§ 64.04. Prohibitions and limitations on discharge into the wastewater system.

This section establishes limitations and prohibitions on the quantity and quality of sewage or wastewater which may be lawfully discharged into the wastewater system or any of its publicly-owned treatment works. Pretreatment of some sewage discharge will be required to achieve the goals established by this chapter and the Act. The specific limitations set forth herein, and other prohibitions and limitations of this chapter, are subject to change as necessary to enable the City to provide efficient wastewater treatment, to protect the public health and the environment, and to enable the City to meet requirements contained in its various regulatory permits.

(a)

No persons shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm water, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, cooling water, swimming pool drainage, or process waters to any sanitary sewer.

(b)

Unless authorized by the City, no person shall discharge into any dumpster drain or any natural outlet within the City's Water, Wastewater and Reclaimed Water Utility Service Area, any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(c)

Unless authorized by permit, no person shall discharge into any storm water system within the city any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes, or other polluted waters.

(d)

No persons shall construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage or wastewater, except as authorized by the St. Lucie County Health Department or as provided herein provided.

(e)

No persons shall uncover, make any connection with or opening into, use, alter or disturb any public sewer or appurtenances thereof without first obtaining a permit from the City.

(f)

General discharge prohibitions. No user shall contribute or cause to be contributed, directly or indirectly, any pollutant or sewage which will interfere with the operation or performance of the wastewater system or any of its POTWs. The general prohibitions apply to all such users of the wastewater system or any POTW which is a part of that system, whether or not the user is subject to the 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 public sewer:

(1)

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 wastewater system or to the operation of said system. At no time shall two successive readings on an explosion hazard meter at the point of discharge into said system (or at any point in the system) be more than five percent, nor any single reading over ten percent of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the meter. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, naphtha, benzene. toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, solvents, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides, and any other substances which the city, the FDEP, the USEPA, or any other local, regional, state, or federal agency having jurisdiction has notified the user as a fire hazard or a hazard to the system, and any other flammable or explosive liquids, solids, or gases.

(2)

Any solid or viscous substances which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the operation of the wastewater treatment facilities such as, but not limited to,

Animal guts, entrails, or tissues

Asphalt residues

Ashes

Bones

Cinders

Contraceptive condoms

Feathers

Feminine hygiene products

Gas

Glass or glass grinding and polishing wastes

Grass clippings

Garbage with particles greater than on-half inch in any dimension

Grease

Hair

Hides or fleshings

Manure

Medicines

Metal

Mud

Needles of any kind

Plastics

Rags

Residues from Refining, or the processing of fuel or lubricating oil

Sand

Shavings

Spent grain or hops

Split lime

Stone or marble dust

Straw

Tar

Wastepaper or ground paper

Whole Blood

Wipes (baby or Cleaning)

Wood

(3)

Any sewage having a pH lower than 6.0 or higher than 8.5, unless the individual POTW is specifically designed to accommodate such sewage or wastewater, or sewage having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment and/or personnel of the wastewater system.

(4)

Any sewage or 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 any City POTW, or to exceed the limitations set forth in a categorical pretreatment standard. A toxic pollutant shall include, but not be limited to, any pollutant identified pursuant to Section 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.

(6)

Any substances which may cause any City POTW's effluent or any other product of said POTW, such as residues, sludges, or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse, or to interfere with the reclamation process. In no case shall substance discharged to any city POTW cause said 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 developed pursuant to the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, or state criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.

(7)

Any substance which will cause any City POTW to violate any of its regulatory permits or the receiving water quality standards.

(8)

Any sewage or wastewater with objectionable color, not removed in the treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.

(9)

Unauthorized emptying of travel trailer or camping trailer wastewater is prohibited.

(10)

Unauthorized dumping of any material from vehicles, tanks, or trailers operated by a septic or waste hauler is prohibited.

(g)

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged the following described substances, materials, waters or wastes if it appears likely in the opinion of the Utility Systems Director that such wastes could harm either the City's wastewater collection system, wastewater treatment process or equipment, have an adverse effect on the receiving stream or other effluent disposal facilities or systems, or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. The Utility Systems Director will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, nature of the sewage treatment process, capacity of the sewage treatment plant, degree of treatability of wastes in the sewage treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The substances prohibited are:

(1)

Any sewage or wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity in any city POTW treatment plant resulting in interference, but in no case heat in such quantities that the temperature at the treatment works influent exceeds 100°F, unless the POTW treatment plant is designed to accommodate such temperature.

(2)

Any water or waste containing fats, wax, grease or oils, whether emulsified or not, in excess of 100 milligrams per liter or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between 32°F and 100°F.

(3)

Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.

(4)

Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions whether neutralized or not.

(5)

Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other wastes or odiferous ash producing substances, in such concentrations exceeding limits which may be established by the Utility Systems Director, as necessary, after treatment of the composite sewage, to meet the requirements of the state, federal or other public agencies or jurisdiction for such discharge to the waters of the state or nation.

(6)

Any radioactive wastes or isotopes.

(7)

Any pollutants, including oxygen demand 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 any city POTW. In no case shall a slug load be discharged to the city's wastewater system.

(8)

Waters or wastes containing substances, including non-biodegradable detergents, which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment processes employed or are amenable to treatment only to the degree that the sewage treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirement of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the waters of the state or nation or violates any contract, resolution, law, rule, regulation, permit, or approval applicable to the industrial, commercial, or agricultural reuse of reclaimed water.

(9)

Any concentrations of inert suspended solids (such as, but not limited to, fullers earth, lime slurries, and lime residues) or of dissolved solids (such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate).

(10)

When the Utility Systems Director determines that a user is contributing to any portion of the wastewater system, any of the above-enumerated substances in such amounts as to cause a pass through, cause a violation of any applicable permit or contract, or otherwise interfere with the operation of the system, the Utility Systems Director shall:

a.

Advise the user of the impact of the contribution on said POTW; and

b.

Develop effluent limitations for such user to correct the interference with said POTW.

(h)

No persons shall discharge sewage or wastewater in excess of the concentration set forth in the table below unless: an exception has been granted the user under the provisions of Section 64.08; or the wastewater discharge permit of the user provides as a special permit condition a higher interim concentration level in conjunction with a requirement that the user construct a pretreatment facility or institute changes in operation and maintenance procedures to reduce the concentration of pollutants to levels not exceeding the standards set forth in the table within a fixed period of time.

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Parameter	Maximum Concentration mg/l (24-hour flow Proportional Composite Sample)	Maximum Instantaneous Concentration mg/l (Grab Sample)
Biochemical oxygen demand	300*	—
Total suspended solids	300*	—
Arsenic (As)	1.0	2.0
Boron (B)	1.0	2.0
Cadmium (Cd)	1.0	2.0
Chlorides	1,500 mgL	6,000 mgL
Chromium—Total (Cr)	1.0	2.0
Chromium—Hexavalent (Cr+6)	0.05	0.10
Conductivity	4,000 μS/cm**	16,000 μS/cm**
Copper (Cu)	2.0	4.0
Cyanide (CN)	0.1	0.2
Lead (Pb)	0.05	0.1
Mercury (Hg)	0.005	0.01
Nickel (Ni)	0.2	0.4
Phenol	0.5	1.0
Selenium (Se)	1.0	2.0
Silver (Ag)	1.0	2.0
Zinc (Zn)	5.0	10.0
Oil & grease (petroleum and/or mineral)	100.0	200.0
Total nitrogen	50.0	100.0
Total phosphorus	10.0*	—
Total dissolved solids	2,500.0	10,000.0
Fluoride	8.0	16.0

 

* Concentrations above this amount are subject to a surcharge in accordance with all city rate resolutions and ordinances.

** Microsiemens per centimeter.

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(i)

Certain users are now or hereafter shall become subject to National Categorical Pretreatment Standards promulgated by the USEPA specifying quantities or concentrations of pollutants or pollutant properties which may be discharged into a city POTW. All users subject to a national pretreatment standard shall comply with all requirements of such standard, and shall also comply with any additional or more stringent limitations contained in this chapter.

(j)

Where the wastewater 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 national pretreatment standards. The City may modify pollutant discharge limits in the federal pretreatment standards if the requirements contained in Title 40 CFR § 403.7 are fulfilled and prior approval from the approval authority is obtained.

(k)

State requirements and limitations on discharges shall apply in any case where they are more stringent than federal requirements in limitations, or those contained in this chapter. The city reserves the right to establish by ordinance more stringent limitations or requirements from dischargers to the wastewater system if deemed necessary to comply with the objectives stated at the beginning of this chapter.

(l)

Dangerous discharge prevention and notification requirements.

(1)

Plan for accidental discharges. Each Applicant or 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 Applicant's or user's own costs and expense. Detailed plans showing facilities and operating procedures to provide this protection shall be submitted to the city for review, and shall be approved by the city before construction of the facility. Review and approval of such plans and operating procedures shall not relieve the Applicant or user from the responsibility to maintain the facility as necessary to meet the requirements of this chapter.

(2)

Telephone notification. Any person causing or suffering any discharge whether accidental or not, which presents or may present an imminent or substantial endangerment to the health and welfare of persons, to the environment, or which is likely to cause interference with any city POTW or the wastewater system as a whole, shall notify the Utility Systems Director immediately by calling [phone].

(3)

Written report. Within 5 calendar days following such occurrence, the user shall provide the Utility Systems Director with a detailed written report describing the cause of the dangerous discharge and measures taken or to be taken by the user to prevent similar future occurrences. 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, all or any portion of the wastewater system, fishkills, 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.

(4)

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 make calls or suffer such a dangerous discharge to occur are advised of the emergency notification procedure.

(Ord. 94-46, passed 9-26-94; Ord. 04-61, § 2, passed 5-10-04; Ord. No. 14-29, § 5, 5-27-14)