A. 
For the purposes of this section, "upset" means an exceptional incident in which there is unintentional and temporary noncompliance with Categorical Pretreatment Standards because of factors beyond the control of the user. Upset does not mean noncompliance to the extent caused by operational error, improperly designed treatment facilities, inadequate treatment facilities, lack of preventive maintenance.
B. 
An upset is an affirmative defense to an action brought for noncompliance with Categorical Pretreatment Standards if the requirements of subsection C, are met.
C. 
A user who wishes to establish the affirmative defense of upset must demonstrate, through properly signed, contemporaneous, operating logs, or other competent evidence that:
1. 
An upset occurred and the user can identify the cause(s) of the upset;
2. 
The facility at the time of the upset was being operated in a prudent and workman-like manner and in compliance with applicable operation and maintenance procedures; and
3. 
The user has submitted the following information to the pretreatment coordinator within twenty-four hours of becoming aware of the upset; if this information is provided orally, a written submission must be provided within five days:
a. 
A description of the indirect discharge and cause of noncompliance,
b. 
The period of noncompliance, including exact dates and times or, if not corrected, the anticipated time the noncompliance is expected to continue, and
c. 
Steps that have been, are being or are planned to be taken to reduce, eliminate, and prevent recurrence of the noncompliance.
D. 
In any enforcement proceeding, the user seeking to establish the occurrence of an upset has the burden of proof.
E. 
A user may request a judicial determination on any claim of upset only in an enforcement action brought for noncompliance with Categorical Pretreatment Standards.
F. 
A user must control all discharges to the extent necessary to maintain compliance with Categorical Pretreatment Standards upon reduction, loss, or failure of its pretreatment facility until the facility is restored or an alternative method of treatment is provided. This requirement applies in the situation where, among other things, the primary source of power of the pretreatment facility is reduced, lost, or fails.
(Ord. 757 § 13, 2010; Ord. 816 § 4, 2019)
A user has an affirmative defense to an enforcement action brought against it for noncompliance with the general prohibitions in Section 13.40.050(A) of this chapter or the specific prohibitions in Sections 13.40.050(B) (excluding numbers (1), (2) and (8)), if it can prove that it did not know, or have reason to know, that its discharge, alone or in conjunction with discharges from other sources, would cause pass through or interference and that either:
A. 
A local limit exists for each pollutant discharged and the user was in compliance with each limit directly prior to, and during, the pass through or interference; or
B. 
No local limit exists, but the discharge did not change substantially in nature or constituents from the user's prior discharge when the city was regularly in compliance with its NPDES permit, and in the case of interference, was in compliance with applicable sludge use or disposal requirements.
(Ord. 757 § 13, 2010; Ord. 816 § 4, 2019)
A. 
For the purposes of this section:
1. 
Bypass means the intentional diversion of wastestreams from any portion of a user's pretreatment facility.
2. 
Severe property damage means substantial physical damage to property, damage to the POTW that causes them to become inoperable, or substantial and permanent loss of natural resources that can reasonably be expected to occur in the absence of a bypass. "Severe property damage" does not mean economic loss caused by delays in production.
B. 
A user may allow any bypass to occur that does not cause Pretreatment Standards or Requirements to be violated, but only if it also is for essential maintenance. These permitted bypasses are not subject to the provisions of subsections C and D of this section.
C. 
Bypass Notifications.
1. 
If a user knows in advance of the need for a bypass, it must submit prior notice to the pretreatment coordinator, at least ten days before the date of the bypass.
2. 
A user must submit oral notice to the pretreatment coordinator of an unanticipated bypass that exceeds applicable Pretreatment Standards within twelve hours from the time it becomes aware of the bypass. A written submission must also be provided within five days of the time the user becomes aware of the bypass. The written submission must contain a description of the bypass and its cause, the duration of the bypass, including exact dates and times and, if the bypass has not been corrected, the anticipated time it is expected to continue, and steps taken or planned to reduce, eliminate, and prevent recurrence of the bypass.
D. 
Bypass.
1. 
Except as expressly provided in this chapter, bypass is prohibited, and the pretreatment coordinator may take an enforcement action against a user for a bypass, unless:
a. 
Bypass was required to prevent loss of life, personal injury, or substantial damage to property not belonging to the user;
b. 
There were no feasible alternatives to the bypass, such as the use of auxiliary treatment facilities, retention of untreated wastes or maintenance during scheduled periods of equipment shut down. This condition is not satisfied if adequate back-up equipment should have been installed in the exercise of reasonable engineering judgment to prevent a bypass that occurred during scheduled periods of equipment shutdown or preventive maintenance; and
c. 
The user submitted notices as required under subsection C of this section.
2. 
The pretreatment coordinator may give prior approval to an anticipated bypass, after considering its adverse effects, if the pretreatment coordinator determines that the bypass will meet the three conditions listed in subsection (D)(1) of this section.
(Ord. 757 § 13, 2010; Ord. 816 § 4, 2019)