Simi Valley Municipal Code Art. 7 Facilities Requirements

All sanitary sewage must be kept separate from all industrial and process wastewaters until the industrial and process wastewaters have passed through any required pretreatment facility and monitoring device.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

The Director may require an industrial wastewater pretreatment facility or device when it is necessary to restrict or prevent the discharge to the sewer of certain waste pollutants or to accomplish any specific pretreatment result required by the Director prior to discharge to the sewer. The Director may also require a pretreatment facility or device when necessary to redistribute any peak discharges of industrial wastewaters over a longer time period. Any facilities necessary for compliance must be provided, operated, and maintained at the user's expense. All pretreatment facilities or devices must be approved by the Director, but such approval shall not absolve the user of the responsibility of meeting any required industrial effluent limitation(s) required. The director may require construction of sewer lines by the user to convey certain industrial wastes to a specific City trunk sewer. All pretreatment facilities judged by the City to require engineering design must have plans prepared and signed by an engineer of suitable discipline and licensed in the State of California a minimum of thirty (30) days prior to the commencement of Discharge. Detailed plans showing the pretreatment facilities and operating procedures, including accidental discharge procedures, must be submitted to the Director for review. The review and approval of such plans and operating procedures by the Director will not relieve the user from the responsibility of modifying the facility in the future, as necessary, to produce an effluent acceptable to the City under the provisions of this Chapter.

A gravity separation interceptor, equalizing tank, neutralization chamber, control manhole, sampling location, or other approved device may be required to remove prohibited settleable and floatable solids, to equalize wastewater streams varying greatly in quantity or quality, to neutralize low or high pH flows, and to facilitate inspection, flow measurement, and sampling.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

No user shall ever increase the use of water or in any other manner attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate methods for the reduction of pollutants to achieve compliance with the permit or this chapter unless expressly authorized by an applicable pretreatment standard or pretreatment requirement.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

(a) Any user, at the discretion of the Director, shall be required to install and maintain monitoring facilities or devices to allow inspection, sampling, or measurements in the facility sewer or plumbing systems and shall also be required to provide, install, and operate sampling or monitoring equipment at the user's expense. These facilities must be situated on the user's premises. However, the Director may allow monitoring facilities to be constructed off-premises at the user's expense.

(b) All users making periodic measurements must furnish and install at their own expense at the sampling well or other appropriate location a calibrated flume, weir, flow meter, or similar device approved by the Director and suitable to measure the industrial wastewater flow rate and total volume. A flow indicator, recorder, or totalizing register may be required by the Director. In lieu of wastewater flow measurement, the Director may accept records of water usage to determine peak and average flow rates for the specific industrial wastewater discharge. A suitable calibration schedule must be approved by the Director.

(c) When one or more users discharge into a common sewer, the Director may require installation of a separate monitoring facility for each user. Also, when in the judgment of the Director, there is a significant difference in wastewater pollutants and characteristics produced by different operations of a single user, the Director may require that separate monitoring facilities be installed for each separate discharge. A combined waste stream formula may be applied.

(d) If the monitoring facility is inside the user's fences, there must be accommodations to allow access for City personnel. There must be ample operating area in or near such sampling points and equipment to allow accurate sampling and compositing of samples for analysis. The user must assure that access and sampling and measuring equipment are maintained in a safe and proper operating condition.

(e) The sampling and monitoring facilities must be installed in accordance with the City's design requirements and all applicable construction standards, safety devices, and specifications. Construction must be completed within ninety (90) days following written notification from the City.

(f) The user must provide written notification to the Director upon completion of the sampling and monitoring facilities.

(g) Monitoring or metering facilities must be provided with a security closure that can be locked with a City provided lock during sampling or monitoring.

(h) Unrestricted access to monitoring facilities must be available to authorized City personnel at all times.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

(a) Food service facilities. All food service facilities discharging grease wastes which, under the conditions existing in the downstream sewers, could cause or threaten to cause stoppage or grease accumulations, shall be required to install an appropriately sized and approved grease interceptor and to regularly maintain it so as to prevent excessive discharges of fats, oil, grease, and solids into the sewerage system. A grease interceptor must not have garbage disposals or dishwashers installed that discharge to the grease trap. Any design for installation of any grease interceptor must be approved in accordance with the requirements of the Building Code. The grease interceptor must be easily accessible for inspection by the Director. Exceptions to the installation of a grease interceptor shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Director based on the following criteria:

(1) Size of facility;

(2) Number of meals served per day;

(3) Type of food prepared;

(4) Seating capacity;

(5) Location;

(6) Dishwashing activities; and

(7) Garbage facilities.

(b) Existing grease interceptors. Grease interceptors properly installed at a food service facility prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be acceptable as an alternative to the grease interceptor specified in subsection (a) of this section provided such grease interceptor is effective in removing fats, oil, grease, and solids and is designed and installed so that it can be inspected and properly maintained. If the Director determines that a grease interceptor is incapable of retaining adequately the settleable and floatable material in the wastewater flow from a food service facility, a written notice may be issued requiring that an adequate grease interceptor be installed within ninety (90) days.

(c) Variances on grease interceptor sizing. Grease interceptors must meet or exceed a minimum size standard of 750-gallon capacity, except when a written variance is granted by the Director. Facilities may apply for a sizing variance to a minimum 70-pound capacity grease interceptor, commonly known as a grease trap, in accordance with this chapter. Grease interceptor sizing variances may be granted by the Director when the following conditions are met:

(1) The user applies for the variance, in writing, and includes the volume of all fixtures; and

(2) The sizing of a grease interceptor is calculated based on the total discharge flow rate and must be certified by a qualified engineer registered in the State of California to be sufficient to pre-treat the volume and type of wastewater.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

All new car washes, vehicle service facilities, and garages that have facilities for the wash down of vehicles must install an appropriate sand and oil interceptor of a size and design approved by the Director. Establishments in existence prior to the effective date of this chapter must install an appropriate sand and oil interceptor if the establishment has the potential of contributing non-compatible materials to the sewerage system.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

Sand and oil interceptors properly installed at a vehicle service facility, garage, car wash, or similar establishment prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be acceptable as an alternative to the sand and oil interceptor specified in Section 6-13.706 provided such sand and oil interceptor is effective in removing sand, oil, and solids and is designed and installed so that it can be inspected and properly maintained. If the Director determines that a sand and oil interceptor is incapable of retaining adequately the settleable and floatable material in the wastewater flow from a vehicle service facility, garage, car wash, or similar establishment, a written notice shall be issued requiring that an adequate sand and oil interceptor be installed within ninety (90) days.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

The City maintains an information file, available for public use, of acceptable designs of grease interceptors, and sand and oil interceptors. The installation of a grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor of a design shown in such a file, or of any design meeting the requirements set forth in this section or any recommendation or requirements made by the City, shall not impute any liability to the City for the adequacy of the grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor under the actual conditions of use. The Director may require the installation of a sample box with the grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor. The design of such installations must be completed and stamped by an engineer of suitable discipline registered in the State of California. Such installation shall not relieve the owner or proprietor of responsibility for keeping fat, oil, grease, and solids out of the sewer. If the grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor or other Pretreatment device is not adequate under the conditions of use, one must be constructed which is effective in accomplishing the intended purpose.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

Any grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor required by this chapter must be readily accessible for inspection and properly maintained to ensure that the accumulations of fats, oil, grease, and solids do not impair the efficiency of the Grease Interceptor or escape with the effluent. All locations required to use and maintain a grease interceptor must keep a record of every cleaning and maintenance event. This record must include the date, the name of the company or person who cleaned it, and disposal site of the waste. A grease interceptor shall not be considered properly maintained if fats, oil, grease, and solids accumulations total twenty-five (25%) percent or more of the operating fluid capacity of the final chamber. The City will inspect all grease interceptors and sand and oil interceptors periodically. If a grease interceptor or sand and oil interceptor is found to be improperly maintained or adequate records are not being kept, an initial notice of violation will be issued to the owner and/or user of the property pursuant to Section 6-13.903.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

The Director shall evaluate whether each SIU needs an accidental discharge or slug discharge control plan or other action to control slug discharges. The Director may require any user to develop, submit for approval, and implement such a plan or take such other action that may be necessary to control slug discharges. The Director may modify the plan to ensure accidental or slug discharges are adequately contained and abated. An accidental discharge or slug discharge control plan must address, at a minimum, all of the following:

(a) Description of discharge practices, including non-routine batch discharges;

(b) Description of stored chemicals;

(c) Procedures to immediately notify the Director of slug discharges. This notification must include the location of the discharge, type of waste, concentration, and volume, if known, and corrective actions taken by the user;

(d) Procedures to prevent adverse impacts from accidental spills, including inspection and maintenance of storage areas, handling and transfer of materials, loading and unloading operations, control of plant site runoff, worker training, building of containment structures or equipment, measures for containing toxic organic pollutants, including solvents, and measures and equipment for emergency response;

(e) Within five (5) days following such discharge, the user must submit a detailed written report describing the cause(s) of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage, or other liability that might be incurred as a result of damage to the POTW, natural resources, or any other damage to person or property, nor shall such notification relieve the user of any fines, penalties, or other liability that may be imposed pursuant to this chapter; and

(f) Upon written notification by the Director, users must provide spill containment for uncontrolled discharges of material or other substances regulated by this chapter. Facilities designed to contain spills must be provided and maintained at the user's expense. Users so notified must provide detailed slug discharge control plans, including facilities and operating procedures, to the Director for review. Such plans must be approved by the Director before commencement of construction of the facility. Construction must be completed within the time period designated by the Director. Review and approval of spill containment plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the user from the responsibility to modify its facility, as necessary, to meet the requirements of this chapter.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

Upon written notification by the Director, users of toxic or flammable substances or users subject to discharges of toxic or flammable substances shall be required to install, operate, and maintain a combustible gas monitoring system and facilities to divert the entire wastewater flow to a holding tank when the flammable gas, mist, or vapor is in excess of ten (10%) percent of its lower explosive limit. These facilities must be provided and maintained at the user's expense. Users so notified must provide detailed gas monitoring and wastewater diversion plans, including facilities plans, standard operating procedures, BMPs, emergency response plan, and business plans, to the Director for review. Such plans must be reviewed and approved by the Director before installation or commencement of construction of the facilities. At a minimum, the monitoring facilities must be installed in a field location and have an appropriate indicator, automatic continuous recorder, adjustable two-stage alarm system, calibration for gas detection, and a means for diverting flow to a holding tank.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)

All users must implement a program of waste minimization to reduce the generation of hazardous wastes in accordance with federal, state, and local policies. This program, at a minimum, shall include adequate housekeeping measures and product substitution to less hazardous raw materials as much as economically feasible and recycling of all wastestreams as technically feasible.

Waste minimization must be demonstrated wherever feasible, in the following order of priority, as determined by EPA policy derived from the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990:

(a) Source reduction. Substitution to less hazardous materials, spill prevention and control measures, proper storage and handling of chemicals and raw materials, or any methods that accomplish source reduction.

(b) Recycling, recovery, and/or reuse: Practice recovery, recycling, and reuse for such waste streams as solvents, oils, ethylene glycol, silver, and concentrated bath or spent solutions or other process wastestreams.

(c) Treatment. Treatment techniques designed to render hazardous wastes harmless or suitable for proper disposal.

(d) Disposal. Destruction of hazardous wastes must take precedence over landfilling, but in any case, all disposal must be in compliance with federal, state, and local hazardous waste disposal laws.

(§ 1, Ord. 1170, eff. April 21, 2011)