ARTICLE VIII – PROHIBITED WASTES AND WASTEWATER LIMITATIONS
Section 1: Prohibited Wastes and Wastewater Limitations – The following described substances, materials, waters, or wastes shall be limited in discharges to municipal systems to concentrations or quantities which will not harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment, will not have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, or will not otherwise endanger lives, limb, public property, or constitute a nuisance. The Authority may set limitations lower than the limitations established in the regulations hereinafter if in their opinion more severe limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. In forming their opinion as to the acceptability, the Authority will give consideration to such factors as the quantity of subject waste in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The limitations or restrictions on materials or characteristics of waste or wastewater discharged to the sanitary sewer which shall not be violated without approval of the Authority are as follows:
a. The discharge of excessive amounts of unpolluted water (storm water, ground water, roof run-off, and surface drainage and cooling water) or waste into the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works is expressly prohibited. The Authority reserves the right to define the amount in deems excessive in each particular instance and to determine the adequacy of a sewer’s capacity.
b. The discharge of garbage to the sewer system is expressly prohibited, except from single family dwelling units, and in such cases the garbage must be first properly shredded by a mechanical garbage grinder or disposer of a type approved by the Authority.
c. The discharge of gasoline, benzene, naptha, fuel oil, or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas is expressly prohibited.
d. The discharge of any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids, or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes to injure or interfere with any waste treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance, or create any hazard in the wastewater treatment plant is expressly prohibited.
e. No person shall discharge or permit the discharge or infiltration into the sewer system or the sewage treatment works of any of the following solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size capable of causing obstruction in the flow in sewers, or other interferences with the proper operation of the wastewater facilities:
Wastes containing ashes, cinders, sand, mud, greases, lime or acetylene sludges, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, sawdust, paunch manure, cotton, chemical or paint residues, wool, plastic or other fibers, hair hides, dead animals, spent mash and grain, pulp from food processing, water or wastes containing grease, fat or oil in excess of 100 ppm, or any other liquids, gases, solids or viscous substances which by reason of their quality, quantity or characteristics may cause fire, explosion, obstruction to the flow in the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works, or in any other way interfere with or be deleterious to persons, the structure, or the proper operation, of the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works.
f. Wastes or sanitary sewage have a temperature in excess of 1200 F (490 C) or less than 320 F (00 C).
g. Wastes or sanitary sewage having pH lower that 5.5 or higher than 9.0 or having any corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazards to structures, equipment or personnel of the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works. When the Authority deems it advisable, it may require any person discharging wastes or sanitary sewage to install and maintain, at his own expense in a manner approved by the Authority, a suitable device to continuously measure and record the pH of the wastes or sanitary sewage so discharged.
h. Garbage, whether ground or not, except properly shredded garbage from a private dwelling unit, hotel, institution, restaurant, hospital, catering establishment, or similar places where garbage originates from the preparation of food in kitchens for the purpose of consumption on the premises or when served by caterers, resulting from the proper use of a garbage grinder or disposer of a type (i) approved by the Authority and (ii) maintained in good operating condition; provided, however, that no private dwelling unit shall operate more than one grinder or disposer which shall be not greater than 3 hp in size and, when so required by the Authority, shall be equipped with an approved water meter and limited in use to the consumption of an average of not more than 1,500 gallons of water per day.
i. Wastes containing mineral acids, waste acid, pickling or plating liquors from the pickling or plating of iron, steel, brass, copper or chromium, or any other dissolved or solid substance which will endanger health or safety, interfere with the flow in, or attach or corrode, or otherwise interfere with or be detrimental to the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works or the operation of either thereof.
j. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing cyanides or cyanogens compounds capable of liberating hydrocyanic gas on acidification; and wastes or sanitary sewage containing any of the following substances in concentration exceeding those shown in the following table:
Maximum
Permissible
Substance Concentration
Phenolic compounds as C6H5OH 1 ppm
Cyanides as CN 1 ppm
Cyanates as CNO 10 ppm
Iron as Fe 15 ppm
Trivalent Chromium as Cr 3 ppm
Hexavalent Chromium as Cr 0.5 ppm
Nickel as Ni 3 ppm
Copper as Cu 2 ppm
Lead as Pb 2 ppm
Tin as Sn 2 ppm
Zinc as Zn 2 ppm
k. Wastes and sanitary sewage containing other chemicals or other matter detrimental to the operation of, or causing erosion, corrosion or deterioration in, the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works.
l. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing more that 10 ppm of any of the following gases: hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, or any of the halogens.
m. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing a toxic or poisonous substance in quantities sufficient to inure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals or create any hazard in the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works operation, and such toxic substances shall include, but shall not be limited to, substances containing cyanide, chromium and/or copper ions.
n. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing toxic substances in quantities sufficient to interfere with the biochemical processes of the sewage treatment works or that will pass through the sewage treatment works and exceed the state requirements in respect thereof.
o. Fats, entrails and the like from meat processing plants, rendering plants and similar industries and establishments.
p. Sludges or other materials from septic tanks or similar facilities or from sewage or industrial plants or from water treatment plants.
q. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing any noxious or malodorus gas or substance which either singly or by interaction with sewage or other wastes is likely, in the opinion of the Authority, to create a public nuisance or hazard to life, or prevent entry to the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works for maintenance and repair.
r. Concentrations of BOD5 in excess of 260 mg/l (milligrams per liter) as determined by the requirements of Section 7, hereinafter.
s. Radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by the Authority in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations.
t. Quantities of flow, concentrations, or both which constitute a “slug” as defined herein.
u. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing odor-producing substances exceeding limits that may be established by the Authority.
v. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing more than 25 mg/l or petroleum oil, non-biodegradable cutting oils, or products of mineral oil origin. Wastewater containing floatable oils, fat or grease.
w. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing substances which are not amendable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the wastewater treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters.
x. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing concentrations of suspended solids in excess of 275 mg/l as determined by the requirements of Section 7, hereinafter.
y. Volume of wastewater flow in excess of water consumption as called for by the Authority.
z. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing insoluble, non-flocculent substances having a specific gravity in excess of 2.65.
aa. Wastes or sanitary sewage containing soluble substances in such concentration as to cause the specific gravity of the waste to be greater than 1.1.
The Authority may from time to time adopt such further particular rules and regulations, in addition to those set forth in this ordinance, as the Authority, with the advice of its consulting engineer, shall deem necessary or appropriate for the efficient operation, maintenance and preservation of the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works or the sewer business operation. The construction, meaning and application of the prohibited wastes and sanitary sewage regulations set for the herein shall be made by the Authority and shall be binding and conclusive with respect to users of the sewer system and/or the sewage treatment works, as the case may be, and shall be consistent with any such construction meaning and application made by the Allegheny Valley Joint Sewage Authority of any similar prohibited wastes and sanitary sewage regulations.
Section 2: Authority Action – Wastewater Limitations – If any waters or wastes are discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated in Section 1 of this Article, and which in the judgment of the Authority may have an deleterious effect upon the wastewater facilities, processes, equipment or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the Authority may:
a. Reject the wastes,
b. Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers,
c. Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge and/or
d. Require payment to cover added cost of handling and treating the wastes not covered by existing taxes or sewer charges.
When considering the above alternatives, The Authority shall give consideration to the economic impact of each alternative on the discharges. If the Authority permits the pre-treatment or equalization of waste flows, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the Authority.
Section 3: Interceptors – Grease, oil, and sand interceptors shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Authority, they are necessary for the proper handling of the liquid wastes containing floatable 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 Authority and shall be located as to be readily and easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. In the maintaining of these interceptors, the owner(s) shall be responsible for the proper removal and disposal by appropriate means of the captured material and shall maintain records of the dates, and means of disposal that are subject to review by the Authority. Any removal and hauling of the collected materials not performed by the owner(s)’ personnel must be performed by currently licensed waste disposal firms.
Section 4: Pre-treatment Costs – Where pre-treatment or flow equalizing facilities are provided or required for any waters or wastes, they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner(s) at his expense.
Section 5: Industrial Waste Sampling – When required by the Authority, the owner of the property serviced by a building sewer carrying industrial wastes shall install a suitable structure together with such necessary meters and other appurtenances in the building sewer to facilitate observation, sampling, and measurement of the wastes. Such structure, when required, shall be accessible and safely located and shall be constructed in accordance with plans approved by the Authority. 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. In the event that no special structure or manhole has been required, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer, to the point at which the building sewer is connected.
Section 6: Verification of Compliance – The Authority shall require an industrial user of sewer services to provide information needed to determine compliance with these Rules and Regulations. These requirements must be accompanied by a detailed report setting forth the following minimum requirements:
a. Wastewaters discharge peak rate and volume over a specified time period.
b. Chemical analysis of wastewaters.
c. Information on raw materials, processes, and products affecting wastewater volume and quality.
d. Quantity and disposition of specific liquid, sludge, oil, solvent, or other materials important to sewer use control.
e. A plot plan of sewers on the user’s property showing sewer and pre-treatment facility location.
f. Details of wastewater pre-treatment facilities.
g. Details of systems to prevent and control the losses of materials through spills tot eh municipal sewer.
Section 7: Testing Procedure – All measurements, tests, and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in these Rules and Regulations 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. Sampling methods, location, times, duration, and frequencies are to be determined on an individual basis subject to approval by the Authority.
Section 8: Special Agreements – No statement contained in this article shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the Authority and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the Authority for treatment.
Section 9: Surcharge Determination
General – If in accordance with Section 1 hereinbefore, excessive concentrations of BOD5, suspended solids and/or volume of wastewater flow are found to exist in any industrial waste discharge, a surcharge shall be applied in approximate proportion to the industry’s contribution to the total wastewater loading of the treatment works.
Excessive Flow – If the volume of wastewater flow from an industry exceeds the water consumption as stated in Section1, a surcharge for excess flow shall be applied in accordance with the following formula:
Sf = (Ct / Vt ) (Vu)
Excess BOD5 - If the concentration of BOD5 of any industrial waste exceeds the limits as established in Section 1, the surcharge to be applied shall be in accordance with the following formula:
So = [ Bc (B1-260) ] W1
Excess Suspended Solids – If the concentration of suspended solids of any industrial waste exceeds the limits as established in Section 1, the surcharge to be applied shall be in accordance with the following formula:
Ss = [ Sc (S1 – 275) ] W1
Definition of Symbols – The symbols used in the formula of the above sections are defined:
Sf = surcharges due for excessive flow.
Ct = total costs associated with flow received by the treatment facilities per month.
Vt = total volume of flow in 1,000 gallon units received by the treatment facilities per month.
Vu = excess volume in 1,000 gallons for the monthly discharge by the industry.
So = surcharge due for excessive BOD5.
Bc = total cost per pound of BOD5 received by the treatment facility.
B1 = average concentration in mg/l of BOD5 discharged by the industry.
W1 = the weight in million pounds of wastewater discharged by the industry.
Ss = surcharge due for excessive concentrations of suspended solids.
Sc = total cost per pound of suspended solids received by the treatment facility.
S1 = average concentration in mg/l of suspended solids discharged by the industry.