Lancaster Municipal Code Art. 8 Discharge to Public Sewers

The provisions of this article of this chapter shall pertain to the disposal of industrial waste to the public sewer only.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. A person shall obtain a permit from the director prior to the discharge of industrial waste to a public sewer.

B. The director shall not grant such a permit unless he finds that sufficient capacity exists in the public sewer to allow for such industrial waste, as determined by the requirements of Section 13.08.050.

C. A separate permit shall be required for each connection discharging industrial wastes to the public sewer.

D. For the purpose of this chapter, discharges resulting from garbage grinders powered by motors of one horsepower or less, and grease interceptors installed in restaurants in accordance with the provisions of the Los Angeles County Plumbing Code prior to July 1, 2008 or the city of Lancaster Plumbing Code thereafter where such facilities are not required by other provisions of this chapter, are not considered to be industrial waste discharges.

E. A person shall obtain a permit from the director to maintain an existing but non-used industrial waste connection to the public sewer. The annual inspection fee for such permit shall be as established by resolution of the city council. The connection shall be removed upon the expiration or revocation of such permit pursuant to the criteria established by Section 13.08.630.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A. The director shall provide printed application forms for the permit required by this article, indicating thereon the information to be furnished by the applicant. In conjunction therewith, the applicant may be required to furnish the following:

1. The name and address of the applicant;

2. The name and address of the discharger;

3. The address or location of the premises where the discharge will take place;

4. The North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) classification designation (formerly the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC)) of the discharger;

5. Information with respect to constituents and characteristics of wastewater proposed to be discharged, including but not limited to those referred to in this Part 3. Sampling and analysis shall be performed in accordance with procedures established by the EPA pursuant to Section 304(g) of the Act and contained in 40 CFR, Part 136, as amended, and by laboratories certified by the state of California. In the absence of a state certification process, the director may certify a laboratory to perform necessary sampling and analysis;

6. Time and duration of the proposed discharge or discharges;

7. Average daily and five-minute peak wastewater flow rates, including daily, monthly and seasonal variation, if any;

8. Each byproduct waste of the discharges by type, amount and rate of production;

9. Site plans, floor plans, mechanical and plumbing plans and details to show all sewers, storm drains, connections and appurtenances by their size, location and elevation;

10. Description of activities, facilities and plant processes on the applicant's premises, including all pollutants which could be discharged;

11. Detailed plans showing pretreatment facilities, sampling facilities, uncontrolled discharge containment facilities, and operating procedures;

12. Identification of the nature and concentration of any pollutant located at the premises of the discharger (and/or applicant if different) if that pollutant is prohibited from discharge under this Part 3, or any proposed discharge which is regulated by any applicable local limit, plus a statement specifying whether the specific limitations set forth in said local limits are being met, and, if not, what operation and maintenance (O&M) or pretreatment is proposed by the discharger to cause compliance;

13. The shortest time scheduled by which the discharger shall provide the necessary additional pretreatment or O&M, if additional pretreatment or O&M will be required to meet the regulations in this Division 2. Any completion date in such a proposed schedule shall not be later than the compliance date established by the applicable regulations. The schedule shall provide for reporting increments in progress in the form of dates for commencement and completion of major events leading to the construction and operation of additional pretreatment necessary for the discharger to meet the applicable regulation (e.g., hiring an engineer, completing preliminary and final plans, executing contract for major components, commencing construction, completing construction);

14. Each product of the discharger by type, amount, and rate of production;

15. Type and amount of raw materials processed by the discharger (average and maximum per day);

16. Number of employees, hours of operation of plant, and hours of operation of the proposed pretreatment system;

17. Copies of any current NPDES permit, Antelope Valley Air Quality Management District permit, Regional Water Quality Control Board permit, fire department business plan, health department license and State Department of Public Health permit for the subject premises;

18. The name, business address and motor vehicle driver's license number of the authorized representative;

19. Any other information deemed by the director to be necessary to evaluate the permit application.

The application shall be signed under penalty of perjury by the authorized representative of the discharger.

B. For the purpose of this chapter, the director may utilize joint permit application forms under agreements established with other public agencies as provided in Section 13.07.320.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

If it appears from the application and supporting information submitted for any permit required by this chapter that the proposed disposal complies with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable laws and ordinances, the director, upon receipt of the fees hereinafter required, shall issue such permit.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Before granting an industrial waste disposal permit to any applicant, the director shall determine either that the waste is one which will not damage or destroy the public sewer, or cause an unwarranted increase in the cost of maintenance of the public sewer, or retard or inhibit the treatment of the sewage, or is one that can be made acceptable by pretreatment.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

In event pretreatment or special facilities are required to make the waste acceptable as provided under the provisions of this chapter the applicant for an industrial waste disposal permit may be required to furnish plans showing the method of collections and pretreatment proposed to be used, and a permit shall not be issued until said plans or required modification thereof have been checked and approved by the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

By following the procedure set forth in Article 6 of this chapter, the director may recommend the revocation of and the council may revoke any permit if, after a public hearing, if a public hearing is requested, or otherwise, after due investigation, the council finds:

A. A failure of the permittee to correct conditions as required by the director; or

B. Conditions which would justify the denial of a permit; or

C. Fraud or deceit was employed in obtaining the permit; or

D. Any other violation of this article or of any conditions of any permit including the one to be revoked, license or exception granted hereunder.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

At least annually, the director shall provide public notification, in the largest daily newspaper published in the municipality in which a POTW is located, of industrial users of the POTW which, during the previous twelve (12) months, were significantly violating applicable pretreatment standards or other pretreatment requirements, as provided in 40 CFR 403.8. The director need not provide such notification if a notice meeting all applicable EPA requirements has been published by the POTW operator. The cost of such public notification shall be collected by the director from the discharger causing such violation and/or notification.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

If a permit is revoked, the director may disconnect from the public sewer any industrial connection sewer which was connected pursuant to such permit.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

The director may establish uniform minimum standards and criteria for the application of such standards for pretreatment of specific industrial waste discharges. The provision of this chapter shall not prohibit the director from requiring additional pretreatment to accomplish the objective of Section 13.08.695.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

The director may authorize the installation of a rainwater diversion system in lieu of roofing to prevent the discharge of stormwaters to the sewer system where roofing is impractical, in conflict with existing laws or regulations, may create a hazardous or unsafe working condition, or may cause undue hardship on the applicant, providing the director finds that:

A. The applicant has applied for an industrial waste disposal permit and has submitted all plans and specifications of the proposed system;

B. The system provides for continuous twenty-four (24)-hour protection to the public sewer system;

C. The system meets minimum operational and component standards as may be established pursuant to Section 13.08.720; and

D. Pollution of underground or surface waters, nor damage to any streets, gutters, storm drains, channels or any public or private property will not be caused by the diverted storm flows.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A person shall not place, throw or deposit, or cause or permit to be placed, thrown or deposited in any public sewer or main-line sewer any dead animal, offal, or garbage, fish, fruit or vegetable waste, or other solid matters, or materials or obstructions of any kind whatever of such nature as shall clog, obstruct or fill such sewer, or which shall interfere with or prevent the effective use or operation thereof. A person shall not cause or permit to be deposited or discharged into any such sewer any water or sewage, or liquid waste of any kind containing chemicals, greases, oils, fats, tars or other matters in solution or suspension, which may clog, obstruct or fill the same, or which may in any way damage or interfere with or prevent the effective use thereof, or which may necessitate or require frequent repair, cleaning out or flushing of such sewer to render the same operative, or which may obstruct or cause an unwarranted increase in the cost of treatment of the sewage, or which may introduce into a POTW any pollutant(s) which cause pass through or interference. Stormwater runoff shall not be discharged into a sanitary sewer.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Upon the promulgation of mandatory NCPS for any industrial subcategory, the NCPS, if more restrictive than limitations imposed by this division, shall apply. The director may impose a phased compliance schedule to insure that affected industries meet the NCPS. Failure to meet the phased compliance schedule may result in permit suspension or revocation. Those dischargers subject to NCPS shall comply with all reporting requirements in accordance with the General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution (Chapter 40, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 403). Facilities subject to this division and regulated by joint permits issued in conjunction with other agencies pursuant to 13.07.320 may meet the requirements of this chapter as set forth in such joint permit and by furnishing such evidence of compliance as may be required by the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

No person shall introduce or cause to be introduced wastewater to the sewer system or a POTW that exceeds specific local limits which have been developed by the receiving POTW. Said local limits shall not apply where more restrictive limitations are imposed by permit or National Categorical Pretreatment Standards.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

All toxic chemical substances shall be retained or rendered acceptable before discharge into the public sewer.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

No person shall discharge acids or alkali materials into the public sewer until the pH has been controlled to a level not less than 6.0 nor at or higher than a level which the director finds excessive. No discharge shall have any corrosive or detrimental characteristics that may cause injury to wastewater treatment, inspection or maintenance personnel or may cause damage to structures, equipment or other physical facilities of the public sewer system.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

A person shall not discharge into the public sewer effluent exceeding a temperature of one hundred forty (140) degrees Fahrenheit or which will exceed one hundred four (104) degrees Fahrenheit at the point of entry into the POTW treatment plant.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

No uncontaminated cooling water shall be discharged into a public sanitary sewer.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Recycled water discharge from recycled water systems may be discharged into the public sewer system upon approval of the director. Fire hydrant flushing water may be discharged into the sewer system upon approval of the director.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)

Garbage resulting from the preparation of food may be discharged into the public sewer (but not into a STEP sewer system unless as septic tank effluent) if ground to a fineness sufficient to pass through a three-eighths-inch screen. Excessive or unnecessarily large quantities of water shall not be used to flush ground garbage into the sewer.

(Ord. No. 910, § 1 (Exh. A), 1-13-09)