[Amended 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232; 7-8-2025 by Ord. No. MC-5568]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BOD (denoting "BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND")
The quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedure in five days at 20° C. (68° F.), expressed in parts per million by weight.
CITY ENGINEER
The City Engineer of the City.
COMBINED SEWER
A sewer receiving both surface runoff and sewage.
COOLING WATER
The water discharged from any system of condensation, air conditioning, cooling, refrigeration or other, but which shall be free from odor and oil. It shall contain no polluting substances which would produce BOD or suspended solids, each in excess of 10 parts per million by weight.
DIRECTOR
The Director of Public Works, as head of the Department of Public Works of the City, or his duly authorized agents.
GARBAGE
Solid wastes from the preparation, cooking and dispensing of foods and from the handling, storage or sale of produce.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
The liquid wastes from industrial processes, as distinct from sanitary sewage.
INTERCEPTING SEWER
Any sewer conducting sewage from a combined sewer to a treatment plant.
MOBILE COMMERCIAL WASHING
Refers to any activity conducted for compensation in any form whatsoever that involves the washing of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles or any other vehicles and includes any business or operation that operates at one location in the City of Camden including at the owner or operator of the mobile car wash's residence and serves customers or which moves from one location to another and serves customers at their residences or places of work. Mobile car washing shall not include: (1) a building or structure which contains approved facilities for washing, cleaning and drying of vehicles; (2) noncommercial residential car washing; or (3) any temporary car wash event conducted for the sole purpose of fundraising for a charitable organization, association or other similar entity.
NATURAL OUTLET
Any point of discharge into a watercourse, pond, ditch, lake, stream or other body of surface or ground water.
NORMAL SEWAGE
Sewage which will be regarded as "normal" if and when analyses show, by weight, a daily average of not more than 2,500 pounds of suspended solid per million gallons of waste (300 parts per million), not more than 2,000 pounds (240 parts per million) of BOD and not more than 834 pounds (100 parts per million) of ether-soluble matter (grease and oil), each, per million gallons of daily flow.
pH
The logarithm of the reciprocal of the weight of hydrogen ions concentration, in grams per liter of solution. It is used to indicate the concentration of free acid and alkali.
PUBLIC SEWER
A sewer which is controlled by public authority.
SANITARY SEWAGE
Sewage discharging from the sanitary conveniences of dwellings (including apartment houses and hotels), office buildings, factories or institutions, and free from stormwater, surface water and industrial wastes.
SANITARY SEWER
A sewer which carries sewage and to which surface and ground waters are not intentionally admitted.
SEWAGE
The water-carried wastes from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, singular or in any combination, together with such ground-, surface and stormwaters as may be present.
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
Any arrangement of devices and structures used for treating sewage.
SEWAGE WORKS OR SEWERAGE SYSTEM
All facilities for collecting, pumping, treating and disposing of sewage.
SEWER
A pipe or conduit for carrying sewage and other waste liquids.
STORM SEWER OR STORM DRAIN
A pipe or conduit which carries storm- and surface waters and drainage, but excludes sewage and industrial wastes; it may, however, carry cooling waters and unpolluted waters.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids that either float on the surface of or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids and which are removable by laboratory filtering.
UNPOLLUTED WATER OR WASTE
Any water or waste containing none of the following: free or emulsified grease or oil; acid or alkali; phenols or other substances imparting taste or odor in receiving waters; toxic or poisonous substances in suspension, colloidal state or solution; and noxious or odorous gases. It shall contain not more than 10,000 parts per million, by weight, of dissolved solids, of which not more than 2,500 parts per million shall be as chloride, with permissible volume subject to review by the Director of Public Works and not more than 10 parts per million each of suspended solids and BOD. The color shall not exceed 50 parts per million.
[Amended 3-13-1975 by Ord. No. MC-960]
A. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described substances, materials, waters or wastes to any public sewer.
(1) 
Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150° F. (65° C.).
(2) 
Any water or waste which contains grease or oil or other substance that will solidify to become discernibly viscous at temperatures between 32° and 150° F.
(3) 
Any water or wastes containing emulsified oil and grease exceeding, on analysis, an average of 100 parts per million (834 pounds per million gallons) of ether-soluble matter.
(4) 
Any gasoline, benzine, naphtha, fuel oil or mineral oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
(5) 
Any water or waste that contain more than 10 parts per million, by weight, of the following gases: hydrogen, sulphide, sulpher dioxide or nitrous oxide.
(6) 
Any garbage that has not been properly comminuted or triturated.
(7) 
Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, lime slurry, lime residues, beer or distillery slops, chemical residues, paint residues, cannery waste bulk solids or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other interferences with the proper operation of the sewage works.
(8) 
Any waters or wastes that contain phenols in excess of 0.005 part per million gallons by weight; provided, however, that this limit may be modified if the aggregate of contributions throughout the area of service creates treatment difficulties or produces a plant effluent discharge to the receiving waters which may be prohibitive.
(9) 
Any waters or wastes, acid or alkaline in reaction, having corrosive properties capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage works. Free acids and alkalis of such wastes must be neutralized, at all times, within a permissible range of pH limit, between six point zero (6.0) and nine point zero (9.0).
(10) 
Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, to constitute a hazard to humans or animals or to create any hazard in receiving waters or stormwater overflow or the effluent of the sewage treatment plant.
(a) 
Materials such as copper, zinc, chromium and similar toxic substances shall be limited to the following quantities in the sewage at its source or place of discharge:
Contaminant
Discharge to Sewer System Allowance
(24-hour average; concentration in mg/l)
Copper, cadmium, nickel,
1.0
hexavalent chromium, silver
0.5
Lead, boron
Zinc, tin, iron
5.0
Cyanide, arsenic, mercury
0.005
(b) 
Contributions from individual establishments are subject to control in volume and concentration by the Director pursuant to this chapter.
[Amended 4-9-1987 by Ord. No. MC-2289]
(11) 
Any cyanides in excess of two parts per million, by weight, as Cn in the wastes from any outlet into the public sewers.
(12) 
Any water or wastes containing the discharge of strong acid iron pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions, whether neutralized or not.
(13) 
Any waters or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual provisions, attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the sewage treatment plant.
(14) 
Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, is capable of creating a hazard or menace to life or property or preventing entry into sewers for their maintenance and repair.
(15) 
Any long half-life (over 100 days) of toxic radioactive isotopes, without special permit. The radio active isotopes I131 and P32 used at hospitals are not prohibited if properly diluted at the source.
(16) 
Any water or wastes that, for a duration of 15 minutes, have a concentration greater than five times that of normal sewage, as measured by suspended solids and BOD.
B. 
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection A, any discharge into the public sewer of wastes, whose concentration of suspended solids or BOD or grease or chlorine demand, which causes at the sewage works a monthly increase in the average daily analysis of any of these constituents in excess of 2% of the annual daily average for the previous year is prohibited.
C. 
Concentrated dye wastes, spent tanning solutions or other wastes which are highly colored or wastes which are of unusual volume, concentration of solids or composition as, for example, in total suspended solids of inert nature (such as Fuller's earth) or in total dissolved solids (such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride or sodium sulphate) or unusual in BOD are prohibited.
D. 
Any water or waste which, by interaction with other water or wastes in the public sewer system, releases obnoxious gases or develops color of undesirable intensity or forms suspended solids in objectional concentration or creates any other condition deleterious to structures and treatment processes shall be subject to control or shall be debarred from the system as determined by the Director of Public Works.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
[Amended 7-8-2025 by Ord. No. MC-5568]
A. 
No person shall place or deposit rubbish, refuse, slops, garbage or other solid matter of any kind into the drainage or sewage inlets or into any place where such matter may be carried into the inlets.
B. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following into sewers, and into drainage or sewage inlets or into any place where such matter may be carried into the inlets:
(1) 
Any untreated water, wastewater or other waste particles contained in the untreated water or wastewater arising from the mobile commercial washing of automobiles, trucks, motorcycles, recreational vehicles or any other vehicles.
C. 
Before operating in the City of Camden, any mobile commercial car wash owner or operator must:
(1) 
Obtain a mercantile license from the Department of Code Enforcement; and
(2) 
Seek approval from the Department of Health and the Department of Public Works indicating that the water treatment, purification and filtration system being utilized by that commercial car wash owner or operator is sufficient and adequate to remove the contaminants described in § 675-4 above and in this section, from any possible commercial car wash run-off.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
A. 
Stormwater and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated by the Director of Public Works as combined sewers or storm sewers.
B. 
Cooling waters or unpolluted water or wastes, wherever possible, should be recirculated for the reuse or, upon approval of the Director of Public Works, be discharged to a storm sewer or natural outlet.
Where necessary, the owner shall provide, at his expense, such preliminary treatment as may be necessary to reduce the quality and quantity of waste to the limits set forth in this article. Such pretreatment shall be determined on the basis of advice, in writing, from a qualified sanitary consulting engineer or chemist retained by the City at the expense of the applicant.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
Plans, specifications and any other pertinent information relating to holding tanks or to other pretreatment facilities shall be submitted for the approval of the Director of Public Works, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced until said approvals are obtained in writing. Said Director shall approve the holding tanks or other pretreatment facilities, provided that the same shall produce an effluent conforming to the provisions of this article.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766]
A. 
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 own expense and shall be subject to periodic inspection by the Director and shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Director, provided that they produce an effluent conforming to the provisions of this article.
B. 
The owner shall maintain operating records and shall submit to the Director of Public Works a monthly summary report of the character of the influent and effluent, as may be prescribed by said Director, to show satisfactory performance of the treatment facilities.
[Amended 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 7-8-2014 by Ord. No. MC-4840]
A. 
Grease, oil and sand interceptors or traps shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Director of Public Works, or his duly authorized representative, 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 or traps shall not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. Grease traps/interceptors shall not be required for residential users.
B. 
No user may intentionally or unintentionally allow the direct or indirect discharge of any fats, oils, or greases into the City of Camden wastewater collection system in such amounts as to cause interference with the collection and treatment system, or as to cause pollutants to pass through the treatment works into the environment. Also see § 675-4 (Wastes Restricted from Public Sewer).
C. 
All food service establishments shall be required to install a grease trap/interceptor, unless an exemption is granted pursuant to this article.
D. 
All other commercial and/or industrial establishments shall be required to install a grease trap/interceptor when, in the reasonable opinion of the Director of Public Works, or his duly authorized representative, grease, flammable waste, oil and sand interceptors or oil reclaimers are necessary due to the type of activity/use of the property.
E. 
The following regulations and requirements shall apply to all external grease traps where such grease traps are installed or required to be installed:
(1) 
All interceptors or traps shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Director of Public Works, provided that they produce an effluent conforming to the provisions of this article, and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
(2) 
Grease and oil interceptors or traps shall be constructed of impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of substantial construction, watertight and equipped with easily removable covers which, when bolted in place, shall be gastight and watertight. The design and pertinent data shall be submitted to the Director of Public Works, or his duly authorized representative for review and approval prior to construction or installation. Separators must be constructed entirely on the property of the owner.
(3) 
Where installed, all grease, oil and sand interceptors or traps shall be maintained by the owner, at his expense, in continuously efficient operation at all times.
(4) 
Grease traps and interceptors shall be installed in accordance with the New Jersey Uniform Construction Code 5:23, Subchapter 3.15, Plumbing Subcode.
(5) 
Grease traps shall have the grease retention capacity as indicated in the Plumbing Subcode, as adopted in N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15.
(6) 
In all cases, grease traps shall conform to the Plumbing and Drainage Institute Standards (PDI).
(7) 
It is the responsibility of the establishment owner, lessee or assignee to carry out all proceedings necessary to have any and all grease interceptors opened and ready for inspection and to see that the equipment is put back in proper operation after the inspection. All inspections will be conducted by the Director of Public Works, or his duly authorized representative.
(8) 
Forms for periodic inspections will be furnished by the owner, lessee or assignee and posted as close as possible to the interceptor to which it applies. The form shall be protected from soiling. In those instances where the interceptor is chemically treated, the method and chemical of such treatment shall be approved by the Director of Public Works. Any proposed chemical changes shall be furnished to the Director of Public Works for approval. Copies of maintenance and removal records shall be provided to the Director of Public Works within seven days of such occurrence.
(9) 
The fee for inspection, as required in the schedule listed, will be the same as the plumbing fee in force at the time of the requested or required inspection. The minimum fee will include the first three interceptors at one location prepared and ready for inspection. Other interceptors that are prepared and ready for inspection at the same time, and are in excess of the first three units, will be inspected at an additional fee of 1/2 the minimum fee for each additional interceptor. The schedule for cleaning is as follows:
Grease Capacity
(pounds)
Maximum Inspection Intervals
(months)
Up to 60
6 months
60 and over
4 months
(10) 
The above schedule may be altered by the Director of Public Works if deemed necessary. The owner, lessee or assignee shall be notified, in writing, of any schedule change.
(11) 
New facilities. Nonresidential facilities which are newly proposed or constructed, or existing facilities which will be expanded or renovated to include a facility generating fats, oils, or greases, where such facility did not previously exist, shall be required to design, install, operate and maintain a grease interceptor in accordance with locally adopted plumbing codes or other applicable ordinances. Grease interceptors shall be installed and inspected prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
(12) 
All existing nonresidential establishments without grease interceptors shall install grease interceptors and follow the inspection schedule as set forth. The existing food service establishments shall have 180 days from the effective date of this article to install a grease interceptor.
(13) 
The Director of Public Works shall require all interceptors to be efficient in operation and may, at the expense of the owner, lessee or assignee, require independent laboratory tests to ascertain the concentration of grease being emitted from the effluent line of the unit. All grease traps shall be cleaned in accordance with the foregoing schedule and the City provided with a bill or receipt from a licensed grease and waste disposal company or qualified recycling company. Disagreeable odors shall require deodorants to combat said offensive odors.
(14) 
Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be subject to a written warning for the first violation, a $1,000 civil penalty for the second violation, a $1,500 civil penalty for the third violation, and a $2,000 civil penalty for the fourth violation within a two-year period. Consistent violations will result in a $500 increase in civil penalty and may result in termination of service.
[Amended 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766; 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
Whenever any provision of this article requires approval of the Director of a type, kind or capacity of an installation, such approval obtained from the Director of Public Works shall not relieve a person of the responsibility of revamping, enlarging or otherwise modifying an installation to accomplish an intended purpose.