Ventura County Municipal Code Art. 14 Pretreatment Requirements

If wastewater containing excess concentrations of a substance or a prohibited substance referred to in Section 6513-2 or 6513-3 respectively of this ordinance is discharged or proposed to be discharged to the County's sewerage system, the Airports Administrator may at his option do any of the items set forth in A through E or any combination thereof

(Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.8(f)(l)(i)):

A. Prohibit the discharge of the wastewater;

B. Require the discharger to demonstrate that in-plant modifications would reduce or eliminate the discharge in conformance with prohibitions, limitations and requirements of this ordinance;

C. Require pretreatment to reduce, eliminate or alter the nature of pollutants to a less harmful state prior to their discharge to the County's sewerage system;

D. Require the person making, causing or allowing the discharge to pay non-compliance penalties as referenced in Section 6518-0; and/or

E. Implement any other remedial action as may be deemed necessary to achieving the purpose and requirements of this ordinance.

A wastewater pretreatment device or system may be required by the Airports Administrator to pretreat industrial wastewater flows prior to discharge to the County's sewerage 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 ordinance.

(Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.8(f)(1) (ii)).

Pretreatment facilities as required by the Airports Administrator, shall 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 ordinance and all other applicable codes and laws.

Where pretreatment or flow equalization prior to discharge into the County's sewerage system is required, plans, specifications and other pertinent data or information relating to such pretreatment or flow control shall first be submitted to the Airports Administrator for approval. Such approval shall 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 such pretreatment facilities shall not be made without due notice to the Airports Administrator for prior review and approval.

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 County as required in Section 309(e) and (f) et seq. of the Federal Clean Water Act. Compliance by existing industrial users with categorical pretreatment standards shall be within three (3) years of the date the standard is promulgated unless a shorter time is specified by the EPA.

All domestic wastewaters including, but not limited to, those from restrooms, showers and drinking fountains shall be kept separate from industrial wastewaters until the industrial wastewaters have passed through any required pretreatment and/or monitoring device or system.

Each industrial user shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials, other regulated wastes or wastewater called out in this ordinance or any other materials in concentration or quantities of which could be detrimental to the County's sewerage system, its operation or personnel. Each floor drain or floor sink located in an area where regulated chemicals are stored or used shall be protected in a manner approved by the Airports Administrator to prevent uncontrolled or accidental discharges of these regulated constituents from directly entering the County's sewerage system. Facilities to prevent accidental discharge shall be provided and maintained at the owner's and/or operator's expense. Detailed plans in the form of a Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plan (showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection) shall be submitted to the Airports Administrator for review and approval prior to construction of said facilities. Such review and approval of plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility of modifying said facilities as necessary to meet the other requirements of this ordinance.

A notice shall 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 shall ensure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.

Any person that causes or discovers an uncontrolled or accidental discharge of regulated wastes or wastewater into the County's sewerage system shall immediately telephone the Airports Administrator in order that corrective action may be taken to protect the County's sewerage system, its operation or personnel. In addition, the person responsible for the discharge of said waste or wastewater shall file a written report to the Airports Administrator 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. The report shall be filed within five (5) days of the occurrence of the uncontrolled or accidental discharge.

(Federal Pretreatment Regulations 40 CFR 403.12(f)).

A. No person shall discharge into the County's sewerage system any industrial wastes or wastewater, any gravity separating device or interceptor contents, any septic tank, seepage pit, or cesspool contents or recreational vehicle wastes or wastewater transported by or discharged from a vacuum truck, cesspool pump truck or other waste or wastewater transport vehicle at a location other than that which has been approved by the Airports Administrator.

B. Transported industrial wastes shall be discharged only at locations specified by the Airports Administrator 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 Airports Administrator.

A. Restaurants. All restaurants or similar establishments shall install an approved grease interceptor which is of sufficient size so as to prevent excessive discharges of grease into the County's sewerage system. The grease interceptor shall be easily accessible for inspection by the Airports Administrator. Exceptions to the installation of a grease interceptor shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Airports Administrator. The Airports Administrator shall take into account the following items when determining exceptions: (1) size of restaurant; (2) meals served per day; (3) seating capacity; (4) dish washing and garbage disposal facilities on-hand; and (5) any other criteria the Airports Administrator deems applicable.

B. Car Washes, Vehicle Service Stations and Garages. Car washes and vehicle service stations or garages shall be required to install a gravity separating device designed to prevent the discharge of sand, silt, oil and grease to the County's sewerage system.

C. Laundries and Dry Cleaners. After the effective date of this ordinance all new laundries and dry cleaners or similar establishments shall install a gravity separating device of a size and design approved by the Airports Administrator. They shall also install any other pretreatment facility required by the Airports Administrator to ensure their compliance with all requirements and specifications of this ordinance. Establishments in existence prior to this date shall install an appropriate pretreatment system if in the opinion of the Airports Administrator the system is warranted.

D. Existing Gravity Separating Device and Grease Interceptors. If the Airports Administrator finds that a grease interceptor or gravity separating device installed prior to the effective date of this ordinance 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, the Airports Administrator shall give the proprietor a written notice requiring that an adequate interceptor or gravity separating device be installed within a reasonable time period.

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

Any grease interceptor or gravity separating device required by this ordinance shall be readily accessible for inspection and properly maintained to assure that the accumulations of grease or sand and oil do not impair its efficiency or pass out with the effluent. All users required to use and maintain a grease interceptor or gravity separating device shall maintain a maintenance record. This record shall include the date, the name of the person who cleaned it and the disposal site of the waste. The report shall be reviewed by the Airports Administrator at each routine inspection. Persons hauling wastes and wastewater removed from these interceptors or gravity separating devices shall be registered to do so by the proper permitting agency. An interceptor or gravity separating device shall not be considered properly maintained if material accumulations total more than 25 percent of the operating fluid capacity. The County will endeavor to inspect all grease interceptors and gravity separating devices at least annually. If it is found that it is improperly maintained or adequate records are not being kept, a warning will be issued to the owner and/or user of the property. If on subsequent inspections it is found that one of the above conditions continues to exist, a fine shall be levied against the owner and/or user of the property. (See Section 6518-0).