The provisions of Article V shall apply to all users whose wastes are tributary to the sewer works of the City, whether such users are located within or without the City.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated cooling water, or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer.
[Amended 2-5-2008]
Stormwater and all other drainage containing no pollutants shall be discharged to such sewers as are specifically designated as combined sewers or storm sewers, or to a natural outlet approved by the Engineer. Industrial cooling water or unpolluted process waters may be discharged to a storm sewer, provided that such water contains no pollutants, or to the combined sewer; or natural outlet, only upon approval of the Engineer and by obtaining an SPDES permit; such discharge is subject to state and federal regulations.
[Amended 2-5-2008]
In addition to the discharge prohibitions set forth in Article IX hereof, no person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewer:
A. 
Any liquid or vapor having a temperature lower than 32° Fahrenheit or higher than 150º Fahrenheit.
B. 
Any water or waste which may contain more than 100 milligrams per liter, by weight, of fats, oils, or grease.
C. 
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. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, 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.
D. 
Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.
E. 
Any ashes, cinders, sand, mud, grit, straw, animal wastes, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, manure, or any other solid or viscous substance capable of causing obstruction of the flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage works.
F. 
Any water or waste having a pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 9.0, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and personnel of the sewage works.
G. 
Any water or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous substance in sufficient quantity to injure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the POTW treatment plant.
H. 
Any water or wastes containing suspended solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is required to handle such materials at the POTW treatment plant.
I. 
Any noxious or malodorous gas or substance.
J. 
Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes, or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not.
K. 
Any radioactive wastes or isotopes for such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by applicable local, state or federal regulations.
L. 
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 to exceed the limitation set forth in a Categorical Pretreatment Standard. A toxic pollutant shall include but is not limited to any pollutant identified pursuant to Section 307(a) of the Act. Until a categorical standard has been promulgated for an industry, discharges to the sanitary sewer system shall not contain concentrations exceeding the limits shown below at the point of entry into the system:
Parameter
Concentration Limits (mg/1)
30-Day Average
Cadmium
0.4
Hex. Chromium
0.2
Copper
0.8
Lead
0.2
Mercury
0.2
Nickel
4.0
Zinc
0.2
Arsenic
0.2
Available Chlorine
50.0
Cyanide-free
0.4
Cyanide-complex
1.6
Selenium
0.2
Sulfide
6.0
Barium
4.0
Manganese
4.0
Gold
0.2
Silver
0.2
Fluorides - to fresh water
6.0
Phenol
4.0
M. 
Any water or waste having a BOD concentration greater than 300 milligrams per liter.
N. 
Any water or waste having a P concentration greater than 10 milligrams per liter.
O. 
Any water or waste having a TKN concentration greater than 55 milligrams per liter.
P. 
Any water or waste having a suspended solids concentration greater than 350 milligrams per liter.
Q. 
Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
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 § 185-22 of this article, and which in the judgment of the Engineer may have a deleterious effect upon the POTW, processes, equipment, or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the Engineer may:
(1) 
Reject the wastes,
(2) 
Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers.
(3) 
Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and/or
(4) 
Require payment to cover the added cost of handling and treating the wastes under the surcharge provisions of the industrial waste ordinance.
B. 
Compliance with any or all requirements of the Engineer does not limit recourse under Article VIII.
C. 
If the Engineer permits the pretreatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the Engineer, and approval of the NYSDEC, and subject to the requirements of all applicable codes, ordinances, and laws.
A. 
Interceptors, when required. Grease, oil and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Engineer, 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 not be required for private living quarters or dwelling units. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity approved by the Engineer, and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection.
B. 
Maintenance of facilities. Where preliminary treatment or flow-equalizing facilities are provided for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his or her expense.
C. 
Manhole, installation and appurtenances; when required. When required by the Engineer, the owner of any property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable control manhole together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling and measurement of the wastes. Such manhole, when required, shall be accessibly and safely located, and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Engineer. The manhole shall be installed by the owner at his or her expense, and shall be maintained by him or her so as to be safe and accessible at all times.
D. 
Method of testing. All measurements, tests, and analysis of the characteristics of waters and wastes 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 manhole provided, or at a representative location approved by the Engineer. Sampling shall be carried out by customarily accepted methods to reflect the effect of constituents upon the sewage works and to determine the existence of hazards to life, limb, and property.
A. 
No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the City and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the City for treatment, subject to payment and conformance to the industrial cost recovery system and industrial waste ordinance by the industrial concern.
B. 
Acceptance of such waste shall not cause the POTW to violate its SPDES permit or the receiving water quality standards or any pretreatment regulations promulgated by USEPA or NYSDEC in accordance with Section 307 of PL 95-217.
C. 
No industrial user shall discharge 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 where the POTW is pursuing a reuse and reclamation program. 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 Section 405 of the Act, any criteria, guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal development pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substance Control Act, or state criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.
D. 
An industrial user shall notify the City immediately upon accidentally discharging wastes in violation of this chapter. This notification shall be followed, within 15 days of the date of occurrence, by a detailed written statement describing the causes of the accidental discharge and the measures being taken to prevent future occurrence. Such notification will not relieve users of liability for any expense, loss or damage to the sewer system, treatment plant or treatment process, or for any fines imposed on the City under applicable state and federal regulations.
E. 
A notice shall be furnished and permanently posted on the industrial user's bulletin board advising employees whom to call in case of an accidental discharge in violation of this chapter. Also user shall make available copies of the chapter to employees having responsibility for compliance with this chapter or any agreement reached under this section.
F. 
No user shall ever increase the use of process water 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 in any other pollutant specific limitation developed by the county or state unless authorized by state or federal regulations.
G. 
Any person who knowingly makes any false statements, representation, record, report, plan or other documentation filed with the City or who falsifies, tampers with, or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required under this chapter, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000 for each violation.
Anyone discharging industrial waste shall comply with the terms and conditions of the industrial waste requirements established pursuant to Section 307 of PL 92-500 and the regulations issued thereunder, and the terms and conditions of the industrial cost recovery system requirements established pursuant to Section 204 of PL 92-500 and the regulations issued thereunder, all of which are incorporated herein and made a part hereof as if fully set forth.