CHAPTER 14.16
SANITARY CODE – USE OF PUBLIC SEWERS
Section
14.16.020 Treatment of wastes required
14.16.040 Occupancy prohibited
14.16.060 [Reserved]
14.16.070 Drainage into sanitary sewer works prohibited
14.16.080 Use of storm drains required
14.16.090 Types of wastes prohibited
14.16.095 Interceptors required
14.16.100 Fats, oils, and grease (FOG) control
14.16.120 Preliminary treatment of wastes
14.16.130 Maintenance of pretreatment facilities
14.16.150 Measurements and tests
14.16.010 DISPOSAL OF WASTES.
It is unlawful for any person to place, deposit, or permit to be deposited in an unsanitary manner upon public or private property within the District, or in any area under the jurisdiction of the District, any human or animal excrement, garbage, or other objectionable waste.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.020 TREATMENT OF WASTES REQUIRED.
It is unlawful to discharge to any stream or watercourse any wastewater, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with provisions of the Sanitary Code.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.030 UNLAWFUL DISPOSAL.
Except as provided in the Sanitary Code, it is unlawful to construct any new privy, vault, septic tank, cesspool, seepage pit, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of wastewater within the District.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.040 OCCUPANCY PROHIBITED.
No building, industrial facility, or other structure shall be occupied until the owner of the premises has complied with all rules and regulations of the District.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.050 SEWER REQUIRED.
The owner of any building situated within the District using a disposal system other than the public sanitary sewer works of the District, who has his or her present facility declared to be a public nuisance by the appropriate county or state health officer, shall be required at his or her expense to connect the building directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of the Sanitary Code within 30 days after date of official notice to do so; provided and provided further, that the public sewer is within 200 feet of the nearest point of the subject building.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.060 [RESERVED].
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.070 DRAINAGE INTO SANITARY SEWER WORKS PROHIBITED.
A. No leaders from roofs and no surface drains for rainwater shall be connected to any sanitary sewer works. No surface or storm water, seepage, cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters shall be permitted to enter any sanitary sewer works by any device or method whatsoever.
B. “Unpolluted water” means any water within the following limits of quality:
|
pH |
6.0 minimum, 8.5 maximum |
|
Biochemical oxygen demand |
5 milligrams per liter, maximum |
|
Dissolved matter |
1,000 milligrams per liter, maximum |
|
Suspended matter |
5 milligrams per liter, maximum |
|
Settleable matter |
0.1 milliliters per liter per hour, maximum |
|
Grease or oil1 |
10 milligrams per liter, maximum |
|
NOTES TO TABLE: 1 Any known discharge of oil or grease shall be monitored a minimum twice a year by the discharger with the results forwarded to the City. |
|
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.080 USE OF STORM DRAINS REQUIRED.
Storm water and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to storm drains, or to a natural outlet approved by the District Manager.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.090 TYPES OF WASTES PROHIBITED.
No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the WWTF any pollutant or wastewater which causes pass through or interference. This general prohibition applies to all users of the WWTF whether or not they are subject to categorical pretreatment standards or any other national, state, or local pretreatment standards or source control requirements.
A. Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:
1. Pollutants which cause a fire or explosion hazard in the WWTF, including, but not limited to, wastestreams with a closed-cup flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius) using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21;
2. Solid or viscous pollutants or other substances/materials in amounts which will cause obstruction to the flow in the sanitary sewer works resulting in interference or injury to the treatment works;
3. Pollutants, including oxygen-demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.), released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, will cause pass through or interference with the WWTF;
4. Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit; or which will inhibit biological activity in the treatment plant resulting in interference, but in no case wastewater which causes the temperature at the introduction into the WWTF to exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius);
5. Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin, in amounts that will cause interference or pass through;
6. Trucked or hauled substances/materials, except at discharge points designated by the District in accordance with § 14.40.090;
7. Sludges, screenings, or other residues from the pretreatment of industrial wastes;
8. Medical wastes, except as specifically authorized by the District in an individual wastewater discharge permit;
9. Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 parts per million (100 mg/L) of FOG;
10. Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid, or gas;
11. Any waste or wastewater with more than 100 mg/L total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) as diesel, motor oil, or hydraulic oil;
12. Any garbage that has not been shredded to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than 2 inches in any dimension;
13. Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 8.5 or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the sanitary sewer works;
14. Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the WWTF or any waste that would be a hazardous waste under 40 CFR Part 261;
15. Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of the character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle the materials at the WWTF;
16. Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance capable of creating a public nuisance;
17. Any septic tank sludge;
18. Any water or wastes containing radioactivity, or radioactive isotope, of the half-life or concentration as may exceed limits set by the District Manager in compliance with state or federal regulations;
19. Any waters containing algaecides, fungicides, antibiotics, insecticides, strong oxidizing agents, or strong reducing agents;
20. Any waters containing mercury or mercury compounds; and/or
21. The following is a partial list of toxic substances and their maximum concentration allowable for admission to a public sewer system:
|
Toxicant |
Maximum Allowable Concentration Milligrams per Liter (mg/L) |
|---|---|
|
Alcohols |
100 |
|
Aluminum |
0.2 |
|
Arsenic and arsenicals |
1.0 |
|
Barium |
5.0 |
|
Beryllium |
0.1 |
|
Boron |
10.0 |
|
Bromine, iodine, chlorine (total) |
50.0 |
|
Cadmium |
0.1 |
|
Chromium and chromium salts (as chromium) |
0.5 |
|
Copper and copper salts (as copper) |
0.1 |
|
Creosols and creosotes |
1.0 |
|
Cyanides and nitriles |
0.2 |
|
Fluoride |
1.5 |
|
Formaldehydes |
1.0 |
|
Iron |
1.0 |
|
Lead |
0.2 |
|
Manganese |
0.2 |
|
Nickel |
0.2 |
|
Organic solvents |
1.0 |
|
Phenol and phenol derivatives |
0.5 |
|
Selenium |
2.0 |
|
Silver and silver compounds (as silver) |
0.01 |
|
Zinc compounds (as zinc) |
0.2 |
B. The maximum allowable concentration of toxic or potentially toxic materials not listed above will be determined by the District Manager on an individual basis.
C. In no event shall any industrial waste discharged to the public sewers have a 96-hour median tolerance limit (TLM), as determined by the Routine Fish Bioassay Method, of less than 25%.
D. The above limits apply at the point where the wastewater is discharged to the sanitary sewer works and apply to instantaneous maximum concentrations. All concentrations for metallic substances are for total metals unless indicated otherwise. The District Manager may impose mass limitations in addition to the concentration-based limitations above.
E. Pollutants, substances, or wastewater prohibited by this section shall not be processed or stored in such a manner that they could be discharged to the WWTF.
F. Right of Revision. The District reserves the right to establish, by ordinance or in individual wastewater discharge permits or in general permits, more stringent standards or requirements on discharges to the WWTF consistent with the purpose of the Sanitary Code.
G. BMPs. The District Manager may develop BMPs, by policy or in individual wastewater discharge permits, or general permits, to implement local limits and the requirements of the Sanitary Code.
No user shall ever increase the use of process water, or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge, as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with a discharge limitation unless expressly authorized by an applicable pretreatment standard or requirement. The District Manager may impose mass limitations on users who are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements, or in other cases when the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.
H. Analytical Requirements. All pollutant analyses, including sampling techniques, to be submitted as part of a wastewater discharge permit application or report shall be performed by an Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) certified laboratory in accordance with the techniques prescribed in 40 CFR Part 136 and amendments thereto, unless otherwise specified in an applicable categorical pretreatment standard. If 40 CFR Part 136 does not contain sampling or analytical techniques for the pollutant in question, or where the EPA determines that the Part 136 sampling and analytical techniques are inappropriate for the pollutant in question, sampling and analyses shall be performed by using validated analytical methods or any other applicable sampling and analytical procedures, including procedures suggested by the District Manager or other parties approved by EPA.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.095 INTERCEPTORS REQUIRED.
Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the District Manager, pursuant to the Uniform Plumbing Code, Chapter 10, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts, or any flammable wastes, sand and other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for buildings used for residential purposes. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the District and shall be so located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
All such grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at their expense, in continuous efficient operation at all times.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.100 FATS, OILS, AND GREASE (FOG) CONTROL.
In an effort to curb sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) caused by grease accumulation in its sewer mains, the District requires any nonresidential facility connected to the sanitary sewer works involved in the preparation or serving of foods will be subject to the conditions of this section.
A. Scope and Purpose. This section will aid in the prevention of blockages and obstructions from contributions and accumulation of FOG into the sanitary sewer works from industrial or commercial establishments, particularly food preparation and serving facilities.
B. Food Service Establishment Requirements. All food service establishments discharging wastewater into District sanitary sewer works are subject to the following requirements:
1. Grease Interceptor Requirements. All food service establishments are required to install, operate, and maintain an approved type and adequately sized grease interceptor necessary to maintain compliance with the objectives of this section. All grease interceptors must meet the requirements of the Uniform Plumbing Code.
2. Time of Compliance. All food service establishments described in this section are required to install a sand and/or grease interceptor or grease trap within the 60-day period after the first occurrence of any of the following events:
a. Transfer of ownership in the commercial business;
b. Transfer of title of real property in which the commercial business exists;
c. A change of use of the building;
d. The issuance of any building permit for the construction, reconstruction or related work to be performed on the premises costing more than $5,000;
e. The backup or discharge of raw sewage on or from the premises due to grease buildup in the sewer lateral; or within
f. Ninety days after receiving written notice from the District Manager of the necessity for installation of such facilities pursuant to Uniform Plumbing Code Chapter 10.
3. All such facilities must obtain approval from the District Manager for grease interceptor sizing prior to issuance of a building permit. All grease interceptors shall be easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. Existing facilities applying for a building permit, as required to complete planned modifications, will be required to comply with the grease interceptor requirements. These facilities must obtain approval from the District Manager for grease interceptor sizing prior to issuance of a building permit.
4. Variance from Grease Interceptor Requirements. Grease interceptors required under this section shall be installed unless the District Manager authorizes the installation of an indoor grease trap or other alternative pretreatment technology and determines that the installation of a grease interceptor would not be feasible. The food service establishment bears the burden of demonstrating that the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible. The District Manager may authorize the installation of an indoor grease trap where the installation of a grease interceptor is not feasible due to space constraints or other considerations. If an establishment believes the installation of a grease interceptor is infeasible, because of documented space constraints, the request for an alternative grease removal device shall contain the following information:
a. Location of sewer main and easements in relation to available exterior space; and
b. General information about existing plumbing at the site.
C. Wastewater Discharge Limitations. No user shall allow wastewater discharge concentrations of FOG from subject grease interceptor, grease trap or alternative pretreatment technology to exceed 100 mg/L, as defined by method EPA test method 1664.
D. Grease Interceptor Requirements.
1. Grease interceptor sizing and installation shall conform to the current edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code.
2. Grease interceptors shall be constructed in accordance with designs approved by the District Manager and shall have a minimum of 2 compartments with fittings designed for grease retention.
3. Grease interceptors shall be installed at a location where it shall be easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of intercepted grease. The grease interceptor may not be installed in any part of the building where food is handled. Location of the grease interceptor must meet the approval of the District Manager.
4. All grease interceptors shall be serviced and emptied of accumulated waste contents as required in order to maintain minimum design capacity or effective volume. These devices should be inspected at least monthly by the user. Users who are required to maintain a grease interceptor shall:
a. Provide for a minimum hydraulic retention time in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code;
b. Remove any accumulated grease cap and sludge pocket as required. Grease interceptors shall be kept free of inorganic solid materials such as grit, rocks, gravel, sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, shells, towels, rags, and the like, which could settle into this pocket and thereby reduce the effective volume of the device.
5. The user shall maintain a written record of inspection and maintenance for 3 years. All the records will be made available for on-site inspection by representatives of the District during all operating hours.
6. Sanitary wastes are not allowed to be connected to a sewer intended for grease interceptor service.
7. Access manholes, with a minimum diameter of 24 inches, shall be provided over each grease interceptor chamber and sanitary tee. The access manholes shall extend at least to finished grade and be designed and maintained to prevent water inflow and infiltration. The manholes shall also have readily removable covers to facilitate inspection, grease removal, and wastewater sampling activities.
8. Users that are required to have a grease interceptor may be required to connect fixtures or drains that have a reasonable potential to allow fats, oils, and grease to be discharged to the sanitary sewer works to an appropriately sized grease interceptor.
9. Users with garbage grinders must discharge the garbage grinder to a grease interceptor with a minimum capacity of 1,000 gallons or remove the garbage grinder.
10. Users with dishwashers must discharge the dishwasher directly to the sanitary sewer works or to a grease interceptor with a minimum capacity of 750 gallons.
11. Accumulated grease and sediment must be removed as required. At a minimum, gravity grease interceptors and grease traps must be cleaned when the combined depth of sediment and grease equals or exceeds 25% of the total depth of the sediment, water, and grease. For multiple chambered interceptors the measurements of sediment and grease are to be performed in the final interceptor chamber prior to discharge. All other grease interceptors must be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
12. Grease interceptors must be kept free of non-food waste including, but not limited to, grit, rocks, gravel, sand, eating utensils, cigarettes, trash, towels, and rags.
13. The addition of chemicals, enzymes, emulsifiers, live bacteria or other grease cutters or additives used for purposes of grease reduction to a grease interceptor is specifically prohibited.
14. If the District Manager determines that a grease interceptor is not being adequately cleaned or maintained, a correction notice may be issued requiring the deficiency be corrected within 7 working days. Maintenance programs including BMPs and defined cleaning frequencies may be mandated. Users that fail to adhere to a maintenance program may be required to install additional pretreatment devices.
15. District may develop and implement a fats, oils, and grease policy.
E. Grease Trap Requirements.
1. Upon approval by the District Manager, a grease trap complying with the provisions of this section must be installed in the waste line leading from sinks, drains, and other fixtures or equipment in food service establishments where grease may be introduced into the drainage of the sanitary sewer works in quantities that could affect line stoppage or hinder wastewater treatment or wastewater disposal.
2. Grease traps sizing and installation shall conform to the Uniform Plumbing Code.
3. Grease traps shall be maintained in efficient operating conditions by periodic removal of the accumulated grease. No collected grease shall be introduced into any drainage piping, or public or private sewer.
4. Wastewater in excess of 140 degrees Fahrenheit/60 degrees Celsius shall not be discharged into a grease trap.
F. Inspections. All grease interceptors, grease traps, or other designated means for limiting discharges of FOG into the sanitary sewer works shall be subject to unannounced annual inspections conducted by District staff.
G. Responsibility of Tenants. Where an owner of property lets premises to any other person as a tenant, if either the owner or the tenant is an industrial user, either or both may be held responsible for compliance with the provisions of this section. This provision is enforceable against either the owner, the tenant or both, without regard to any contractual arrangements as between the owner and tenant.
H. Food Service Establishment Storm Water Discharge Permit Requirements. All permitted food service establishments located within the City of Fort Bragg are subject to the following requirements by being located within the State Water Resources Control Board’s MS4 permit boundaries: FOG cannot be disposed of directly or indirectly into the City’s storm drain network because runoff collecting into storm drains flows freely without treatment into waters of the state (rivers, streams, estuaries, wetlands, Pacific Ocean) which are habitat to aquatic communities sensitive to these substances. FOG should not enter the wastewater stream because as they chill and solidify they clog wastewater lines causing backups and the inline plugging in the sewer requiring significant maintenance to resolve. The District’s storm water permit prohibits the discharge of oil and grease into storm waters. Grease from grease traps and grease interceptors must be recycled or otherwise properly disposed of. Grease accumulating on floors or nonslip mats must be cleaned in a manner that does not run off to street gutters because street gutters are connected to storm drains which convey anything inside them directly to sensitive aquatic communities.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.120 PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF WASTES.
A. The admission into the sewers of any waters or wastes having:
1. A 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) greater than 300 mg/L;
2. Containing more than 350 mg/L of total suspended solids;
3. Containing any quantity of substances having the characteristics described in § 14.16.090; or
4. Having an average daily flow greater than 2% of the average daily wastewater flow of the District,
shall be subject to the review and approval of the District Manager.
B. Where necessary in the opinion of the District Manager, the owner shall provide, at his or her expense, the preliminary treatment as may be necessary to:
1. Reduce the biochemical oxygen demand to 300 mg/L and the suspended solids to 350 mg/L; or
2. Reduce objectionable characteristics or constituents to within the maximum limits provided for in § 14.16.090; or
3. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of the waters or wastes.
C. Plans, specifications, and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the District Manager and of the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board and no construction of the facilities shall be commenced until the approvals are obtained in writing.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.130 MAINTENANCE OF PRETREATMENT FACILITIES.
Where preliminary treatment facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his or her expense.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.140 CONTROL MANHOLES.
When required by the District Manager, the owner of any property served by the sewer lateral carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole in the sewer lateral to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of wastes. The manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be constructed by the owner at his or her expense, and shall be maintained by him or her so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.150 MEASUREMENTS AND TESTS.
All measurements, tests, and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made shall be determined in accordance with a currently approved edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, and shall be determined at the control manhole provided for in § 14.16.140, or upon suitable samples taken at the control manhole. In the event that no special manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the sewer lateral is connected.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.160 SPECIAL AGREEMENTS.
No statement contained in this section shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the District and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the District for treatment, subject to payment therefor by the industrial concern and subject to the terms and conditions as might be required by District.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)
14.16.170 SWIMMING POOLS.
It is unlawful for any person to discharge the contents of a swimming pool into a sewer except in the manner specified in this section. The size of pipe carrying discharge water shall not be larger than 2 inches and shall not be under a head to exceed 20 feet. If the water is discharged by pumping, the rate of flow shall not exceed 100 gallons per minute. Each swimming pool discharging to a sewer shall be equipped with an approved separator to preclude any possibility of a backflow of wastewater into the swimming pool or piping system.
(Ord. 911, § 2, passed 08-24-2015)