Borough of Northampton, PA Discharges to Sewer System

§ 190-4 Discharge of stormwaters.

No person shall discharge or cause or permit to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof water, subsurface drainage or building foundation drainage into any sanitary sewer.

§ 190-5 Storm sewers.

No person shall, at any time, discharge any wastewater, sanitary sewage or industrial waste into any storm sewer of the Borough, nor shall any person construct or utilize existing private storm sewers for such purposes.

§ 190-6 Discharge limitations.

No improved property nor industrial user shall discharge sewage and/or industrial waste, directly or indirectly, into the sewer system, subject to the provisions of this chapter, which contains pollutants in excess of the daily maximum limits as follows:

Pollutant	Limit (mg/L)
Biochemical oxygen demand	250
Total suspended solids	300
Total phosphorus, as P	15
Ammonia-nitrogen, as N	30

§ 190-7 Prohibited discharge.

No user shall discharge or caused 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 categorical standards or any other pretreatment requirements. No user may discharge any of the following substances to the sewer system:

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° F. (60° C.). Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, the following substances in concentrations which cause exceedance of the above standard: gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, ethers, alcohols, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates and carbides.

Solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the sewer system, such as, but not limited to, grease, garbage with particles greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension, 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, wastepaper, wood, plastics, gas, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining or processing of fuel or lubricating oil, mud or glass grinding or polishing wastes.

Any wastewater having a pH less than six or higher than nine or wastewater having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and/or personnel of the sewer system.

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, create a toxic effect in the receiving waters of the sewage treatment plant or to exceed the limits referenced in an applicable categorical standard.

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.

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.

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.

Fats, oils, greases or waxes of animal or vegetable origin in amounts which exceed 100 mg/L.

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 discharged 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 Toxic Substances Control Act or state and federal criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.

Any substance which will cause the Borough to violate its NPDES and/or state water quality management permits or applicable receiving water quality standards.

Any wastewater with objectionable color which will pass through the sewage treatment plant, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.

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 discharge into the sewer system which exceed 40° C. (104° F.).

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.

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 national regulations.

Any trucked wastewater or pollutants or hauled waste except those discharged at points designated by the Borough.

Any wastewater which is incompatible with treatment in use at the sewage treatment plant so as to cause or contribute to interference or pass-through.

Any wastewater containing any compounds or salts of aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, lindane, methoxychlor, toxaphene, dichlorphenoxyacetic acid, trichlorophenoxyproprionic acid or other persistent herbicides, pesticides or rodenticides.

Any infectious waste.

§ 190-8 Unauthorized discharges.

Discharge of any prohibited substance listed under § 190-7 of this chapter shall be considered an unauthorized discharge and the Borough may take whatever steps are necessary to halt such a discharge, as set forth in this chapter.

§ 190-9 Categorical standards.

If the categorical standards for a particular industrial user are more stringent than local limits or other requirements imposed under this chapter, then the categorical standards shall apply. The Borough shall notify in writing all affected industrial users of the applicable reporting requirements under 40 CFR 403.12. The National Categorical Pretreatment Standards are hereby incorporated into this chapter as requirements for those industrial users subject to such categorical standards.

§ 190-10 State requirements.

State requirements and limitations on discharges shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than national requirements and limitations or those established under this chapter.

§ 190-11 Local limits.

The Borough may establish, and review from time to time, local limits regulating the discharge of specific pollutants by industrial users.

Local limits may be established for any substance which is discharged, or is likely to be discharged, to the sewer system.

Local limits may limit concentration, mass or a combination of the two.

The procedure for the calculation of local limits should be as recommended by the approval authority.

Local limits may be calculated to prevent interference; pass-through; the discharge of toxic materials in toxic amounts; threats to worker health and safety; and physical, chemical or biological damage to the sewer system.

Local limits may be applied to all significant industrial users and may be included in all wastewater discharge permits. Local limits may be applied to other industrial users if deemed appropriate by the Borough.

Discharging any pollutant in excess of a local limit established for that pollutant shall constitute an unauthorized discharge. Such a discharge is subject to the actions and penalties set forth herein.

Discharge of any pollutant prior to the establishment of any local limits shall not give any industrial user any right to continue such discharge in violation of the local limits.

§ 190-12 Prohibition on dilution.

No industrial user shall, in any way, attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate pretreatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in applicable categorical standards, or in any other pollutant specific limitation, including local limits, developed by the Borough or state.

§ 190-13 Slug loads and spills.

Each industrial user shall provide protection from spills or accidental discharges that result in unauthorized discharges or slug load discharges. Facilities to prevent spills and slug loads shall be provided and maintained at the owner's or industrial user's own cost and expense.

Notification. In the case of a spill or slug load or other unauthorized discharge, it is the responsibility of the industrial user to immediately telephone and notify the Borough of the incident. The notification shall include location of discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume, corrective actions being taken or planned, and expected duration.

Notice to employees. A notice shall be permanently posted on the industrial user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a spill or other unauthorized discharge. Employers shall insure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.

Written notice. Within five days following a spill, slug load or other unauthorized discharge, the industrial user shall submit to the Borough a detailed written report describing the causes of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the industrial user to prevent similar future occurrences. Such notification shall not relieve the industrial user of any expense, loss, damage or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the sewer system, fish kills or any other damage to person or property; nor shall such notification relieve the industrial user of any fines, civil penalties or other liability which may be imposed by this chapter or applicable law.

SPCC plans. The Borough reserves the right to require all industrial users to complete and obtain approval of a spill prevention control and countermeasure (SPCC) plan or provide acceptable evidence that such a plan is not necessary for their facility. Such plans shall, at a minimum, contain the elements specified in 40 CFR § 403.8(f)(2)(v)(A-D). SPCC plans shall be submitted to the Borough for review, and shall be approved by the Borough before implementation of the plan or construction of any required facilities. Review and approval of such plans, facilities and operating procedures by the Borough shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify its facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter.

§ 190-14 Drainage of water filtration systems.

Discharge of filter backwash water to the sewer system shall be regulated as follows:

Granular media filter backwash may be discharged to the sewer system, subject to all applicable provisions of this chapter.

Diatomaceous earth filter backwash, if discharged to the sewer system, shall be connected to the sewer system through settling tanks with no less than three months' storage capacity of spent diatomaceous earth, which tanks shall be accessible for removing solid waste for disposal.

§ 190-15 Trucked and hauled wastes.

The discharge of trucked or holding tank wastes to the Borough sewage collection system shall be allowed only with prior express written consent of the Borough. No wastewater may be discharged to the sewer system which has not been produced or generated on the improved property connected to the sewer system, without the prior express written consent of the Borough.

§ 190-16 Grease and sand traps.

Grease, oil and sand interceptors or traps shall be provided by the user when the Borough determines that such devices are necessary for the proper handling of wastewaters containing greases, oils or settleable solids. Interceptors and traps shall be installed, operated, maintained and cleaned properly, so that they will consistently remove the grease, oil and settleable solids. Interceptors and traps shall be properly designed to accommodate the maximum flow rate expected to occur, and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.

§ 190-17 Garbage grinders.

The use of mechanical garbage grinders producing a finely divided mass, properly flushed with an ample amount of water, shall be permitted in the kitchen of a dwelling unit. Such devices shall also be permitted in food preparation areas of commercial or industrial establishments upon the registration of each such device with the Borough. Each existing garbage grinder requiring registration shall be registered within 30 days of receipt by the owner thereof from the Borough of the requirements of such registration as set forth herein.

§ 190-18 Notification requirements; hazardous wastes and hazardous substances.

All industrial users shall notify the Borough, the EPA Regional Waste Management Division Director and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Waste Management, in writing of any discharge into the POTW of a substance which, if otherwise disposed of, would be a hazardous waste under 40 CFR, Part 261. Such notification shall include the name of the hazardous waste, as set forth in 40 CFR, Part 261, the EPA hazardous waste number, and the type of discharge (continuous, batch or other). If the industrial user discharges more than 100 kilograms of such waste per calendar month, the notification shall also include the following information, to the extent that it is known and readily available to the industrial user:

(1)

An identification of the hazardous constituents in the waste.

(2)

An estimation of the mass and concentration in the wastewater of all such constituents discharged in the most recent month.

(3)

An estimate of the mass and concentration of such constituents expected to be discharged during the following 12 months.

Industrial users that commence discharge after the effective date of this chapter shall submit the report within 180 days of first discharge of the hazardous waste, except as provided in Subsection D of this section.

The required report needs to be submitted only once for each hazardous waste discharged. Industrial users regulated under categorical standards which have already submitted such information in baseline monitoring reports or periodic compliance reports do not have to report this information again.

Industrial users that discharge less than 15 kilograms of hazardous wastes in a calendar month do not have to comply with these reporting requirements. This exemption does not apply to acute hazardous wastes as specified in 40 CFR 261.30(d) and 261.33(e).

An industrial user shall notify the Borough within five days of becoming aware of any discharges of reportable quantities of listed or unlisted hazardous substances, as defined at 40 CFR 302.4 (CERCLA hazardous substances). This notification shall include the time of release; the name of the substance; the identifying CAS number, if known; and the approximate quantity discharged. If the discharge constitutes a spill, change in wastewater constituents or slug load, other reporting requirements of this chapter may also apply.

Each notification required by this section shall include a statement certifying that the industrial user has a program in place to reduce the volume and/or toxicity of the discharged wastes to the extent that it is economically practical. This statement shall be signed by the authorized representative of the industrial user.