall be so located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

B. Grease and oil interceptors shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature and shall be of substantial construction and equipped with easily removable covers, which, when bolted in place, shall be gas-tight and water-tight. When installed, all grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by and at user’s expense, in continuously efficient operation.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. Connection to Main Sewer. The side sewer from the house to the main sewer must be constructed in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code and laid to a uniform grade of not less than one-quarter inch per lineal foot. Where the side sewer joins or connects to the main sewer, the connection shall be made with the use of a wye fitting.

B. Owner Responsibility. The owner of a property shall be responsible for ownership and maintenance of the side sewer (lateral sewer and building sewer) from the building connection to the public sewer line (sewer main) connection. The City is not responsible for damage caused by line breaks or leaks occurring to the property owner’s lateral sewer or building sewer. The property owner shall be responsible for construction of laterals and connections to the main sewer in the event no existing lateral or wye connection is available.

C. Installation of Backflow Prevention Device, Responsibility for Operation and Maintenance.

1. All new building side sewers including side sewer replacements shall be equipped with a cleanout riser fitted with a backflow prevention device of type and materials meeting Uniform Plumbing Code requirements.

2. Where existing buildings have plumbing drain outlets at an elevation that is one foot or less above the ground surface of the next upstream manhole or cleanout on the main sewer, the property owner shall install a backflow prevention device. The device shall be installed on the building side sewer at the location and of the type and materials meeting Uniform Plumbing Code requirements.

3. The responsibility for the ownership, operation, and maintenance of the backflow prevention device and its appurtenant fittings shall be that of the property owner.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

The City may require that any industrial waste user file a periodic discharge report. The discharge report may be required to include, but shall not be limited to, nature of process, volume, rates of flow, mass emission rate, production quantities, hours of operation, number and classification of employees or other information which relates to the generation of waste including waste constituents and characteristics. Such reports may also include the chemical constituents and quantity of liquid or gaseous materials stored on site even though they may not normally be discharged. In addition to discharge reports, the City may require information in the form of waste discharge permit applications and self-monitoring reports.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. Permit Requirement. Any industrial waste user (1) who has a discharge flow in excess of 50,000 gallons per average day or (2) who has a discharge flow in excess of five percent of the City’s treatment facility or (3) who has in his or her discharge toxic pollutants in amounts in excess of the standards established by Section 307(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, PL 92-500 and any amendments, guidelines, rules or regulations adopted thereunder, or (4) who is found by the City to have a significant impact on the City’s sewer system or treatment facilities, whether singly or in combination with other industrial waste users, or (5) who discharges waste with a five-day 20 degree centigrade biochemical oxygen demand greater than 250 milligrams per liter or (6) who discharges waste containing more than 250 milligrams per liter of suspended solids or (7) who discharges waste containing any substances having the prohibited characteristics described in Section 13.03.050, may be required by the City to obtain a waste discharge permit and provide protective facilities, including but not limited to pretreatment facilities, before discharging any waste in the City’s sewer system.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly fail to obtain a waste discharge permit when such is required.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. Plans, specifications and other pertinent information relating to proposed protective facilities (including pretreatment facilities) shall be submitted for review by the City and any other public agency which may have jurisdiction, prior to the construction. Where protective or pretreatment facilities are provided for any waste, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation, without expense to the City. Submission of plans for review by the City will not relieve such person of his or her expense or providing additional facilities should those installed prove to be inadequate or incapable of meeting requirements for discharging established by the City.

1. In special cases, the Director may require construction of sewer lines by the discharger to convey certain industrial wastes to a specific City sewer. All pretreatment systems or protective facilities determined by the Director to require engineering design shall have plans prepared and signed by an engineer of suitable discipline licensed in the state.

2. A gravity separation interceptor, equalizing tank, neutralization chamber and control manhole may be required by the City to remove prohibited settleable and floatable solids, to equalize waste streams varying greatly in quantity and/or quality, to neutralize low or high pH flows and to facilitate inspection, flow measurement and sampling. Floor drains from commercial or manufacturing buildings, warehouses or multi-use structures shall not discharge directly to the sewer, but shall first discharge to a gravity separation interceptor.

B. Any user may be required by the City to provide protection from accidental discharge or prohibited materials or other wastes discharged into the City sewer system. Retention basins, dikes, storage tanks or other facilities designed to eliminate, neutralize, offset or otherwise negate the effects of prohibited materials or wastes may be required by the City prior to the user’s discharge into the City’s sewer system.

Users shall notify the City immediately when accidental discharges of wastes in violation of this chapter occur so that countermeasures may be taken by the City to minimize damages to the sewer system, treatment plant, treatment processes and the receiving waters. Such notification will not relieve the user of liability for any expense, loss or damage to the sewer system, treatment plant or treatment process or for any fines imposed on the City on account thereof under Section 13350 of the California Water Code or for violation of Section 5650 of the California Fish and Game Code.

C. Within 15 days of the date of any accidental discharge, the user shall furnish to the City a detailed written statement describing the causes of the accidental discharge.

D. In order that any employees of a waste discharge permittee be more fully informed of City requirements, copies of this chapter shall be permanently posted on the premises of the waste discharge permittee together with such other industrial waste information and notices which may be furnished by the City from time to time directed toward more effective water pollution control.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

Any waste discharge permittee may be required by the City to install a control manhole to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessible and safely located, may be required to separate industrial waste from domestic waste until the industrial wastes have passed through any required protective facility or pretreatment system or device and shall be constructed in accordance with standardized plans approved by the City. The manhole shall be installed and maintained without expense to the City in a safe condition and accessible to City personnel at all reasonable times.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

The City may determine the volume of waste discharge for the purposes of user charges and fees based upon one of the following methods:

A. The total amount of water used from all sources including public or private, less that portion of such water diverted from the City’s sewer system for which the user presents to the City evidence satisfactory to the City of the amount of such diversion.

B. In the event that the user discharges materials that will increase the volume of discharge over and above the volume as determined by subsection A of this section, the City may require the user to meter the discharge.

C. In the event the volume of discharge is unable to be determined by measurement, the City shall prepare an estimate of the volume of discharge based upon such factors as numbers of fixtures, seating capacity, population equivalent, annual production of goods and/or services and such other determination of volume of waste discharged.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

All measurements, tests or analyses of the characteristics of waste to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with “Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Waste-Water,” 13th ed., published by the American Waterworks Association and later editions and amendments thereto or other methods acceptable to the City and shall be determined by suitable samples.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

The Director and other duly authorized employees of the City shall be permitted to enter all properties served by the City for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling and testing in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. Classification of Users. All users shall be classified by the City according to the principal activity conducted on the user’s premises and based on the typical waste constituents and characteristics for that type of user as determined by the City. The purpose of such classification is to facilitate the regulation of waste discharges based on waste constituents and characteristics to provide an effective means of source control and to establish a system of user charges and fees which will insure an equitable recovery of the City’s costs. Waste constituents and characteristics may include but not be limited to the following: volume, suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), oil and grease and chlorine demand.

B. Types of Charges and Fees. A user classification service charge may be adopted for each user category based upon the charges for the average waste constituents and characteristics for each user classification. The charges for each waste constituent and characteristics shall be established by the City. The City may adopt a schedule of service charges and fees which may include:

1. User classification charges.

2. Fees for monitoring.

3. Fees for permit applications.

4. Appeal fees.

5. Charges and fees based on waste constituents and characteristics to include industrial cost recovery provisions of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, PL 92-500, and amendments thereto.

6. Connection charges.

C. Determination of User Charges. Each user shall pay the applicable charge as established by the City for service charges, connection charges and other fees and methods of fee collection by the City. Should the Director determine a user is discharging waste which does not have levels of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids or other constituents comparable with domestic waste, the City shall establish a service charge for such a user which is based on that user’s proportional contribution to the total treatment works loading and the City’s operational and maintenance costs.

For any user, including but not limited to industrial or commercial users, the City may establish a service charge by use of the following user charge models:

1. Model No. 1. If the treatment works is primarily flow dependent or if the BOD, suspended solids and other wastes constituents and characteristics discharged by all users are approximately equal, then user charges can be developed on a volume basis in accordance with the model below:

2. Model No. 2. When BOD, COD, suspended solids, or other waste constituents and characteristics from a user exceed the range of concentration in normal domestic waste, a surcharge added to a base charge, calculated by means of Model No. 1 can be levied. The surcharge can be computed by the model below:

3. Model No. 3. This model is commonly called the “quantity/quality formula”:

The symbols used in the models are as defined below:

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

Special agreements and arrangements between the City and any persons or agencies may be established when in the opinion of the City unusual or extraordinary circumstances compel special terms and conditions.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

All decisions, interpretations or acts of the Director shall be subject to appeal to the City Council. Any person affected by such decision may, within 30 days after such decision is rendered, file with the City Clerk an appeal in writing protesting against such decision. The Council may, after a public hearing thereon, amend, overrule or approve the decision of the Director.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)

A. It is the policy of the City that recycled water be used wherever it is available in conformance with California Water Code Sections 13550 and 13551.

B. A person or public agency, as used in California Water Code Section 13551, shall not use water from any source of quality suitable for potable domestic use for nonpotable uses if suitable recycled water is available as provided in Section 13550.

C. The City shall review the facts and make a preliminary determination pursuant to California Water Code Section 13550 if a parcel or parcels of land are required to comply with subsection B of this section and establish a time schedule for compliance. A notice of that preliminary determination and a time schedule for compliance shall be sent to the owner of the parcel(s) using for this purpose, the last known name and address of such owners as shown upon the last assessment roll of the City. Any notice by the City under this section shall be deemed given when properly addressed and deposited into the United States mail with postage fully pre-paid or personally delivered to the owner. The owner may file a notice of objection which must be in writing, must specify the reasons for the objections and must be filed with the City within 20 days after it is given or mailed to the owner. The preliminary determination and time schedule for compliance shall be final if the owner does not file a timely objection. The City shall meet with the owner to attempt to resolve the objections. If the objections cannot be resolved to the mutual satisfaction of the City and owner, the City shall give the owner a final determination and make a request pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 648) of Chapter 1.5 of Division 3 of Title 23 of the California Code of Regulations that the State Water Resources Control Board, Regional Water Quality Control Board and any other appropriate agencies conduct a hearing to determine if the parcel or parcels must use recycled water pursuant to Water Code Sections 13550 and 13551.

(Ord. 02-01 § 1)