Pretreatment Program
SacSewer’s Wastewater Source Control Section administers the Pretreatment Program and is responsible for providing regulatory oversight of industrial and commercial sewer discharges to protect public health, the environment, the sewage collection system, and the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility.
Additionally, SacSewer implements significant source reduction programs, outreach and education programs, incident response, and permit administration of industrial and commercial non-domestic wastewater.
Wastewater Discharge Permits for Businesses
- Discharges 25,000 Gallons Or More Of Process Wastewater Per Day (Excluding Domestic, Non-Contact Cooling, And Boiler Blowdown Wastewater)
- Contributes a process wastestream that makes up 5% or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the treatment plant
- Temporary or long-term discharges of non-domestic wastewater that have a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the SacSewer sewer system or for violating any Pretreatment Standard or Requirement, or as determined by SacSewer.
- Discharges more than 37.5 pounds of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), 37.5 pounds of total suspended solids (TSS), or 8.3 pounds of total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) per day
- Is classified as a “categorical user” in accordance with the listing established by the EPA (40 CFR Chapter 1, Subchapter N, Parts 405-471)
- Discharges wastewater resulting from groundwater remediation projects
- Performs mobile pressure washing or liquid waste hauling
Common types of businesses that need a permit include industrial bakeries, laundries, food and beverage processing, metal finishers, water treatment plants, liquid waste haulers, mobile pressure washers, groundwater remediation, landfill leachate, temporary discharges of construction wastewater or off-spec product, and chemical companies.
Programs
To educate our customers about how they can help us control pollutants at the source, we’ve developed a number of outreach programs that encourage sustainable habits that keep our environment healthy. We encourage our customers to review the helpful pollution prevention tips and make small daily efforts. Over time they will add up and benefit the health of our natural environment.
Dentists who place or remove amalgam are required to install amalgam separators and implement two EPA-required Best Management Practices (BMP). All dentists must now be in compliance.
Partners
Forms & Documents
- Temporary Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
- Sewer Use Questionnaire
- Permanent Wastewater Discharge Permit Application
- Groundwater Discharge Permit Application
- Collection System Operations Notice Form
- Signature Authorization Form
- Electronic Subscriber Agreement
- Inedible Kitchen Grease Manifest Signature Agreement
- Annual Pretreatment Program Reports
- Class I, II, and Groundwater Permit Standard Conditions
- Enforcement Response Plans
The following is a list of industrial categories for which specific categorical pretreatment standards or requirements have been promulgated. Pretreatment Standards apply to discharges to Publicly Owned Treatment Works. If your business conducts one of the below processes, please contact us for a permit evaluation.