No unauthorized person shall:
A. 
Break, damage, destroy, uncover, deface or tamper with any equipment or materials belonging to the City of Fitchburg and used or intended to be used for the purposes of making measurement, tests or examination of sewage or wastes.
B. 
Remove, damage or interfere with the functioning of any pipe, main, manhole, manhole cover, building, apparatus or equipment used in the collection, conveyance or treatment of sewage or industrial wastes.
C. 
Place or cause to be placed in any manhole or sewer pipe or main any material which results or is likely to result in the stopping or obstructing of the normal flow of sewage or wastes. Any person violating this provision shall be subject to immediate arrest under charge of disorderly conduct.
No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced directly or indirectly into the POTW any pollutant or wastewater which causes pass-through or interference. These general prohibitions apply to all such users of a POTW, whether or not the user is subject to national categorical pretreatment standards or any other national, state or local pretreatment standards or requirements. A user may not contribute the following substances to any POTW:
A. 
Any wastewaters containing toxic pollutants or poisonous liquids, gases or solids, including heavy metals, in sufficient quantity which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, create any hazard in the waters receiving treated effluent from the POTW treatment plant or exceed the limitation set forth in a categorical pretreatment standard. A toxic pollutant shall include but not be limited to any pollutant identified pursuant to Section 307(a) of the Act.
B. 
Any wastewater, liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150° F. (65° C.). No user may discharge a waste which shall cause the temperature at the POTW influent to exceed 104° F. (40° C.).
C. 
Any wastewaters having a pH lower than 5.5 standard units (s.u.) or higher than 11.0 s.u., or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, process or personnel at the POTW.
[Amended 11-17-2020 by Ord. No. 236-2020]
D. 
Any wastewaters containing fats, waxes, grease or oils or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32° and 150° F. (0° and 65° C.). Fats, oils, greases or waxes which are free-floating shall not be discharged into the sewer system.
E. 
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 POTW or to the operation of the POTW. 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. Prohibited materials include but are not limited to gasoline, fuel oil, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides and any other substances which the City, the state or EPA has notified the user is a fire hazard or a hazard to the system.
F. 
Any solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size as to be capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the POTW, such as but not limited to ashes, cinders, spent lime, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, bones, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, grass clippings, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails, grease, paper dishes, cups, milk containers, etc., either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
G. 
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. The installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of 3/4 horsepower (0.76 horsepower metric) or greater shall be subject to the review and approval of the Commission.
H. 
Waters or wastes containing dyes or other color which cannot be removed by biological processes and which require special chemical treatment in order for POTW treatment plant effluent to meet standards set by state law or rules, regulations or orders made pursuant to law.
I. 
Waters or wastes which require excessive quantities of chlorine for stabilization in addition to biological treatment.
J. 
Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances in such concentrations as to exceed limits which may be established by the Commission as necessary, after treatment of the composite wastewater, to meet the requirements of the state, federal or other public agencies or jurisdiction for such discharge to the receiving waters.
K. 
Any radioactive wastes or isotopes in excessive amounts or of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established in applicable state or federal regulations or by the Commission.
L. 
Pollutants, including oxygen-demanding pollutants (BOD, for example), released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, will cause interference with the POTW. In no case shall materials or flow be discharged in such amounts as to constitute a slug as defined in this chapter.
M. 
Any substance which may cause the POTW's effluent or any other product of the POTW, 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 POTW cause the POTW to violate its NPDES and/or state disposal system permit or the receiving water quality standards.
N. 
Any wastewater which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance, including any pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems.
O. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge into the sewer system or cause to be discharged into the sewer system the sludge resulting from pretreatment of waters or wastewaters.
P. 
Any pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW, including but not limited to waste streams with a closed-cup flashpoint of less than 140° F. (60° C.) using the test methods set forth in 40 CFR 261.21.
Q. 
Any petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause interference or pass-through.
R. 
Any trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the POTW.
S. 
Pollutants, substances or wastewater prohibited by this § 147-16 shall not be processed or stored in such a manner or location that they could be discharged to the POTW.
T. 
Solid or viscous substances in amounts which will cause obstruction of the flow in the POTW resulting in interference but in no case solids greater than 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) in any dimension.
[Added 11-17-2020 by Ord. No. 236-2020]
Except where expressly authorized to do so by an applicable categorical pretreatment standard, no user shall ever increase the use of process water or in any other way attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with a categorical pretreatment standard or other discharge limitation. The control authority may impose mass limitations on industrial users which are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or in other cases where the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.
A. 
Local limits.
[Amended 11-17-2020 by Ord. No. 236-2020]
(1) 
The following local limits, representing the total maximum allowable industrial load ("MAIL") from all industrial sewer users, are established to protect the POTW from pass-through and interference. The Commission shall issue discharge permits to all significant industrial users ("SIUs") with site-specific limits for the permittee's discharge parameters. The Commission shall establish the site-specific limits for each SIU to ensure that the total industrial wastewater loading to the POTW does not exceed the local limits. The Commission reserves the right to adjust the individual SIU discharge limits in the future, as necessary, to address changes in the SIU's discharge volume or pollutant characteristics of the industrial wastewater.
Parameter
Maximum Allowable Industrial Load (lb/day)
Aluminum
39.9
Arsenic
0.664ǂ
Cadmium
0.0132ǂ
Chromium
61.9ǂ
Copper
0.185
Lead
0.293ǂ
Mercury
0.00326
Nickel
3.95ǂ
Selenium
0.943ǂ
Silver
0.409ǂ
Zinc
4.49ǂ
Chromium VI
8.72ǂ
Ammonia
1,859ǂ
BOD5
8,584
TSS
6,960
Total Phosphorus
10.7ǂ
Cyanide
2.029ǂ
Note: "ǂ" designates "screening limit"
(2) 
Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease, or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 mg/l or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32° F. and 150° F. (0° C. and 65° C.).
(3) 
pH: not less than 5.5 standard units (s.u.) nor more than 11.0 s.u.
B. 
The City may establish by ordinance and the Commission by regulations or by the grant or modification of wastewater discharge permits more stringent standards or requirements on discharges to the POTW.
Septic tank contractors (and transporters of municipal sludges) shall be allowed to empty septage or holding-tank wastes into the sewer system at designated structures located at the POTW, subject to a valid permit to provide scavenger service issued by the Department of Public Health, in compliance with Board of Health regulations and the Sewer Rules and Regulations.
Users shall comply with the requirements for fats, wax, oils and grease (FOG) as set forth in the Sewer Rules and Regulations.
[Amended 11-17-2020 by Ord. No. 236-2020]
The categorical pretreatment standards set forth in 40 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter N, Parts 405 through 471, are hereby incorporated into this chapter and adopted by the City subject to the following:
A. 
Where a categorical pretreatment standard is expressed only in terms of either the mass or the concentration of a pollutant in wastewater, the Commission may impose equivalent concentration or mass limits in accordance with 40 CFR 403.6(c).
B. 
Upon the effective date of the categorical pretreatment standards for a particular industrial subcategory, the categorical standard, if more stringent than the limitations imposed under this chapter for sources in that subcategory, shall immediately supersede the limitations imposed under this chapter.
C. 
When wastewater subject to a categorical pretreatment standard is mixed with wastewater not regulated by the same standard, the Commission shall impose an alternate limit using the combined wastestream formula in 40 CFR 403.6(e).
D. 
A user may obtain a variance from a categorical pretreatment standard if the user can prove, pursuant to the procedural and substantive requirement of 40 CFR 403.13, that factors relating to its discharge are fundamentally different from the factors considered by EPA when developing the categorical pretreatment standard.
E. 
A user may obtain a net gross adjustment to a categorical pretreatment standard in accordance with 40 CFR 403.15.
F. 
If state or local limits are more stringent than the categorical pretreatment standards, then the state or local standards shall apply. It is the intent of this section that the most stringent standards shall apply.
G. 
The City reserves the right to establish by this chapter more stringent limitations or requirements on discharges to the wastewater disposal system if deemed necessary to comply with the objectives of 403 CFR Part 403.
[Amended 11-17-2020 by Ord. No. 236-2020]
A. 
Regulations. Each user shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other substances regulated by this chapter. Facilities required to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the owners or user's own cost and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the pretreatment coordinator for review and shall be approved before construction of the facility. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the industrial user from the responsibility to modify the user's facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter. In the case of an accidental discharge, it is the responsibility of the user to immediately telephone and notify the pretreatment coordinator or his duly authorized representative of the incident. (See Article II, § 147-8.1H, of this chapter.)
B. 
Notice to employees. A notice shall be permanently posted on the user's bulletin board or other prominent place advising employees whom to call in the event of a slug discharge. Employers shall ensure that all employees who may cause or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.
C. 
Accidental discharge/slug control plans. At least once every two years, the pretreatment coordinator shall evaluate whether each Significant Industrial user needs an accidental discharge/slug control plan. The pretreatment coordinator may require any user to develop, submit for approval and implement such a plan. Alternatively, the pretreatment coordinator may develop such a plan for any user. An accidental discharge/slug control plan shall address, at a minimum, the following:
(1) 
Description of discharge practices, including nonroutine batch discharges.
(2) 
Description of stored chemicals.
(3) 
Procedures for immediately notifying the pretreatment coordinator of any accidental or slug discharges, as required by § 147-8.1H of this chapter.
(4) 
Procedures to prevent adverse impact from any accidental or slug discharge. Such procedures include but are not limited to inspection and maintenance of storage areas, handling and transfer of materials, loading and unloading operations, control of plant site runoff, worker training, building of containment structures or equipment, measures for containing toxic organic pollutants, including solvents, and/or measures and equipment for emergency response.
(5) 
Such other plans, methods, steps, systems or requirements as the pretreatment coordinator may require.
D. 
The user must immediately notify the pretreatment coordinator of changes that occur at the facility affecting the potential for an accidental or slug discharge, thereby allowing the pretreatment coordinator to reevaluate the need for an accidental/slug discharge control plan or other actions to prevent such discharges.
E. 
Each user must notify the pretreatment coordinator of any planned significant changes to the user's operations or system which might alter the nature, quality, or volume of its wastewater at least 45 days before the change. The notification shall include location of the discharge, type of waste, concentration and volume and corrective actions.
F. 
No user who commences contribution to the POTW after the effective date of this chapter shall be permitted to introduce pollutants into the system until accidental discharge procedures have been approved by the pretreatment coordinator.