All discharges of stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, or other waters not intended to be treated in the treatment facility shall be made to storm sewers or natural outlets designed for such discharges, except as authorized under § 153-15. Any connection, drain or arrangement which will permit any such waters to enter any other sewer shall be deemed a violation of this section and this chapter.
A. 
No user shall contribute or cause to be contributed, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or wastewater which will pass through or interfere with the operation of performance of the POTW. 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 shall not contribute the following substances to any POTW:
(1) 
Pollutants which create a fire explosion hazard in the POTW, including, but not limited to, wastestreams with a closed cup flashpoint of less than 140° F. or 60° C. using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21.
(2) 
Solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer, other interference with the operation of the wastewater treatment facilities or pass-through, including, but not limited to: petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, products of mineral oil origin, grease, garbage with particles greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshing, 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.
(3) 
Pollutants which will cause corrosive structural damage to the POTW, including discharges with pH lower than 5.0 or higher than 9.5.
(4) 
Any wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, 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 POTW 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 § 307(a) of the Act.
(5) 
Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases or solids which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for maintenance and repair. Materials are prohibited which indicate an excess of 300 ppm equivalent hexane by total peak area when tested by chromatographic vapor headspace gas analysis at 1:1 liquid: gas volume at 24° C.
(6) 
Any substance which may cause the POTW's effluent or any other product of the POTW, such as residues, sludge 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 be in noncompliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines or regulations developed under § 405 of the Act, any criteria, guidelines, or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to SWDA, the Clean Air Act, TSCA, RCRA, HSWA or state criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.
(7) 
Any substance which will cause the POTW to violate its VPDES and/or state disposal system permit or the receiving water quality standards.
(8) 
Any wastewater with objectionable color not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.
(9) 
Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW treatment plant resulting in interference, but in no case wastewater with a temperature at the introduction into the POTW treatment plant which exceeds 40° C. (104° F.).
(10) 
Any pollutants, including oxygen demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.) released at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which a user knows or has reason to know will cause interference to the POTW. In no case shall a slug load have a flow rate or contain concentration or qualities of pollutants that exceed for any time period longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average twenty-four-hour concentration, qualities or flow during normal operation.
(11) 
Any wastewater containing any radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Superintendent in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.
(12) 
Any wastewater which causes a hazard to human life or creates a public nuisance.
(13) 
RCRA-listed solvent hazardous wastes from nonspecific sources, as defined in 40 CFR 261.31, Nos. F001, F002, F003, F004 and F005.
(14) 
Used oil.
(15) 
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.
(16) 
Any trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the POTW.
(17) 
Discharges of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause interference or pass-through.
B. 
When the City determines that a user is contributing to the POTW any of the above enumerated substances in such amounts as to interfere with the operation of the POTW, the Superintendent may use any of the other enforcement powers set forth in Article VII.
A. 
Where the City's wastewater treatment system achieves consistent removal of pollutants limited by national pretreatment standards, the City may apply to the approval authority for modification of specific limits in the federal pretreatment standards. "Consistent removal" shall mean reduction in the amount of a pollutant or alteration of the nature of the pollutant by the wastewater treatment system to a less toxic or harmless state in the effluent, which is achieved by the system for 95% of the samples taken, when measured according to the procedures set forth in 40 CFR 403.7(b)(2) and 9 VAC 25-31-790B2. The City may then modify pollutant discharge limits in the federal pretreatment standards if the requirements contained in 40 CFR 403.7 and 9 VAC 25-31-790 are fulfilled and prior approval from the approval authority is obtained.
B. 
Upon the promulgation of a national categorical pretreatment standard under 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, for a particular industry subcategory, the federal standard, if more stringent than limitations imposed under this chapter for sources in that subcategory, shall immediately supersede the limitations imposed under this chapter. The City Engineer shall notify all affected users of the applicable reporting requirements under 40 CFR 403.12 and 9 VAC 25-31-840.
C. 
The City may convert the mass limits of the categorical pretreatment standard of 40 CFR Parts 414, 419, and 455 to concentration limits for purposes of calculating limitations applicable to individual industrial users. The conversion is at the discretion of the City.
State requirements and limitations on discharges shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than federal requirements and limitations or those in this chapter. The sewer limits developed for Galax under State Water Control Board Regulations govern, when stricter than the categorical limits.
The City reserves the right to establish by ordinance more stringent limitations or requirements on discharges to the wastewater disposal system if deemed necessary to comply with the objectives presented in § 153-1 of this chapter. The City has developed local limits under mandate from the SWCB. The City reserves the right to establish more stringent limits or control practices in the future, in response to new state or federal requirements or discharge conditions.
A. 
No user shall increase the use of process water or contaminated water or water mixed with any substance or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in the Federal Categorical Pretreatment Standards or any other pollutant specific limitation developed by the City or state.
B. 
The Superintendent may impose mass limitations on users which are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements or in other cases where the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.
A. 
Each user shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited materials or other substances regulated by this chapter. Facilities to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be provided and maintained at the owner or user's own cost and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedure to provide this protection shall be submitted to the City for review, and shall be approved by the City before construction of the facility. The City may accept any accidental discharge plan that is current and has prior federal and/or state approval. Each plan shall include the following:
(1) 
Description of discharge practices.
(2) 
Description of stored chemicals.
(3) 
Procedures for promptly notifying POTW.
(4) 
Description of any necessary procedures to prevent accidental spills, including maintenance of materials, loading and unloading operations and control of plant site run-off.
(5) 
Description of any necessary measures for building any containment structures or equipment.
(6) 
Description of any necessary measures for controlling toxic organics.
(7) 
Description of any necessary procedures and equipment for emergency response.
(8) 
Description of any necessary follow-up practices to limit the damage suffered by the treatment plant or the environment and to prevent recurrence of the type of spill that occurred.
(9) 
Time schedules as to when the procedure will be put into place.
B. 
Written notice. Notice shall be given immediately and written notice within five days following an accidental discharge. The user shall submit to the Superintendent a detailed written report describing the cause of the discharge and the measures to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrence. Such notification shall not relieve the user of any expense, loss, damage or other liability which may be incurred as a result of damage to the POTW, fish kills or any other damage to person or property, nor shall such notification relieve the user of any fines, civil penalties or other liability which may be imposed by this chapter or other applicable law.
C. 
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 dangerous discharge. Employers shall ensure that all employees who may cause or suffer such dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedures.
D. 
The City shall evaluate whether any significant industrial user needs a plan or other action to control slug discharges. Significant industrial users are required to notify the City immediately of any changes at its facility affecting potential for a slug discharge. If the City evaluation determines that a slug control plan is necessary, the significant industrial user shall develop a plan with the minimum following elements:
(1) 
Description of discharge practices, including nonroutine batch discharges;
(2) 
Description of stored chemicals;
(3) 
Procedures for immediately notifying the POTW of slug discharges, including any discharge that would violate a prohibition of the Sewer Use Ordinance § 153-22.
(4) 
If necessary, procedures to prevent adverse impact from accidental spills, including inspection and maintenance of storage areas, handling and transfer of materials, loading and unloading operations, control of plant site run-off, worker training, building of containment structures or equipment, measures for containing toxic organic pollutants (including solvents), and/or measures and equipment for emergency response.
All industrial users shall all promptly notify the POTW in advance of any substantial change in the volume or character of pollutants in their discharge, including the listed or hazardous wastes for which the industrial user has submitted initial notification under 40 CFR 403.12(p) and 9 VAC 25-31-840P.
All industrial users shall promptly notify the POTW in advance of any new or increased discharge. The City may deny or condition new or increased contributions of pollutants or changes in the nature of pollutants to the POTW by industrial users where such contributions do not meet applicable pretreatment standards and requirements or where such contributions would cause the POTW to violate its VPDES permit.
A. 
Conventional pollutant limits. Unless specifically allowed by the City in writing, no person shall discharge wastewater containing in excess of:
(1) 
240 mg/l BOD, annual average.
(2) 
320 mg/l BOD, monthly average.
(3) 
240 mg/l TSS, annual average.
(4) 
320 mg/l TSS, monthly average.
(5) 
100 mg/l oil and grease, at any time.
B. 
Sewer use permit limitations. The City, based upon review of information about an industrial discharge, may apply additional pollutant limitations through issuance of an industrial sewer use permit as provided in Article VI. The City may apply limits based on EPA Categorical Pretreatment Standards or local limits based on EPA and state-mandated criteria, standards, regulations and guidance for the POTW to comply with the pass-through and interference prohibitions of 40 CFR Part 403 and 9 VAC 25-31-730 et seq.
C. 
The City may develop Best Management Practices (BMPs), by ordinance or in individual wastewater discharge permits, to implement local discharge limits and the requirements of § 153-22.
All industrial users shall maintain records of all information resulting from any required monitoring activities including documentation associated with Best Management Practices. Such records shall be maintained for a minimum of three years, and all industrial users shall make such records available for inspection and copying by the POTW and the approval authority. This period of retention shall be extended during the course of any unresolved litigation regarding the industrial user or POTW or when requested by the executive director of the approval authority.
The City shall compile and publish, at least once per year, in a newspaper of general circulation that provides meaningful public notice within the jurisdiction served by the POTW, a list of industrial users which, at any time during the previous 12 months, were in significant noncompliance with applicable pretreatment requirements, as defined in § 153-4.