Santa Paula Municipal Code Part 4 Pretreatment Requirements

It is unlawful for any user to discharge into the city's sewer system any wastewater not in compliance with this chapter. If wastewater containing excess concentrations of a substance or a prohibited substance in this chapter is discharged or proposed to be discharged to the city's sewer system, the Director, City Manager, and City Attorney are authorized to take the steps as needed to prevent or curtail the discharge (see 40 CFR § 403.8(f)(1)(i)). Without limitation, the actions may include:

(A) Prohibiting the discharge of the actual wastewater;

(B) Requiring the discharger to demonstrate that the in-plant modifications would either reduce or eliminate the discharge in conformance with the prohibitions, limitations and/or requirements of this chapter;

(C) Requiring pretreatment to reduce, eliminate or alter the nature of the pollutants to a less harmful state before their discharge into the city's sewer system;

(D) Requiring the person making, causing or allowing the discharge to pay noncompliance penalties.

(E) Implementing any other remedial action as may be deemed necessary to achieving the purpose and requirements of this chapter.

(F) The following conditions must apply to any compliance schedule required by this chapter or the control authority:

(1) The schedule must contain progress increments in the form of dates for the commencement and completion of major events leading to the construction and operation of additional pretreatment required for the user to meet the applicable pretreatment standards (such events include, without limitation, hiring an engineer, completing preliminary and final plans, executing contracts for major components, commencing and completing construction, beginning and conducting routine operation);

(2) No increment referred to above must exceed nine months;

(3) The user must submit a progress report to the control authority no later than 14 days following each date in the schedule and the final date of compliance including, as a minimum, whether or not it complied with the increment of progress, the reason for any delay, and, if appropriate, the steps being taken by the user to return to the established schedule; and

(4) In no event must more than nine months elapse between such progress reports to the control authority.

(5) No compliance schedule must exceed 18 months.

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999

(A) A user may be required by the Director to install, maintain and use wastewater pretreatment devices or systems before discharge to the city's sewer system. Pretreatment may be necessary to restrict or prevent the discharge of certain waste constituents, to distribute more equally over a longer time period any peak discharges of industrial wastewaters, or to accomplish any pretreatment results required by this chapter (40 CFR § 403.8(f)(1)(iii)).

(B) Pretreatment facilities as required by the Director must be maintained in good working order and operated as efficiently as possible at the expense of the discharger, and are subject to the requirement of this chapter and all other applicable codes and laws.

(C) Where pretreatment or flow equalization before discharge into the city's sewer system is required, plans, specifications and other pertinent data or information relating to the pretreatment or flow control must first be submitted to the Director for approval. The approval must not exempt the discharger of said facilities from compliance with any applicable rule or ordinance of any other governmental authority. Any alterations or additions to the pretreatment facilities must not be made without due notice to the Director for prior review and approval.

(D) All federal pretreatment standards applicable to local industry which specify quantities or concentrations of pollutants that may be discharged by a specific industrial subcategory will be enforced by the city as required in §§ 309(e) and (f) of the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1319(e) and (f). Compliance by existing industrial users with categorical pretreatment standards must be within three years of the date the standard is promulgated unless a shorter time is specified by the EPA.

(E) All domestic wastewaters including, without limitation, those from restrooms, showers and drinking fountains must be kept separate from industrial wastewaters until the industrial wastewaters have passed through any required pretreatment and/or monitoring device or system.

(F) The following conditions must apply to any compliance schedule required by this chapter or the control authority:

(1) The schedule must contain progress increments in the form of dates for the commencement and completion of major events leading to the construction and operation of additional pretreatment required for the user to meet the applicable pretreatment standards (such events include, without limitation, hiring an engineer, completing preliminary and final plans, executing contracts for major components, commencing and completing construction, beginning and conducting routine operation);

(2) No increment referred to above must exceed nine months;

(3) The user must submit a progress report to the control authority no later than 14 days following each date in the schedule and the final date of compliance including, as a minimum, whether or not it complied with the increment of progress, the reason for any delay, and, if appropriate, the steps being taken by the user to return to the established schedule; and

(4) In no event must more than nine months elapse between such progress reports to the control authority.

(5) No compliance schedule must exceed 18 months.

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999

(A) Each industrial user must prevent discharge of prohibited materials, other regulated wastes or wastewater or any other materials in concentration or quantities of which could be detrimental to the city's sewer system, its operation or personnel as specified in this chapter.

(B) Each floor drain or floor sink located in an area where regulated chemicals are stored or used must be protected in a manner approved by the Director to prevent uncontrolled or accidental discharges of these regulated constituents from directly entering the city's sewer system.

(C) Facilities to prevent accidental discharges must be provided and maintained at the user's expense. Detailed plans in the form of a spill prevention control and counter-measures plan (showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection) must be submitted to the Director for review and approval before construction of the facilities.

(D) The review and approval of plans and operating procedures must not relieve the industrial user from responsibility of modifying said facilities as necessary to meet the other requirements of this chapter.

(E) A notice must be permanently posted on the user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a dangerous discharge. Employers must ensure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.

(F) Any person that causes or discovers an uncontrolled or accidental discharge of regulated wastes or wastewater into the city's sewer system must immediately telephone the Director in order that corrective action may be taken to protect the city's sewer system, its operation or personnel.

(G) In addition, to all other reports required by federal and state law, the person responsible for the discharge of the wastes or wastewater must file a written report to the Director detailing the date, time and cause of the accidental discharge, the quantity and characteristics of the discharge and corrective action taken to prevent future discharges.

(H) The report must be filed within five days of the occurrence of the uncontrolled or accidental discharge. See 40 CFR § 403.12(f).

(I) Notice of potential problems, including slug loading. All categorical and non-categorical industrial users must notify the city sewer system immediately of all discharges that could cause problems to the city sewer system, including any slug loadings.

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999

(A) It is unlawful for any person to discharge into the city's sewer system any industrial wastes or wastewater, any gravity separating device or interceptor contents, any septic tank, seepage pit, or cesspool contents or wastewater transported by or discharged from a vacuum truck, cesspool pump truck or other waste or wastewater transport vehicle waste at a location other than that which has been approved by the Director.

(B) Transported industrial wastes must be discharged only at locations specified by the Director for the specific waste. Payment for any excessive treatment and disposal costs may be required and permission to discharge prohibited wastes may be refused by the Director.

(C) Recreational vehicle wastes must be discharged only at an approved home connection or recreational vehicle dump station. Recreational vehicle dump stations must provide a clearly marked source of nonpotable rinse water with a hose and back flow protection within ten feet of the discharge point. A clearly marked source of potable water must also be provided no closer than 25 feet nor more than 100 feet from the point of discharge. A sign must be posted at the dump station stating: "Recreational Vehicle Domestic Wastes Only."

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999

(A) Restaurants. All restaurants or similar establishments have an approved grease interceptor of sufficient size so as to prevent excessive discharges of grease into the city's sewer system. The grease interceptor must be easily accessible for inspection by the Director. Exceptions to the installation of a grease interceptor must be determined by a case-by-case basis by the Director. The Director must take into account the following items when determining exceptions:

(1) Size of restaurant;

(2) Meals served per day;

(3) Seating capacity;

(4) Dishwashing and garbage disposal facilities on-hand; and

(5) Any other criteria the Director deems applicable.

(B) Car washes, vehicle service stations and garages. Car washes and vehicle service stations or garages must be required to install and maintain a gravity-separating device designed to prevent the discharge of sand, silt, oil and grease to the city's sewer system.

(C) Laundries and dry cleaners. Not later than the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter all new laundries and dry cleaners or similar establishments must install a gravity-separating device of a size and design approved by the Director. They must also install any other pretreatment facility required by the Director to ensure their compliance with all requirements and specifications of this chapter. Establishments in existence before this date must install an appropriate pretreatment system if, in the opinion of the Director, the system is warranted.

(D) Other facilities. Grease, oil or sand interceptors must be provided in other new facilities when, in the opinion of the Director, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, and other harmful ingredients. All interceptors must be of type and capacity approved by the Director, and must be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

(E) Existing gravity separating device and grease interceptors. If the Director finds that a grease interceptor or gravity separating device installed before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter is incapable of retaining adequately the grease or sand and oil in the wastewater flow from a service station, car wash or restaurant or similar establishment or other facility, the Director must give the proprietor a written notice requiring that an adequate interceptor or gravity separating device be installed within a reasonable time period.

(F) Approved designs. The Director may maintain for public use an information file of acceptable designs of grease interceptors and gravity separating devices. The installation of a design shown in the file or of any design meeting the size requirement set forth in this chapter or any recommendation of requirements made by the Director must not impute any liability to the city for the adequacy of the interceptor or gravity separating device under the actual conditions in use. The installation must not relieve the owner or proprietor of responsibility for keeping prohibited substances or substances above the limitations of this chapter out of the city's sewer system. If the interceptor, gravity separating device or other pretreatment facility is not adequate under the conditions of use, one must be constructed which is effective in accomplishing the intended purpose.

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999

(A) Any grease interceptor or gravity separating device required by this chapter must be readily accessible for inspection and properly maintained by the user at the user's expense to assure that the accumulations of grease or sand and oil do not impair its efficiency or pass out with the effluent.

(B) All users required to use and maintain a grease interceptor or gravity-separating device must maintain a maintenance record.

(1) This record must include the date, the name of the person who cleaned it and the disposal site of the waste. The report must be reviewed by the Director at each routine inspection.

(2) Persons hauling wastes and wastewater removed from these interceptors or gravity separating devices must be registered to do so by the proper permitting agency.

(3) An interceptor or gravity separation device must not be considered properly maintained if material accumulations total more than 25% of the operating fluid capacity.

(4) The city will endeavor to inspect all grease interceptors and gravity-separating device at least annually. If it is found that the grease interceptor or gravity separating device is improperly maintained or adequate records are not being kept, a warning will be issued to the owner and/or user of the property.

(5) If on subsequent inspections it is found that one of the above conditions continues to exist, a fine must be levied against the owner and/or user of the property.

(Ord. 1093, passed 2-17-04) Penalty, see § 51.999