A. 
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm-, surface or ground water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
B. 
Stormwater 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 Superintendent. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged, on approval of the Superintendent, to a storm sewer, combined sewer or natural outlet.
No person shall discharge or cause or allow to be discharged into any sewer under the control of the Superintendent the hereinafter described substance, materials, waters or wastes if it appears likely, in the opinion of the Sewer Commission/Commission, that such wastes in quantity or quality exceeding limitations established by the Sewer Commission/Commission can harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving waters or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance.
Persons, including industries, who desire to discharge industrial wastewaters into Town/City facilities or facilities appurtenant thereto shall make their requests in writing to the Sewer Commission/Commission. In forming its opinion as to the limitations on the acceptability of any wastes, the Sewer Commission/Commission will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, nature of the wastewater treatment process, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant and other pertinent factors. The Sewer Commission/Commission may require the applicant to furnish such analyses of the proposed wastewater discharge as may be needed to determine its acceptability into the sewer system and as required by state and federal regulations.
Costs for unauthorized additional treatment in or for repairing damages to Town facilities resulting due to violations of the Sewer Commission's/Commission's Rules and Regulations is to be reimbursed to the Town/City by the person or industry from which the wastewaters originated that cause of the adverse effect.
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 person may discharge a waste which shall cause the temperature at the POTW influent to exceed 104° F. (40° C).
C. 
Any wastewaters having 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.
D. 
Any wastewaters containing fats, wax, grease or oils or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32° F. (0° C.) and 150° F. (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 Town or 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 of such size 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 Superintendent. (See Article I, § 161-1, definition of "properly shredded garabage.")
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 exceeding limits which may be established by the Sewer Commission/Commission as necessary and 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 Sewer Commission/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 § 161-20 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.
A. 
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
0.664҂
Cadmium
0.0132҂
Chromium
61.9҂
Copper
0.185
Lead
0.293҂
Mercury
0.00326
Nickel
3.95҂
Selenium
0.943҂
Silver
0.409҂
Zinc
4.49҂
Chromium VI
8.72҂
Ammonia
1,859҂
BOD5
8,584
TSS
6,960
Total Phosphorus
10.7҂
Cyanide
2.029҂
Note: "҂" designates "screening limit."
B. 
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.).
C. 
pH: not less than 5.5 standard units (s.u.) nor more than 11.0 s.u.
The categorical pretreatment standards set forth in 40 CFR, Chapter 1, Subchapter N, Parts 405 - 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.
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 VI, § 161-34.1H, 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 non-routine batch discharges.
(2) 
Description of stored chemicals.
(3) 
Procedures for immediately notifying the Pretreatment Coordinator of any accidental or slug discharges, as required by § 161-34.1H 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.
A. 
If any waters or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in § 161-20 of this article and which, in the judgment of the Sewer Commission/Commission, may have a deleterious effect upon the sewage works, processes, equipment or receiving waters or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the Sewer Commission/Commission may:
(1) 
Reject the wastewaters or the wastes.
(2) 
Require pretreatment of wastewaters or wastes to modify them to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers; and/or
(3) 
Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge of the wastewaters or wastes; and/or
(4) 
Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastewaters or wastes not covered by existing taxes or sewer charges under the provisions of § 161-2 of this article.
B. 
If the Sewer Commission/Commission permits the pretreatment or equalization of wastewater or waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the Sewer Commission/Commission, and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, bylaws and laws and the rules and regulations of the Sewer Commission/Commission. Any costs involved with such reviews shall be paid by the person requesting the permit.
Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Sewer Commission, they are necessary for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing grease in excessive amounts or any flammable wastes, sand or other harmful ingredients; except that such interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Sewer Commission and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
Where preliminary treatment or flow-equalizing facilities are provided for any wastewaters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner, at his expense.
When required by the Sewer Commission, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control structure together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastewater or wastes. Such structure, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Sewer Commission. The structure shall be installed by the owner at his expense and shall be maintained by him so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
All measurements, test and analyses of the characteristics of wastewaters to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association, and shall be determined at the control structure provided or upon suitable samples taken at said control structure. In the event that no special structure has been required by the Sewer Commission, samples shall be taken at suitable locations within the establishment from which the wastewaters are being discharged. Sampling shall be carried out by accepted methods specifically designed to obtain representative samples of the total wastewater discharge and of slugs if any occur. [The particular analyses involved will determine whether a twenty-four-hour composite of all outfalls from a premises is appropriate or whether a separate sample or samples should be taken.] Frequency of sampling shall be established by the Superintendent on an individual basis. Any costs involved in examination and tests shall be paid by the individual industry. The Sewer Commission may check these tests as necessary.
All industries discharging into a public sewer shall perform such monitoring of their discharges as the Sewer Commission and/or other duly authorized employees of the Town may reasonably require, including installation, use and maintenance of monitoring equipment, keeping records and reporting the results of such monitoring to the Sewer Commission. Such records shall be made available upon the request by the Sewer Commission to other agencies having jurisdiction over discharges to the receiving waters.
Future connections to facilities constructed by the Town shall be designed in criteria established by the Superintendent and constructed by the person desiring the additional connection after review and approval of the plans and specifications by the Sewer Commission and the Superintendent.
Any rules and regulations consistent with this chapter may be adopted and/or amended by the Sewer Commission in conformance with MGL C. 83, § 10, after due notice published once a week for three consecutive weeks in a newspaper available to inhabitants of the Town.
Regulations for and supervision of individual septic systems are not included under this chapter.