Chapter 13.88
PROHIBITED DISCHARGES
Sections:
13.88.010 Unpolluted waters – Sanitary sewer.
13.88.020 Unpolluted drainage – Storm sewers.
13.88.030 Prohibitions and limitations.
13.88.040 Pretreatment for sanitary sewer discharge.
13.88.050 Special arrangements for sanitary sewer discharge.
13.88.060 Pretreatment for storm sewer discharge.
13.88.070 Special arrangements for storm sewer discharge.
13.88.010 Unpolluted waters – Sanitary sewer.
No person(s) shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted waters such as storm water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, or cooling water to any sewer, except storm water runoff from limited areas, which storm water may be polluted at times, may be discharged to the sanitary sewer by permission of the approving authority. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013; Ord. 680 § 201, 1981.]
13.88.020 Unpolluted drainage – Storm sewers.
Storm water, other than that exempted under LMC 13.88.010, and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as combined sewers or storm sewers or to a natural outlet approved by the approving authority and other regulatory agencies. Unpolluted industrial cooling water or process waters may be discharged, on approval of the approving authority, to a storm sewer, combined sewer, or natural outlet. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013; Ord. 680 § 202, 1981.]
13.88.030 Prohibitions and limitations.
Except as provided in this section, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:
A. Gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas;
B. Waters or wastes 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 or create a public nuisance in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant;
C. 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;
D. Waters or wastes having a pH in excess of 8.5;
E. 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 operation of wastewater facilities such as, but not limited to, ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastic, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, and paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders;
F. Garbage either ground or unground from any nonresidential source such as but not limited to: hotels with restaurants, restaurants, institutions, hospitals, schools, food stores, food processing establishments, and catering establishments;
G. The following described substances, materials, waters or waste 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 lives, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. The approving authority may set limitations lower than the limitations established in the regulations below if in his opinion such more severe limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. In forming his opinion as to the acceptability, the approving authority 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 water in the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The limitations or restrictions on materials or characteristics of waste or wastewaters discharged in the sanitary sewer which shall not be violated without approval of the approving authority are as follows:
1. Wastewater having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius);
2. Wastewater containing more than 100 milligrams per liter of oil or grease of mineral, animal, vegetable or petroleum origin;
3. Wastewater from industrial plants containing floatable oils, fat or grease;
4. Garbage grinders may be connected to sanitary sewers from residential sources only; provided, that the garbage is properly shredded in accordance with Chapter 13.84 LMC;
5. Waters or wastes containing iron, chromium, copper, zinc, and similarly objectionable or toxic substances to such degree that any such material received in the composite wastewater at the wastewater treatment works exceeds the limit established by the approving authority for such materials;
6. Waters or wastes containing odor-producing substances exceeding limits which may be established by the approving authority;
7. Radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the approving authority in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations;
8. Quantities of flow, concentrations, or both which constitute a “slug” as defined in LMC 13.72.230;
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. Waste 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;
11. Materials which exert or cause:
a. Unusual BOD, chemical oxygen demand or chlorine requirements in such quantities as to constitute a significant load on the wastewater treatment plant;
b. Unusual volume of flow or concentration of wastes constituting “slugs” as defined in LMC 13.72.230;
c. Unusual concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, fuller’s earth, lime, slurries, and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium sulfate);
d. Excessive discoloration such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013; Ord. 861 § 1, 1990; Ord. 751 § 2, 1984; Ord. 680 § 203, 1981.]
13.88.040 Pretreatment for sanitary sewer discharge.
Where required, in the opinion of the approving authority, to modify or eliminate wastes that are harmful to the structures, processes or operation of the wastewater treatment works, the person shall provide at his expense such preliminary treatment or processing facilities as may be determined required to render his wastes acceptable for admission to the public sanitary sewers.
A. Grease Traps. All commercial kitchens or any other cooking facilities of any commercial establishment, institution, hospital or school, and any other source of sewage considered appropriate by the approving authority shall have grease traps which are continuously in use, effectively utilized and adequately maintained.
1. All establishments that are required to use a grease trap shall maintain a current grease trap record. The record shall contain the name and location of the establishment; the name of the owner; the name of the person responsible for the grease trap operation and maintenance, and for recording the same; grease trap design and installation approval data, the operating and maintenance plan and its approval; a record of maintenance, usage, and grease disposal dates, quantities, and methods; and other information required by the approving authority. The city will issue the original record which is to be kept up to date and accessible for inspection by city, county health department, DSHS and D.O.E. personnel.
2. All grease traps shall be of a type and capacity approved by the approving authority and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In the maintaining of these grease traps the owner(s) 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 approving authority. Any removal and hauling of the collected material not performed by owner’(s) personnel must be performed by currently licensed waste disposal firms.
3. All grease traps shall be installed, operated and maintained by the establishment’s owner or his agent.
4. All required grease traps shall be installed and operating by December 1, 1984.
B. Other Pretreatment and Reduction in BOD. Whenever preliminary treatment is necessary to reduce the BOD to 300 parts per million by weight, or to reduce the objectionable character or constituents to within the maximum limits prescribed by LMC 13.88.030, such preliminary treatment shall be at the whole expense of the owner of the premises and shall be installed when the approving authority determines that the same is necessary to comply with the standards prescribed. In such cases, all plans, specifications and other pertinent information relating to such proposed preliminary treatment facilities shall be submitted to the approving authority prior to commencement of construction and no construction thereof shall be commenced until the approving authority’s approval is noted on the plan. In the event of such installations, they shall be maintained continuously in efficient operation by the owner at his own expense. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013; Ord. 751 § 3, 1984; Ord. 680 § 204, 1981.]
13.88.050 Special arrangements for sanitary sewer discharge.
No statement contained in the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting any special agreement between the city and any person whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be admitted to the sanitary sewage disposal works in accordance with RCW 90.48.160 either before or after pretreatment; provided, that there is no impairment of the functioning of the sewage disposal works by reason of the admission of such wastes, and no extra costs are incurred by the city without recompense by the person. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013; Ord. 751 § 4, 1984; Ord. 680 § 205, 1981.]
13.88.060 Pretreatment for storm sewer discharge.
Where required, per the Stormwater Management Manual for Eastern Washington or Department of Ecology, to modify or eliminate harmful pollutants to the storm water system the property owner shall provide at his expense such preliminary treatment or processing facilities as may be determined required to render his storm water flows acceptable for admission to the public storm water sewers.
A. Oil/Water Separator. All commercial properties with gasoline or diesel fuel filling stations or commercial properties with paved parking lots that are deemed necessary to have an oil/water separator according to the Stormwater Management Manual for Eastern Washington or by the Department of Ecology or the city, and any other source of fuel or oil contaminated storm water flows considered appropriate by the approving authority shall have oil/water separators which are continuously in use, effectively utilized and adequately maintained.
1. All establishments that are required to use an oil/water separator shall maintain a current oil/water separator record. The record shall contain the name and location of the establishment; the name of the owner; the name of the person responsible for the oil/water separator operation and maintenance, and for recording the same; oil/water separator design and installation approval data, the operating and maintenance plan and its approval; a record of maintenance, quantities, and methods; and other information required by the approving authority. The city will issue the original record which is to be kept up to date and accessible for inspection by city and D.O.E. personnel. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013.]
13.88.070 Special arrangements for storm sewer discharge.
No statement contained in the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be construed as prohibiting any special agreement between the city and any person whereby a storm water waste of unusual strength or character may be admitted to the storm sewer system in accordance with RCW 90.48.160 after pretreatment; provided, that there is no impairment of the storm sewer system by reason of the admission of such wastes or that a violation of the city’s NPDES permit for storm water could occur, and no extra costs are incurred by the city without recompense by the person. [Ord. 1449 § 1 (Exh. A), 2013.]