Article IV — REQUIREMENTS — Porterville Municipal Code

INTO CITY SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM

SECTION:

25-59: Definitions

25-60: Permissible Sewage Discharges And Requirements

25-61: Prohibited Sewage Discharge

25-62: Industrial Wastes Discharges

25-63: Violation Of Article

25-59: DEFINITIONS:

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

BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (BOD5): The quantity of oxygen, expressed in milligrams per liter, utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory conditions for five (5) days at a temperature of twenty degrees Celsius (20°C).

CITY: The city of Porterville.

MANHOLE: A hole through which a person may go to gain access to an underground or enclosed structure.

pH: The logarithm (base 10) of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration expressed in moles per liter.

STANDARD METHODS: The examination and analytical procedures set forth in the most recent edition of "Standard Methods For The Examination Of Water And Wastewater", published jointly by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation.

SUSPENDED SOLIDS: Solids that are in suspension in water, sewage, or industrial waste, and which are removable by a laboratory filtration device and retained on a glass fiber filter with a nominal pore size of 1.5 µm and dried at one hundred three (103) to one hundred five degrees Celsius (105°C) to a constant weight in accordance with the procedure set forth in standard methods. (Ord. 1047 § 1, 11-6-1973; Ord. 1636 § A, 7-1-2003)

25-60: PERMISSIBLE SEWAGE DISCHARGES AND REQUIREMENTS:

A. Normal sewage discharges shall consist of waters or wastes having the following:

Suspended solids content not in excess of one hundred seventy five milligrams per liter (175 mg/l); and
BOD5 not in excess of two hundred fifty milligrams per liter (250 mg/l).

Sewage discharges exceeding any of the limits as set forth herein for normal sewage discharges shall be classified as industrial wastes, and may be subject to article V of this chapter.

B. Water which has been used as a cooling medium in any cooler, appliance, device or other apparatus, may be discharged directly or indirectly into the city sanitary sewer system, provided, however, that such discharge is not in excess of fifteen percent (15%) of intake water.

C. Swimming pools may discharge into the city sanitary sewer system.

D. Any person proposing to discharge industrial wastes into the city sanitary sewer system shall first obtain a permit for nonresidential wastewater discharge from the city. Application for such permit shall be made in writing to the city and shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:

Name and address of applicant.
Location of connection or proposed connection with the city sanitary sewer system.

Estimated gallons of wastes proposed to be discharged and a statement as to approximate time of discharging same, together with information as to peak loads, and such other similar data as the city may require.
1. Statement of the character of the waste proposed to be discharged, including such detail in connection therewith as the city engineer may require. The city engineer may, at his discretion, require that an applicant for an industrial waste permit file a bond in an amount deemed adequate by the city engineer to indemnify the city and any other person against all loss, expense, or damage which may result from or arise out of the granting of the permit and the discharge of industrial wastes into the city sanitary sewer system. The city engineer may require the bond as a condition precedent to the issuance of an industrial waste permit or at any time after a permit is granted.

E. No person shall be permitted to maintain or use any facility or connection to the city sanitary sewer system which is in violation of this article, and any such facility or connection in existence at the time of the effective date hereof shall be immediately corrected or disconnected from the city sanitary sewer system. (Ord. 1047 § 1, 11-6-1973; Ord. 1636 § A, 7-1-2003)

25-61: PROHIBITED SEWAGE DISCHARGE:

No person, firm or corporation shall discharge or cause to be discharged into the city sanitary sewer system any of the following:

A – D. Reserved.

E. Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit (150°F) or sixty five degrees Celsius (65°C).

F. Any waters or wastes containing emulsified oil and grease exceeding fifty milligrams per liter (50 mg/l). In addition, disposal of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil or products of mineral oil origin which may cause interference or pass through is prohibited.

G. Any waters or wastes which contain grease or oil or other substance which will become discernibly viscous at temperatures between thirty two degrees (32°) and one hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit (150°F).

H. Any radioactive isotopes having a half life of more than one hundred (100) days.

I. Any noxious or malodorous gas such as hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide or nitrous oxide or other substance which either singly or by interaction with other wastes, is capable of creating a public nuisance or hazard to life or of preventing entry into sewers for their maintenance and repair.

J. Any household garbage that has not been properly comminuted or triturated. All ground garbage shall be capable of passing through a one-half inch (1/2") mesh screen before being introduced into the city sanitary sewer system.

K. Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, lime slurry, lime residues, beer or distillery slops, chemical residues, paint residues, unscreened cannery waste, bulk solids, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing an obstruction to flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the city sanitary sewer system.

L. Any waters of nonsewage or nonindustrial waste origin, such as waters from water well developments, storm water, etc., except by special permission of the city.

All waters or wastes not meeting the applicable requirements of this section shall be pretreated to meet such requirements before such waters or wastes enter the city sanitary sewer system. Pretreatment shall be approved by the city. (Ord. 1047 § 1, 11-6-1973; Ord. 1636 § A, 7-1-2003)

25-62: INDUSTRIAL WASTES DISCHARGES:

A. All persons or corporations discharging industrial wastes into the city sanitary sewer system shall be subject to a surcharge, in addition to any other sewer service charges. The amount of surcharge shall reflect the cost incurred by the city in removing the excess BOD5 and suspended solids in the waste load. This surcharge will be determined as follows:

The excess pounds of BOD5 and suspended solids will be computed by multiplying the industrial wastes flow volume in million gallons per day by the constant 8.345, and then multiplying this product by the difference between the industrial wastes concentration of BOD5, and suspended solids and the aforementioned "normal" concentration in milligrams per liter. The surcharge for each constituent will then be determined by multiplying the excess pounds of each constituent by the rate of surcharge and by the number of days in the billing period.

The city may charge a surcharge fee for excess BOD and/or TSS at five (5) times the established rate to encourage pretreatment of waste discharges.

The rates of surcharge for BOD5 per pound and suspended solids per pound shall be established by resolution of the city council.

The rates of surcharge are to be reviewed periodically by the city in order to determine whether or not they are sufficient to defray the fixed charges, amortization costs, and annual cost of operation as determined from city records. However, failure of the city to so review, shall not invalidate any provision of this article and the fee established shall remain in effect until changed by resolution of the city council.

B. The volume of flow used for computing industrial waste surcharges shall be the metered water consumption as shown in the records of meter readings maintained by the city. If the person or corporation discharging industrial wastes into the city sanitary sewer system procures any part, or all, of his water from sources other than the city, the person or corporation shall install and maintain a water meter of a type approved by the city, for the purpose of determining the volume of water obtained from these other sources. Devices for measuring the volume of waste discharged may be required by the city if these volumes cannot be otherwise determined from the metered water consumption records. Metering devices for determining the volume of waste shall be installed, owned, and maintained by said person or corporation. Following approval and installation, such meters shall not be removed without the consent of the city.

C. Each person or corporation discharging industrial wastes into the city sanitary sewer system shall, when required by the city, construct and maintain one or more industrial waste monitoring manholes or access points to facilitate observation, measurement and sampling of wastes, including domestic sewage. Industrial waste monitoring manholes or access facilities shall be located and built in a manner acceptable to the city.

D. Industrial wastes discharged to the city shall be subject to periodic inspection and a determination of character and concentration of said wastes. Said inspections and determination shall be made as often as may be determined necessary by the city.

E. Industrial waste surcharges provided for in this article shall be included as a separate item on the regular bill for sewer charges or sent as a separate bill.

For sewer surcharge bills that remain unpaid at the due date for the payment of said bills, there shall be added to the sewer surcharge the same penalties and interest as are required for delinquencies or nonpayment of water bills. Water services may be discontinued for nonpayment of the charge for sewer surcharge or sewer surcharge penalties and interest, and any unpaid charge for sewer surcharge or sewer surcharge penalties or interest may be placed as a lien on the real property involved.

F. Significant industrial users as defined by section 25-75 of this chapter shall be subject to the provisions in article V of this chapter.

(Ord. 1047 § 1, 11-6-1973; Ord. 1636 § A, 7-1-2003)

25-63: VIOLATION OF ARTICLE:

A. Cost Of Repair, Cleaning: In the event that any person or corporation discharges any substance into the city sanitary sewer system in violation of the provisions of this article, in addition to any other penalties provided by this article, such person or corporation shall pay the city for the damage caused thereby and for the cost of any repair or cleaning of any portion of said sanitary sewer system made necessary by reason thereof. The city shall determine the amount of such damage and costs.

B. Shutoff Of Premises: The city shall have the authority to shut off any premises from the use of the city sanitary sewer system where the occupant or user of such premises is placing, discharging or conducting any water or wastes into the city sanitary sewer system in violation of this article.

C. Penalty For Violation: Any person or corporation violating any provision of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of said provisions is committed, continued or permitted, and upon conviction of any such violation such person or corporation shall be punishable by a fine in accordance with minimum federal penalty guidelines for each offense.

D. Additional Penalties, Enforcement: Additional penalties and enforcement action will apply if a violation involves a "significant industrial user" as defined by section 25-75 of this chapter. (Ord. 1047 § 1, 11-6-1973; Ord. 1636 § A, 7-1-2003)