Industrial Pretreatment Program

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The Industrial Pretreatment Program administers local, state and federal regulations to control pollutants discharged from commercial and industrial users within the City, which may affect the City’s wastewater treatment plant (WWTP).  The Industrial Pretreatment Program regulates non-domestic discharge to the Brushy Creek Regional Wastewater System (BCRWWS) sewage collection and treatment facilities.  It protects the treatment process and keeps costs down by working with local businesses to minimize pollutant discharge.

Regulation of such discharges is necessary to achieve the following objectives:

  • Prevent interference with the operation of the facilities
  • Prevent pass-through of the treatment facilities
  • Prevent any other condition which would be incompatible with the facilities
  • Ensure the quality of sludge to allow its use and disposal in compliance with statutes and regulations
  • Improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewater and sludge
  • Provide for equitable distribution of the cost of operation, maintenance and improvement of the WWTP
  • Enable the City to comply with Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit conditions, sludge use and disposal requirements and any other federal or state laws

The City’s Industrial Pretreatment Program is defined in the Code of Ordinances Chapter 44, Article IV.

New and Non-Permitted Users

Industrial User Survey

The Industrial Pretreatment Program is required to routinely collect information from non-domestic dischargers to evaluate the nature of wastewater from each business to determine if a wastewater discharge permit is required.  

Commercial and industrial users within the City are asked to submit the Industrial User Survey to the City to determine if a wastewater discharge permit is necessary.

Who needs a wastewater discharge permit?

All Significant Industrial Users (SIU) are required to obtain a wastewater discharge permit prior to discharging process wastewater into the sanitary sewer system. Additionally, any other business, individual or entity connected to the sanitary sewer, which, in the opinion of the City, requires a permit, is also required to obtain a wastewater discharge permit.

What is a Significant Industrial User (SIU)?

An SIU is defined as a facility that meets any of the following criteria:

  • A categorical industrial user (CIU) facility subject to national categorical pretreatment standards
  • A facility that discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day (gpd) or more of process flow to the WWTP
  • A facility that contributes a process flow which makes up five percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the WWTP, or
  • Any other facility that the City believes has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the sewer system and the WWTP

How is a wastewater discharge permit obtained?

Follow the Permit Application Instructions and complete the Application for Wastewater Discharge Permit. New users must submit anApplication for Wastewater Discharge Permit according to the following schedule:

  • New SIU:  Application shall be submitted at least 180 days prior to commencing discharge of process wastewater.
  • Other new users:  Application shall be submitted at least 90 days prior to commencing discharge of process wastewater.

Permitting Process

  1. The user will submit the completed application to the City along with the Authorized Representative Designation Form.
  2. The City will review the documents and determine if a permit is necessary.
  3. If a permit is necessary, the City will develop a draft permit and fact sheet for the user to review and make comments.
  4. If City determines new user to be a Categorical Industrial User (CIU), then a Baseline Monitoring Report form must be submitted at least 90 days prior to commencement of discharge from the facility.  See Baseline Monitoring Report Instructions to complete the Baseline Monitoring Report Form.
  5. The City will issue a final permit.
  6. If City determines new user to be a CIU, then a 90-Day Compliance Report Form must be submitted within 90 days following commencement of discharge from the facility.  See the 90-Day Compliance Report Instructions to complete the 90-Day Compliance Report Form.

Dental Users

Dental users within the City have other special requirements (see below) that do not include completion of an industrial user survey or obtainment of a wastewater discharge permit.
 
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated pretreatment standards under the Clean Water Act to reduce discharges of mercury from dental offices into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).  Dental Effluent Rules codified at 40 CFR Part 441 require new and existing dental offices, that replace or remove amalgam, to:
 
  1. Operate and maintain an amalgam separator and use two Best Management Practices (BMPs) recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA).
  2. Formally document records of device maintenance and inspection performed according to manufacturer recommendations and retain records for a minimum of three years.
  3. Submit a One-Time-Compliance Report to the City (please note that dental users not subject to the rule are still required to certify as such through submission of this report to the City).
Compliance deadlines and applicability for dental users within the City:
 
  • The final rule was effective on July 14, 2017.  Dental offices in operation on or before this effective date (“existing sources”) must comply with the rule requirements by July 14, 2020 and return an OTCR to the City by October 12, 2020.  Dental offices established after the effective date of the rule (“new sources”) must already be in compliance with the rule requirements upon discharge into the wastewater collection system and return an OTCR to the City no later than 90 days after discharge begins or a transfer of ownership from an existing source occurs.  See Federal Dental Effluent Rules and Important Deadlines for a schedule of applicable compliance due dates.
  • This rule applies to wastewater discharges to POTWs from offices where the practice of dentistry is performed, including large institutions such as dental schools and clinics; permanent or temporary offices, home offices, and facilities; and including dental offices owned and operated by federal, state or local governments.
  • The final rule does not apply to mobile units or offices where the practice of dentistry consists only of the following dental specialties: oral pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, periodontics, or prosthodontics.

All Users

Applicable Pretreatment Standards

These standards shall apply to a user whether or not the user is subject to other federal, state or local requirements.

Standard/LimitsApplicable toRegulation
Prohibited Discharge Standardsall usersSection 44-82(d) – City of Round Rock Code of Ordinances
National Categorical Standardscategorical users only40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 405-471
Local Limits
  • Existing Local Limits
  • Case-by-case Local Limits
all users
 
Enforcement

The Enforcement Response Guide outlines which type and the escalating level of enforcement that occurs based on the non-compliance and the nature of the violation.

Forms

A.  All Permitted Users

  Form Name Notes
1.

Permit Renewal Application

Due at least ninety (90) days prior to expiration of existing permit.
2.

Application for Permit Modification

SIU – application due at least 180 days prior to the date the change in discharge is expected to begin

Other users – application due at least 90 days prior to the date the change is expected to begin

3.

Spill/Slug Control Plan (SSCP)

 
 a.  Minimum Requirements for Spill/Slug Control Plan 
 

b.  Annual Document Review

The SSCP needs to be reviewed and/or updated annually as stated on this example form.
4.

Authorized Representative Designation

This form is needed any time the designated signature authority person is changed.
5.Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) Example form for submitting semi-annual, monthly or one-time, required sampling results.
6.Example Chain-of-Custody (COC)The actual COC form must be submitted with any sampling results.
7.Sampling Certification StatementForm to be submitted when extra samples are taken in addition to the required DMR frequency.

 B.  Categorical Industrial Users (CIU)

  Form Name Notes
1.

Toxic Organic Management Plan (TOMP)

A TOMP may be used as an alternative to monitoring Total Toxic Organics (TTO) for some industrial categories.
 a.  TTO CertificationThis example certification form is issued specifically to each industry and must accompany the Discharge Monitoring Report if certification is used in lieu of sampling for TTO.
 

b.  Annual Document Review

The TOMP needs to be reviewed and/or updated annually as stated in this example form.
2.

Baseline Monitoring Report (BMR)

 
3.90-Day Report on Compliance with Categorical Pretreatment Standards 

C.  Dental Users

  Form Name Notes
1.

Dental One-Time-Compliance Report

Dental offices that replace or remove amalgam are required to submit this report to the City in accordance with the Federal Rule effective July 14, 2017.

For schedule of compliance deadlines for new and existing Dental Users: see Federal Dental Effluent Rules and Important Deadlines

 

Industrial Pretreatment Program

3400 Sunrise Road
Round Rock, TX  78665
Phone: 512-218-5561
Fax: 512-341-3316
Email: rbornn@roundrocktexas.gov

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