[Adopted 9-1-1972 as Ch. 35, Art. VI, of the 1972 Code; amended in its entirety 4-1-1980 by Ord. No. 2356]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
APPROVING AUTHORITY
The City Manager or his duly authorized representative.
BOD (biochemical oxygen demand)
The quantity of oxygen by weight, expressed in mg/l, utilized in the biochemical oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory conditions for five days at a temperature of 20º C.
BUILDING SEWER
The extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal (also called the house lateral and house connection).
CITY
The City of El Reno, Oklahoma, or any authorized person acting in its behalf.
COD (chemical oxygen demand)
Measure of the oxygen-consuming capacity of inorganic and organic matter present in the water or wastewater expressed in mg/l as the amount of oxygen consumed from the chemical oxidant in a specific test, but not differentiating between stable and unstable organic matter and thus not necessarily correlating with biochemical oxygen demand.
CONTROL MANHOLE
A manhole giving access to a building sewer at some point before the building sewer discharge mixes with other discharges in the public sewer.
CONTROL POINT
A point of access to a course of discharge before the discharge mixes with other discharges in the public sewer.
GARBAGE
Animal and vegetable wastes and residue from preparation, cooking and dispensing of food; and from the handling, processing, storage and sale of food products and produce.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE
Waste resulting from any process of industry, manufacturing, trade or business from the development of any natural resource, or any mixture of the waste with water or normal wastewater, or distinct from normal wastewater.
INDUSTRIAL WASTE CHARGE
The charge made on those persons who discharge industrial wastes into the City's sewerage system.
MILLIGRAMS PER LITER (mg/l)
The same as parts per million and is a weight-to-volume ratio; the milligram-per-liter value multiplied by the factor 8.34 shall be equivalent to pounds per million gallons of water.
NATURAL OUTLET
Any outlet into a watercourse, ditch, lake or other body of surface water or groundwater.
NORMAL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER
Wastewater, excluding industrial wastewater, discharged by a person into sanitary sewers and in which the average concentration of total suspended solids is not more than 250 mg/l and BOD is not more than 250 mg/l.
OVERLOAD
The imposition of organic or hydraulic loading on a treatment facility in excess of its engineered design capacity.
PERSON
Includes a corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association and any other legal entity.
pH
The logarithm (base 10) of the reciprocal of the hydrogen ion concentration.
PUBLIC SEWER
Pipe or conduit carrying wastewater or unpolluted drainage in which owners of abutting properties shall have the use, subject to control by the City of El Reno.
SANITARY SEWER
A public sewer that conveys domestic wastewater or industrial wastes or a combination of both, and into which stormwater, surface water, groundwater and other unpolluted wastes are not intentionally passed.
SLUG
Any discharge of water, wastewater or industrial waste which, in concentration of any given constituent or in quantity of flow, Exceeds for any period of duration longer than 15 minutes more than five times the average twenty-four-hour concentration or flows during normal operation.
STANDARD METHODS
The examination and analytical procedures set forth in the latest edition, at the time of analysis, of "Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater," as prepared, approved and published jointly by the American Public Health Association, the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation.
STORM SEWER
A public sewer which carries storm and surface waters and drainage and into which domestic wastewater or industrial wastes are not intentionally passed.
STORMWATER
Rainfall or any other forms of precipitation.
SUPERINTENDENT
The Water and Wastewater Superintendent of the City of El Reno or his duly authorized deputy, agent or representative.
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
Solids, measured in mg/l, that either float on the surface of, or are in suspension in, water, wastewater, or other liquids, and which are largely removable by a laboratory filtration device.
TO DISCHARGE
Includes to deposit, conduct, drain, emit, throw, run, allow to seep or otherwise release or dispose of, or to allow, permit or suffer any of these acts or omissions.
TRAP
A device designed to skim, settle or otherwise remove grease, oil, sand, flammable wastes or other harmful substances.
UNPOLLUTED WASTEWATER
Water containing:
A. 
No free or emulsified grease or oil;
B. 
No acids or alkalis;
C. 
No phenols or other substances producing taste or odor in receiving water;
D. 
No toxic or poisonous substances in suspension, colloidal state or solution;
E. 
No noxious or otherwise obnoxious odorous gases;
F. 
Not more than an insignificant amount in mg/l each of suspended solids and BOD as determined by the Oklahoma State Department of Health; and
G. 
Color not exceeding 50 units as measured by the platinum-cobalt method of determination as specified in Standard Methods.
WASTE
Rejected, undiluted or superfluous substances in liquid, gaseous or solid form resulting from domestic, agricultural or industrial activities.
WASTEWATER
A combination of the water-carried waste from residences, business buildings, institutions and industrial establishments, together with any ground-, surface and storm water that may be present.
WASTEWATER FACILITIES
Includes all facilities for collection, pumping, treating, and disposing of wastewater and industrial wastes.
WASTEWATER SERVICE CHARGE
The charge on all users of the public sewer system whose wastes do not exceed in strength the concentration values established as representative of normal wastewater.
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT
Any City-owned facilities, devices and structures used for receiving, processing and treating wastewater, industrial waste and sludges from the sanitary sewers.
WATERCOURSE
A natural or man-made channel in which a flow of water occurs, either continuously or intermittently.
A. 
No person may discharge to public sewers any waste which by itself or by interaction with other wastes may:
(1) 
Injure or interfere with wastewater treatment processes or facilities;
(2) 
Constitute a hazard to humans or animals; or
(3) 
Create a hazard in receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant effluent.
B. 
All discharges shall conform to requirements of this article.
A. 
No discharge to public sewers may contain:
(1) 
Cyanide greater than two mg/l;
(2) 
Fluoride other than that contained in the public water supply;
(3) 
Chlorides in concentrations greater than 250 mg/l;
(4) 
Gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas; or
(5) 
Substances causing an excessive chemical oxygen demand (COD).
B. 
No waste or wastewater discharged to public waters may contain:
(1) 
Strong acid, iron pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions, whether neutralized or not;
(2) 
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 32º F. and 150º F. (0º C. to 65º C.);
(3) 
Objectionable or toxic substances, exerting an excessive chlorine requirement to such degree that any such material received in the composite wastewater at the wastewater treatment works exceeds the limits established by the approving authority for such materials; or
(4) 
Obnoxious, toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in quantities sufficient to violate the provisions of § 334-47A.
C. 
No waste, wastewater or other substance may be discharged into public sewers which has a pH lower than 5.5 or higher than 9.5, or any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and/or personnel at the wastewater facilities.
D. 
All waste, wastewater or other substance containing phenols, hydrogen sulfide, or other taste- and odor-producing substances shall conform to concentration limits established by the approving authority. After treatment of the composite wastewater, concentration limits may not exceed the requirements established by state, federal or other agencies with jurisdiction over discharges to receiving waters.
A. 
No discharges may contain concentrations of heavy metals greater than amounts specified in Subsection B of this section.
B. 
The maximum allowable concentrations of heavy metal stated in terms of milligrams per liter (mg/l), determined on the basis of individual sampling in accordance with Standard Methods, are:
(1) 
Arsenic: 0.2 mg/l.
(2) 
Barium: 5.0 mg/l.
(3) 
Boron: 0.8 mg/l.
(4) 
Cadmium: 0.1 mg/l.
(5) 
Chromium (total): 0.1 mg/l.
(6) 
Copper: 0.2 mg/l.
(7) 
Lead: 0.1 mg/l.
(8) 
Manganese: 1.5 mg/l.
(9) 
Mercury: 0.005 mg/l.
(10) 
Nickel: 1.5 mg/l.
(11) 
Selenium: 0.2 mg/l.
(12) 
Silver: 0.1 mg/l.
(13) 
Zinc: 5.0 mg/l.
C. 
Water containing heavy metals and toxic materials shall not be diluted in lieu of treatment.
D. 
No other heavy metals or toxic materials may be discharged into public sewers without a permit from the approving authority specifying conditions of pretreatment, concentrations, volumes and other applicable provisions.
E. 
Prohibited heavy metals and toxic materials include but are not limited to:
(1) 
Antimony.
(2) 
Beryllium.
(3) 
Bismuth.
(4) 
Cobalt.
(5) 
Molybdenum.
(6) 
Uranyl ion.
(7) 
Rhenium.
(8) 
Strontium.
(9) 
Tellurium.
(10) 
Herbicides.
(11) 
Fungicides.
(12) 
Pesticides.
A. 
No person may discharge garbage into public sewers unless it is shredded to a degree that all particles can be carried freely under the flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers. Particles greater than 1/2 inch in any dimension are prohibited.
B. 
The approving authority is entitled to review and approve the installation and operation of any garbage grinder equipped with a motor of 3/4 horsepower (0.76 hp metric) or greater.
A. 
No person may discharge to public sanitary sewers:
(1) 
Unpolluted stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff or subsurface drainage;
(2) 
Unpolluted cooling water;
(3) 
Unpolluted industrial process waters; or
(4) 
Other unpolluted drainage.
B. 
In compliance with the Oklahoma Statutes, the approving authority may designate storm sewers and other watercourses into which unpolluted drainage described in Subsection A of this section may be discharged.
No person may discharge liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 150º F. (65º C.), or any substance which causes the temperature of the total wastewater treatment plant influent to increase at a rate of 10º F. or more per hour, or a combined total increase of plant influent temperature to 110º F.
A. 
No person may discharge radioactive wastes or isotopes into public sewers without the permission of the approving authority.
B. 
The approving authority may establish, in compliance with applicable state and federal regulations, regulations for discharge of radioactive wastes into public sewers.
A. 
No person may discharge into public sewers any substance capable of causing:
(1) 
Obstruction to the flow in sewers;
(2) 
Interference with the operation of treatment processes or facilities; or
(3) 
Excessive loading of treatment facilities without the permission of the approving authority.
B. 
Discharges prohibited by Subsection A include, but are not limited to, materials which exert or cause concentrations of:
(1) 
Inert suspended solids greater than 250 mg/l, including but not limited to:
(a) 
Fuller's earth;
(b) 
Lime slurries; and
(c) 
Lime residues.
(2) 
Dissolved solids 500 mg/l greater than the concentration in the public water supply, including but not limited to:
(a) 
Sodium chloride; and
(b) 
Sodium sulfate.
(3) 
Excessive discoloration, including but not limited to:
(a) 
Dye wastes; and
(b) 
Vegetable tanning solutions.
(4) 
BOD, COD or chlorine demand in excess of 250 mg/l.
C. 
No person may discharge into public sewers any substance that may:
(1) 
Deposit grease or oil in the sewer lines in such a manner as to clog the sewers;
(2) 
Overload skimming and grease handling equipment;
(3) 
Pass to the receiving waters without being effectively treated by normal wastewater treatment processes due to the nonamenability of the substance to bacterial action; or
(4) 
Deleteriously affect the treatment process due to excessive quantities.
D. 
No person may discharge any substance into public sewers which:
(1) 
Is not amenable to treatment or reduction by the processes and facilities employed; or
(2) 
Is amenable to treatment only to such a degree that the treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
E. 
The approving authority shall regulate the flow and concentration of slugs when they may:
(1) 
Impair the treatment process;
(2) 
Cause damage to collection facilities;
(3) 
Incur treatment costs, exceeding those for normal wastewater; or
(4) 
Render the waste unfit for land application.
F. 
No person may discharge into public sewers solid or viscous substances which may violate Subsection A of this section if present in sufficient quantity or size, including but not limited to:
(1) 
Ashes.
(2) 
Cinders.
(3) 
Sand.
(4) 
Mud.
(5) 
Straw.
(6) 
Shavings.
(7) 
Metal.
(8) 
Glass.
(9) 
Rags.
(10) 
Feathers.
(11) 
Tar.
(12) 
Plastics.
(13) 
Wood.
(14) 
Unground garbage.
(15) 
Whole blood.
(16) 
Paunch manure.
(17) 
Hair and fleshings.
(18) 
Entrails.
(19) 
Paper products, either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
(20) 
Slops.
(21) 
Chemical residues.
(22) 
Paint residues.
(23) 
Bulk solids.
A. 
Unless exception is granted by the approving authority, the public sanitary sewer system shall be used by all persons discharging:
(1) 
Wastewater.
(2) 
Industrial waste.
(3) 
Polluted liquids.
B. 
Unless authorized by the State Department of Health, no person may deposit or discharge any waste included in Subsection A of this section on public or private property into or adjacent to any:
(1) 
Natural outlet.
(2) 
Watercourse.
(3) 
Storm sewer.
(4) 
Other area within the jurisdiction of the City.
C. 
The approving authority shall verify prior to discharge that wastes authorized to be discharged will receive suitable treatment within the provisions of laws, regulations, ordinances, rules and orders of federal, state and local governments.
D. 
Pollutant discharges in excess of those described in §§ 334-49 and 334-54 may be permitted under the following conditions:
[Added 3-4-2008 by Ord. No. 6005]
(1) 
No discharge may exceed limits established by any state or federal agency.
(2) 
The applicant must apply for a permit subject to approval by City Council.
(3) 
Expiration of permit; revocation or suspension.
(a) 
If approved, the permit shall expire six months from the date of issuance but may be revoked at any time if it is determined by the City Manager or his designee that discharges may be negatively impacting the municipal sanitary sewer system.
(b) 
Written notice must be delivered to the discharger that the permit is being suspended.
A. 
If discharges or proposed discharges to public sewers may deleteriously affect wastewater facilities, processes, equipment or receiving waters; create a hazard to life or health; or create a public nuisance, the approving authority shall require:
(1) 
Pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers;
(2) 
Control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and
(3) 
Payment to cover the cost of handling and treating the wastes.
B. 
The approving authority is entitled to determine whether a discharge or proposed discharge is included under Subsection A of this section.
C. 
The approving authority shall reject wastes when:
(1) 
It determines that a discharge or proposed discharge is included under Subsection A of this section; and
(2) 
The discharger does not meet the requirements of Subsection A of this section.
A. 
If pretreatment or control is required, the approving authority shall review and approve design and installation of equipment and processes.
B. 
The design and installation of equipment and processes must conform to all applicable statutes, codes, ordinances and other laws.
C. 
Any person responsible for discharges requiring pretreatment, flow-equalizing or other facilities shall provide and maintain the facilities in effective operating condition at his own expense.
A. 
Discharges requiring a trap include:
(1) 
Grease or waste containing grease in excessive amounts;
(2) 
Oil;
(3) 
Sand;
(4) 
Flammable wastes; and
(5) 
Other harmful ingredients.
B. 
Any person responsible for discharges requiring a trap shall, at his own expense and as required by the approving authority:
(1) 
Provide equipment and facilities of a type and capacity approved by the approving authority;
(2) 
Locate the trap in a manner that provides ready and easy accessibility for cleaning and inspection; and
(3) 
Maintain the trap in effective operating condition.
Any person responsible for discharges through a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall, at his own expense and as required by the approving authority:
A. 
Install an accessible and safely located control manhole;
B. 
Install meters and other appurtenances to facilitate observation sampling and measurement of the waste; and
C. 
Maintain the equipment and facilities.
A. 
Sampling shall be conducted according to customarily accepted methods, reflecting the effects of constituents upon the sewage works and determining the existence of hazards to health, life, limb and property.
B. 
Examination and analysis of the characteristics of waters and wastes required by this article shall be:
(1) 
Conducted in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods; and
(2) 
Determined from suitable samples taken at the control manhole provided or other control point authorized by the approving authority.
C. 
BOD and suspended solids shall be determined from composite sampling, except to detect unauthorized discharges.
D. 
The City may select an independent firm or laboratory to determine flow, BOD and suspended solids.
E. 
The City is entitled to select the time of sampling at its sole discretion so long as at least annual samples are taken.
A. 
Persons making discharges of industrial waste shall pay a charge to cover the cost of collection and treatment.
B. 
When discharges of industrial waste are approved by the approving authority, the City or its authorized representative shall enter into an agreement or arrangement providing:
(1) 
Terms of acceptance by the City; and
(2) 
Payment by the person making the discharge.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Original Sec. 35-10 of the 1972 Code, regarding industrial cost recovery, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed 4-1-1980 by Ord. No. 2378.
A person discharging industrial wastes into public sewers prior to the effective date of this article may continue without penalty so long as he:
A. 
Does not increase the quantity or quality of discharge, without permission of the approving authority; and
B. 
Applies for and is granted a permit no later than 120 days after the effective date of this article.
A. 
The City may grant a permit to discharge to persons meeting all requirements of § 334-62, provided that the person:
(1) 
Submits an application within 90 days after the effective date of this article on forms supplied by the approving authority;
(2) 
Secures approval by the approving authority of plans and specifications for pretreatment facilities when required; and
(3) 
Has complied with all requirements for agreements or arrangements, including, but not limited to, provisions for:
(a) 
Payment of charges;
(b) 
Installation and operation of pretreatment facilities; and
(c) 
Sampling and analysis to determine quantity and strength; and
(4) 
Provides a sampling point subject to the provisions of this article and approval of the approving authority.
B. 
A person applying for a new discharge shall:
(1) 
Meet all conditions of Subsection A of this section; and
(2) 
Secure a permit prior to discharging any waste.
A. 
The Superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the City bearing proper credentials and identification are entitled to enter any public or private property at any reasonable time for the purpose of enforcing this article.
B. 
Anyone acting under this authority shall observe the establishment's rules and regulations concerning safety, internal security, and fire protection.
C. 
Except when caused by negligence or failure of the company to maintain safe conditions, the City shall indemnify the company against loss or damage to its property by City employees and against liability claims and demands for personal injury or property damage asserted against the company and growing out of the sampling operation.
D. 
The Superintendent and other duly authorized employees of the City bearing proper credentials and identification are entitled to enter all private properties through which the City holds a negotiated easement for the purpose of:
(1) 
Inspection, observation, measurement, sampling or repair;
(2) 
Maintenance of any portion of the sewerage system lying within the easements; and
(3) 
Conducting any other authorized activity. All activities shall be conducted in full accordance with the terms of the negotiated easement pertaining to the private property involved.
E. 
No person acting under authority of this provision may inquire into any processes, including metallurgical, chemical, oil refining, ceramic, paper or other industries, beyond that point having a direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the public sewers.
A. 
The City may terminate water and wastewater disposal service and disconnect an industrial customer from the system when:
(1) 
Acids or chemicals damaging to sewer lines or treatment process are released to the sewer, causing rapid deterioration of these structures or interfering with proper conveyance and treatment of wastewater;
(2) 
A governmental agency informs the City that the effluent from the wastewater treatment plant is no longer of a quality permitted for discharge to a watercourse, and it is found that the customer is delivering wastewater to the City's system that cannot be sufficiently treated or requires treatment that is not provided by the City as normal domestic treatment; or
(3) 
The industrial customer:
(a) 
Discharges industrial waste or wastewater that is in violation of the permit issued by the approving authority;
(b) 
Discharges wastewater at an uncontrolled, variable rate in sufficient quantity to cause an imbalance in the wastewater treatment system;
(c) 
Fails to pay monthly bills for water and sanitary sewer services when due; or
(d) 
Repeats a discharge of prohibited wastes to public sewers.
B. 
If service is discontinued pursuant to Subsection A(2) of this section, the City shall:
(1) 
Disconnect the customer;
(2) 
Supply the customer with the governmental agency report and provide the customer with all pertinent information; and
(3) 
Continue disconnection until such time as the industrial customer provides additional pretreatment or other facilities designed to remove the objectionable characteristics from his industrial wastes.
The City shall serve persons discharging in violation of this article with written notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for satisfactory compliance.
No person may continue discharging in violation of this article beyond the time limit provided in the notice.
[Amended 9-15-1983 by Ord. No. 2454]
A. 
A person who continues prohibited discharges is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction is punishable by a fine of not more than $50 for each act of violation and for each day of violation.
B. 
In addition to proceeding under authority of Subsection A of this section, the City is entitled to pursue all other criminal and civil remedies to which it is entitled under authority of statutes or other ordinances against a person continuing prohibited discharges.
In addition to sanctions provided for by this article, the City is entitled to exercise sanctions provided for by the other ordinances of the City for failure to pay the bill for water and sanitary sewer service when due.