Utilities

DIVISION: OPERATIONS
TOPIC: WASTEWATER DISCHARGE PERMITS

Restaurants, automotive repair shops, laundries, and car washes are some of the facilities required to install, maintain, and use pretreatment equipment that removes oil, grease, sand and other pollutants before they can enter the wastewater collection system. Also included in the program are commercial and industrial facilities which store, use, sell, or manufacture chemical compounds, or have chemicals on site which could potentially enter the environment through the wastewater collection system, ground water infiltration, or the stormwater collection system.

These facilities are required to complete a brief Wastewater Survey, which indicates the quantities and types of chemical compounds on site, and the precautions taken to prevent these chemicals from being discharged into the environment. Based on the information submitted and the results of a Pretreatment Inspector’s site visit, a Wastewater Discharge Permit is issued. The Permit outlines types of pretreatment, discharge limits allowed for specific pollutants, and a schedule for site inspections and sampling events.

The cost of a permit depends on the type of permit required – Class I, Class II, Grease Interceptor, or Special. The associated costs (equipment, laboratory fees, etc.) are also the responsibility of the business.

Detailed information can be found in Municipal Code 13.24 and 13.28. Please call the Environmental Section at (702) 633-1374 with any further questions.