La Palma Municipal Code Div. 5 Monitoring, Reporting, Notification and Inspection Requirements

(a) Monitoring and reporting requirements.

(1) The FOG Control Program Manager may require periodic reporting of the status of implementation of best management practices, in accordance with the FOG control program.

(2) The FOG Control Program Manager may require visual monitoring to observe the actual conditions of the sewer lateral from the food service establishment and sewer lines downstream.

(3) The FOG Control Program Manager may require reports on self-monitoring of wastewater constituents and FOG characteristics needed for determining compliance with any conditions or requirements specified in the FOG wastewater discharge permit or this article. Monitoring reports shall be in a manner and form approved by the FOG Control Program Manager and shall be submitted upon request of the FOG Control Program Manager. Failure by the permittee to perform any required monitoring and/or to submit monitoring reports constitutes a violation of this article and shall be cause for the City to initiate all necessary tasks and analyses to determine the wastewater constituents and FOG characteristics on behalf of the permittee. The permittee shall be responsible for any and all expenses of the City in undertaking such monitoring analyses and preparation of reports.

(4) Other reports may be required such as compliance schedule progress reports, FOG control monitoring reports, and any other reports deemed reasonably appropriate by the FOG Control Program Manager to ensure compliance with this article.

(b) Recordkeeping requirements. The permittee shall be required to keep all manifests, receipts, and invoices of all cleaning, maintenance, and grease removal activities for not less than two years. Such documents shall include the name, address, and contact information of the disposal carrier and disposal site location. The permittee shall, upon request, make the manifests, receipts, and invoices available to any City representative or inspector. These records shall include:

(1) A logbook of grease interceptor, grease trap, or grease control device cleaning and maintenance practices;

(2) A record of best management practices being implemented, including employee training;

(3) Copies of records and manifests of waste hauling interceptor contents;

(4) Records of sampling data and sludge height monitoring for FOG and solids accumulation in the grease interceptors; and

(5) Any other information required to ensure compliance with this article.

(c) Falsifying information or tampering with process. It shall be unlawful to make any false statement, representation, record, report, plan, or other document that is filed with the City, or to tamper with or knowingly render inoperable any grease control device, monitoring device, or method or access point required under this article.

(Ord. No. 2022-13, § 1, 12-13-2022)

(a) The FOG Control Program Manager may inspect and sample the wastewater discharges of any discharger to determine compliance with this article. The permittee shall allow the City access to the discharge establishment's premises, during normal business hours, for purposes of inspecting grease control devices or interceptors and reviewing the manifests, receipts, and invoices relating to the cleaning, maintenance, and inspection of the grease control devices or interceptors.

(b) The FOG Control Program Manager shall have the right to place or order the placement of such devices as are necessary to conduct sampling or metering operations. Where a discharge establishment has security measures in force, the permittee shall make necessary arrangements so that representatives of the City shall be permitted to enter without delay for the purpose of performing their specific responsibilities.

(c) The permittee shall make available for inspection and copying by the City all notices, monitoring reports, waste manifests, and records related to wastewater generation and wastewater disposal without restriction but subject to the confidentiality provisions set forth in this article. Records will be retained for no less than two years.

(Ord. No. 2022-13, § 1, 12-13-2022)

Persons or occupants of a permitted discharge establishment shall allow the FOG Control Program Manager reasonable access to all parts of the wastewater generating and disposal facilities for the purposes of inspection and sampling during all times the facility is open, operating, or any other reasonable time. No person shall interfere with, delay, resist, or refuse entrance to City representatives attempting to inspect any facility involved directly or indirectly with a discharge of wastewater to the City's sewer system.

(Ord. No. 2022-13, § 1, 12-13-2022)

(a) In the event a permittee is unable to comply with any permit condition due to a breakdown of equipment, accident, or human error, or the permittee has reasonable opportunity to know that a discharge will exceed the discharge provisions of the FOG wastewater discharge permit or this article, the permittee shall immediately notify the City in person or by telephone at the number specified in the permit. If the material discharged to the sewer has the potential to cause or result in sewer blockages or sanitary sewer overflows, the discharger shall immediately notify the local health department and the City. The discharge establishment shall cease all operations and services until the City inspects and clears the facility.

(b) Confirmation of this notification shall be made in writing to the FOG Control Program Manager at the address specified in the permit no later than five working days from the date of the incident. The written notification shall state the date of the incident, the reasons for the discharge or spill, what steps were taken to immediately correct the problem, and what steps are being taken to prevent the problem from recurring.

(c) Such notification shall not relieve the permittee of any expense, loss, damage, or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage or loss to the City or any other damage or loss to person or property; nor shall such notification relieve the permittee of any fees or other liability which may be imposed by this article or other applicable law.

(Ord. No. 2022-13, § 1, 12-13-2022)