§ 70-111. Use of the public sewers regulated; certain wastes limited or prohibited.

(a)

Discharge of unpolluted waters to wastewater lines. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted waters such as stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage or cooling water to any wastewater line, provided that stormwater runoff from limited areas, which stormwater may be polluted at times, may be discharged to the wastewater lines by written permission of the director.

(b)

Discharge of stormwater to storm sewers or natural outlets. Stormwater, other than that exempted under subsection (a) of this section, and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to storm sewers or to a natural outlet approved by the director and other regulatory agencies. (See chapter 14, article IX.) Unpolluted industrial cooling water or process waters may be discharged, on the approval of the director, to a storm sewer or natural outlet.

(c)

Prohibited discharges. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public wastewater lines:

(1)

Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.

(2)

Any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any waste treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant.

(3)

Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the wastewater works.

(4)

Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size, capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operations of the wastewater facilities such as, but not limited to, ashes, bones, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.

(d)

Limited discharge. The following described substances, materials, waters or wastes shall be limited in discharges to municipal systems to concentrations or quantities which will not harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment, will not have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or will not otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. The director may set limitations lower than the limitations established in the regulations of this subsection if in his opinion such more severe limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. In forming his opinion as to the acceptability, the director will give consideration to such factors as the quantity of subject waste in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, the wastewater treatment process employed, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, degree of treatability of the waste in the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The limitations or restrictions on material or characteristics of waste or wastewaters discharged to the sanitary sewer which shall not be violated without approval of the director are as follows:

(1)

Wastewater having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius).

(2)

Wastewater containing more than 25 milligrams per liter of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oils or products of mineral oil origin.

(3)

Wastewater from industrial plants containing floatable oils, fat or grease.

(4)

Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. Garbage grinders may be connected to sanitary sewers from homes, hotels, institutions, restaurants, hospitals, catering establishments or similar places where garbage originates from the preparation of food in kitchens for the purpose of consumption on the premises or when served by caterers.

(5)

Any waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc and similar objectionable or toxic substances to such degree that any such material received in the composite wastewater at the wastewater treatment works exceeds the limits established by the director for such materials.

(6)

Any waters or wastes containing odor-producing substances exceeding limits which may be established by the director.

(7)

Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the director in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.

(8)

Quantities of flow, concentrations, or both, which constitute a slug.

(9)

Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the wastewater treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.

(10)

Any water or wastes which, by interaction with other water or wastes in the public sewer system, release obnoxious gases, form suspended solids which interfere with the collection system, or create a condition deleterious to structures and treatment processes.

(e)

Action by director. If any waters or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in subsection (d) of this section, and which in the judgment of the director may have a deleterious effect upon the wastewater facilities, processes, equipment or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the director may:

(1)

Reject the wastes;

(2)

Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers;

(3)

Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and/or

(4)

Require payment to cover added cost of handling and treating the wastes.

When considering such alternatives, the director shall give consideration of the economic impact of each alternative on the discharger. If the director permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the director.

(f)

Grease, oil and sand interceptors. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the director, they are necessary for the proper handling of wastes containing floatable grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the director and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In the maintaining of these interceptors, the owner shall be responsible for the proper removal and disposal by appropriate means of the captured material and shall maintain records of the dates and means of disposal which are subject to review by the director. Any removal and hauling of the collected materials not performed by the owner's personnel must be performed by currently licensed waste disposal firms.

(g)

Maintenance of pretreatment facilities. Where pretreatment or flow equalizing facilities are provided or required for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously to satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his expense.

(h)

Facilities for observation, sampling and measurement. When required by the director, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable structure together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of the wastes. Such structure, when required shall be accessibly and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the director. The structure shall be installed by the owner at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.

(i)

Information to be supplied by users. The director may require a user of wastewater facilities to provide information needed to determine compliance with this chapter. These requirements may include:

(1)

Wastewater discharge peak rate and volume over a specified time period.

(2)

Chemical analyses of wastewaters.

(3)

Information on raw materials, processes and products affecting wastewater volume and quality.

(4)

Quantity and disposition of specific liquid, sludge, oil, solvent or other materials important to wastewater use control.

(5)

A plot plan of wastewater lines of the user's property showing wastewater and pretreatment facility location.

(6)

Details of wastewater pretreatment facilities.

(7)

Details of systems to prevent and control of losses of materials through spills into the municipal wastewater facilities.

(j)

Standards for measurements, tests and analyses. All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater" published by the American Health Association. Sampling methods, location, times, durations and frequencies are to be determined on an individual basis, subject to approval by the director.

(k)

Special agreements. No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the city and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment.

(l)

Repairs. If any building sewer is providing an entry for stormwater or groundwater into a public sanitary sewer, the director shall promptly notify the owner in writing that necessary repairs must be made by the owner at the owner's expense. Such corrective repairs shall be completed on or before 60 days after such notification is given by the director.

(Code 1977, § 21-9)