Industrial Waste Program

Program Overview

The function of the program is to protect the Town's wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) from discharges that could upset or inhibit the plant’s processes or pass through the process untreated and then be discharged into Mark West Creek or the Russian River Basin. An illicit discharge to the WWTP can also result in a reduction of waste treatment, possibly contaminating biosolids or recycled water, resulting in expensive handling and disposal costs or degradation of the creek’s environment.

Significant Industrial User (SIU)

•  A user subject to categorical pretreatment standards under 40 CFR Part 403.6 or as amended and in any industry as defined in 40 CFR Parts 405-471 or as amended; or
• A user that:
  • Discharges an average of twenty-five thousand (25,000) gpd or more of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, noncontact cooling, and boiler blowdown wastewater);
  • Contributes a process wastestream which makes up five (5) percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW; or
  • Is designated as such by the General Manager on the basis that it has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement (in accordance with 40 CFR Part 403.8(f)(6)) or as amended.

General Industrial Users:

Users that are not significant industrial users but have wastewater discharge characteristics greater than typical domestic wastewater.

Groundwater Discharge Users: 

Users that discharge treated groundwater on a temporary or permanent basis. Site inspection is required prior to discharging.

Temporary Discharge Users: 

Users that discharge short-term or temporarily. Prior to discharge, the facility must submit a report of pollutant concentrations detected in the proposed discharge. Samples must be analyzed by a California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certified laboratory and in accordance with procedures outlined in 40 CFR. A site inspection is required prior to discharging.

Surcharge Users:

Users that have the potential to discharge treated waste with strength levels consistently exceeding the average WWTP headworks loading for conventional pollutants such as Biological Oxygen Demand, Total Suspended Solids, or Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen.

Dentists

Dental offices that handle amalgam are required to have and maintain an amalgam separator, avoid  discharging scrap amalgam, and use pH-neutral line cleaners. Existing and new sources must submit a one-time compliance report to their pretreatment Control Authority.  EPA Dental Effluent Guidelines