San Diego Municipal Code Div. 1 Purpose, Scope and Policy

(“Purpose, Scope and Policy” added 6–6–1983 by O–15984 N.S.)

The purpose of this ordinance is to provide for the maximum beneficial public use of the City’s wastewater system through adequate regulation of sewer construction, sewer use and industrial wastewater discharge, to provide for equitable distribution of the City’s costs, and to provide procedures for complying with wastewater discharge requirements placed upon the City by other regulatory bodies. (“Purpose” added 6–6–1983 by O–15984 N.S.)

This ordinance shall be interpreted in accordance with the definitions set forth herein and the provisions of this ordinance shall apply to the direct or indirect discharge of all waste into the City’s wastewater system.

This ordinance, among other things, provides for the regulation of sewer construction in areas within the City’s boundaries, the quantity and quality of discharged wastes, the degree of waste pretreatment required, the setting of waste discharge fees to provide for equitable distribution of costs, the approval of plans for sewer construction, the issuance of Permits for Industrial Wastewater Discharge and of other miscellaneous permits, and the establishment of penalties for violation of this ordinance. (“Scope” added 6–6–1983 by O–15984 N.S.)

The City builds and operates public sewers, and wastewater facilities serving homes, industries and commercial establishments. The following policies apply to wastewater discharges within the City’s boundaries and to other discharges that are tributary to the City’s wastewater facilities.

Generally, wastewater originating within the City’s boundaries will be removed by
the City’s wastewater system provided the wastewater will not (1) damage structures,
(2) create nuisances such as odors, (3) menace public health, (4) impose unreasonable

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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 6: Public Works and Property, Public Improvement and Assessment Proceedings (6-2000)

collection, treatment or disposal costs on the City, (5) interfere with wastewater treatment processes, (6) exceed quality requirements set by regulatory government agencies, or (7) detrimentally affect the local environment.

The City is committed to a policy of wastewater renovation and reuse in order to provide an alternate source of water supply and to reduce overall costs of wastewater treatment and disposal. The renovation of wastewater through secondary and tertiary wastewater treatment processes may necessitate more stringent quality requirements on industrial wastewater dischargers than those required by other regulatory agencies.

To comply with stated policies of the Federal government and to permit the City to meet increasingly higher standards, provisions are made in this ordinance for the regulation of industrial wastewater discharges. This ordinance establishes quantity and quality limitations on industrial wastewater discharges. Methods of cost recovery from industrial wastewater dischargers are also established where the discharges impose inequitable collection, treatment or disposal costs on the City.

Recovery and reuse procedures established by industrial wastewater dischargers themselves to meet the limitations set on their discharges will be preferred by the City over those procedures designed solely to meet wastewater discharge limitations. Methods providing for beneficial reuse of otherwise wasted resources shall be the approved method of industrial wastewater treatment wherever feasible.

Optimum use of the City’s wastewater facilities may require that certain industrial wastewaters be discharged during periods of low flow in the City’s wastewater system. (“Liquid Waste Disposal Policy” added 6–6–1983 by O–15984 N.S.)

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San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 6: Public Works and Property, Public Improvement and Assessment Proceedings (11-2000)

Article 4: Sewers