Any user discharging wastewater into the Borough's sewer system, when such wastewater contains pollutant concentrations in excess of the surcharge limits listed below, will be subject to a strength-of-waste surcharge for each pollutant concentration in excess of the surcharge limits:
Pollutant
Surcharge Limit
(mg/l)
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
Total suspended solids
Total Phosphorus, as P
Ammonia-Nitrogen, as N
Total Nitrogen
Users discharging wastewater to the Borough's sewer system subject to the provisions of this chapter shall pay a strength-of-waste surcharge, in addition to applicable volume charges, equal to the sum of 1/10 of 1% (0.001 as a decimal) of the quarterly sewer rental charge, for each mg/l by which the BOD, total suspended solids, total phosphorus, or ammonia-nitrogen exceeds the surcharge limits established under this chapter. Each surcharge amount shall be considered a separate charge, additive to the quarterly sewer rental billing amount of the user.
A. 
The strength of wastewater (i.e., concentration of pollutants) to be used for establishing the amount of surcharge shall be determined by the Borough at least once every billing quarter either:
(1) 
By suitable sampling and analysis of the wastewater for three consecutive days;
(2) 
From estimates made by the Borough; or
(3) 
From known relationships of products produced to strengths of wastewater for those users where such factors have been established.
B. 
When the strength of wastewater is determined by analysis, the analyses shall be performed in accordance with the procedures outlined in the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, published jointly by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association, and the Water Environment Federation. The concentration to be used to calculate the surcharge amount shall be the arithmetic average of the individual samples analyzed over each of the three consecutive days of sampling.
A. 
The cost of monitoring activities performed by the Borough, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall be the responsibility of the user, regardless of whether the monitoring results identify concentrations of pollutants in the user's discharge in excess of the Borough's surcharge limits. Such costs shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) 
The costs for the analyses;
(2) 
Rental of Borough equipment used in performing the monitoring (i.e., vehicles, samplers, flowmeters, etc.);
(3) 
Labor costs associated with installation of monitoring equipment and sample transport; and
(4) 
Administrative costs associated with tabulation of the surcharge amount and billing.
B. 
All costs associated with enforcement of the provisions of this chapter shall be borne by the user. These costs may include legal and engineering fees, as well as filing fees and other court costs.
No user shall discharge or cause to be discharged, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or wastewater which will interfere with the operation or performance of the sewer system. These general prohibitions apply to all users whether or not the users are subject to any other pretreatment requirements or discharge limitations.
No user may discharge the following substances to the sewer system:
A. 
Any liquids, solids or gases which by reason of their nature or quantity are, or may be, sufficient either alone or by interaction with other substances to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in any other way to the sewer system or to the operation of the sewer system. At no time shall two successive readings on an explosion hazard meter, at the point of discharge into the system (or at any point in the system) be more than 5% nor any single reading over 10% of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the meter. At no time shall the closed cup flashpoint of the wastewater be less than 140° Fahrenheit. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, the following substances: gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, ethers, alcohols, peroxides, perchlorates, bromates, and carbides.
B. 
Solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction of the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the sewer system, such as, but not limited to: animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshings, entrails, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent lime, stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, waste paper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining, or processing of fuel or lubricating oil, mud, or glass grinding or polishing wastes.
C. 
Any wastewater having a pH less than 6.0 or higher than 9.0, or wastewater having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and/or personnel of the sewer system.
D. 
Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other constituents of the wastewater, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create a toxic effect in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant.
E. 
Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases, or solids which either singly or by interaction with other substances normally present in the sewer system are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewer system for maintenance and repair.
F. 
Any substance which results in the formation or release of toxic gases, vapors or fumes in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems.
G. 
Any petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause interference or pass through, but in no case exceeding 20 mg/l.
H. 
Fats, oils, greases or waxes of animal or vegetable origin in amounts which exceed 100 mg/l.
I. 
Any substance which may cause the sewage treatment plant's effluent or any other product of the sewage treatment plant such as residues, sludges, or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse or to interfere with the reclamation process. In no case shall a substance discharge to the sewer system cause the sewage treatment plant to be in noncompliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines, or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Clean Air Act, the Toxics Substances Control Act, or state or federal criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.
J. 
Any substance which will cause the Borough to violate its NPDES and/or state water quality management permit or applicable receiving water quality standards.
K. 
Any wastewater with objectionable color which will pass through the treatment plant, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.
L. 
Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the sewage treatment plant resulting in interference, but in no case wastewater with a temperature at the point of discharge into the sewer system which exceeds 140° F. (60° C.).
M. 
Any pollutants, including oxygen-demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.) released at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which will cause interference to the sewage treatment plant or interfere with the operation of the sewer system. In no case shall a slug load be discharged.
N. 
Any wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Borough or applicable state or federal regulations.
O. 
Any trucked or hauled wastewater or pollutants except those discharged at points designated by the Borough.
P. 
Any wastewater which is incompatible with treatment processes in use at the sewage treatment plant or which may cause interference or pass through.
Q. 
Any wastewater containing any compounds or salts of aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, lindane, methoxychlor, toxaphene, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, trichlorophenoxyproprionic acid, or other persistent herbicides, pesticides or rodenticides.
R. 
Any garbage, except properly chopped garbage from private residences only. Such garbage from private residences shall not contain particles greater than 1/2 inch in length and width, or 1/2 inch in diameter. "Garbage" shall not be construed to mean industrial waste.
The Borough reserves the right to develop local limits regulating the discharge of pollutants to the sewer system. These local limits will apply to all users of the sewer system, whether or not the users are subject to any other pretreatment standards or discharge limits.