Some communities may be interested in developing local ordinances and best management practice programs to reduce the discharge of toxins or other problem pollutants to their treatment plant. See an outline of how to develop a voluntary, community-based pretreatment program.
Pretreatment Committee
The largest of Oregon’s wastewater treatment systems are required to have Industrial Pretreatment programs in place to regulate businesses and industries that discharge to their systems.
The Pretreatment Committee coordinates pretreatment issues including evolving federal categorical standards, setting local limits, and pollution prevention.
Regulatory Requirements for Pretreatment Programs
Under the federal Clean Water Act, EPA has set requirements for communities to require industries discharging excessive pollutants to treat their wastewater before releasing it to the local municipal sewer system. The objections of the national pretreatment program are:
- To protect municipal wastewater treatment systems from interference in the treatment processes caused by industrial wastes,
- To protect rivers and streams from industrial wastes that might pass through the municipal treatment system untreated,
- To provide for the beneficial reuse of biosolids as soil conditioners and fertilizers,
- To protect wastewater personnel who may be affected by wastewater and biosolids in the course of their employment and
- to protect the general public, and
- To improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewater and biosolids from the treatment plant.
In Oregon, the Oregon DEQ operates the federal pretreatment program. Communities required to have an industrial pretreatment program have program requirements included as a permit condition in the appropriate National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
Who Is Regulated Under Pretreatment Programs?
All businesses, including industrial, commercial, and government establishments that discharge process wastewater (non-domestic wastewater) are subject to the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 CFR Part 403). For most businesses, this means they must not discharge anything that will adversely affect the sewage system or its works, or the sewage treatment processes including the quality of biosolids generated from the wastewater treatment.
For businesses that discharge a significant amount of toxic pollutants or other pollutants in amounts that could potentially be detrimental to the wastewater treatment plant, expanded regulations are necessary. The Pretreatment Program classified these businesses as Significant Industrial Users (SIUs).
Significant Industrial Users are required to limit or treat discharges to environmentally acceptable levels.
The types of tools used by municipal wastewater treatment plant utilities to limit industrial discharges can include:
- Business-specific specific industrial wastewater discharge permits with numerical discharge limitations including self-monitoring and reporting requirements, or
- Requiring the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce pollution in lieu of numerical limitations.
A fact sheet titled, Summary of the National and State Industrial Pretreatment Programs, is available and includes a flow chart illustrating the pretreatment permit issuance process.
Learn more about the EPA pretreatment program as well as the DEQ pretreatment program on their respective websites.
Oregon Communities with Pretreatment Programs
City of Albany | City of Newberg | |
|---|---|---|
| City of Bend | City of Portland | |
| City of Canby | Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority (RUSA) | |
| Clackamas Co. Service District #1 (Water Environment Services) | City of Salem | |
| City of Corvallis | City of St. Helens | |
| City of Dallas | City of The Dalles | |
| City of Grants Pass | Tri-City Service District (Water Environment Services) | |
| City of Gresham | City of Troutdale | |
| City of Klamath Falls | City of Wilsonville | |
| City of McMinnville | City of Woodburn | |
| City of Medford | Clean Water Services | |
| Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission: City of Eugene / City of Springfield |
Contact list for the Oregon Pretreatment Program coordinators.
These tools are useful for Oregon Pretreatment Coordinators:
- Summary of Oregon Pretreatment Annual Report Data 2014 & 2015 (file = ODEQ-par Form 13 Data Summary. 2015
- Approved Pretreatment programs and Number of Industrial Dischargers (file = ODEQ- Par data, 2015)
- Description of Industrial Categories (file = Industrial categories Description)
- Listing Of The Industrial Categories That Discharge Into Each Approved Pretreatment Program (file = list of Oregon IU categories)
- Inventory of the Local Limits of Each Oregon Pretreatment Program (file = local limits of OR P.Program)
Additional information can be found on DEQ’s website, under Water Quality Programs.
All businesses, including industrial, commercial, and government establishments that discharge process wastewater (non-domestic wastewater) are subject to the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 CFR Part 403). For most businesses, this means they must not discharge anything that will adversely affect the sewage system or its works, or the sewage treatment processes including the quality of biosolids generated from the wastewater treatment.
Getting Started
Over time, more Oregon communities will want to institute pretreatment programs. An effective pretreatment program has two foundations:
- Industrial SurveyAll affected communities should have an updated industrial survey that inventories all significant dischargers to their system. An example industrial survey is available from the City of Portland. Guidance on how to conduct an industrial survey is available from the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
- Sewer Use Ordinance
All communities should also have an updated Sewer Use Ordinance in place. The Sewer Use Ordinance is important to:
- To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW that will interfere with the operation of the POTW;
- To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW which will pass through the POTW, inadequately treated, into receiving waters or otherwise be incompatible with the POTW;
- To ensure that the quality of the wastewater treatment plant biosolids are maintained at a level which allows beneficial reuse of biosolids in an environmentally sounds manner;
- To protect POTW personnel who may be affected by wastewater and biosolids in the course of their employment and to protect the general public; and
- To improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewater and biosolids from the POTW.
Click here to view an example Sewer Use Ordinance from the City of Gresham at
Pollution Prevention
Pollution prevention is an important foundation for all pretreatment programs. Examples of pollution prevention programs in place for many Oregon communities include:
Reduce Fats, Oil & Grease
Fats, Oil & Grease controls are needed to ensure plumbing systems operate properly and that excess grease does not clog sewer collection lines. The Preferred Pumper Program is for grease trap/interceptor pump-out companies that meet certain criteria established by regional municipalities. Standardized procedures increase the likelihood that grease traps/interceptors are cleaned correctly, and reduce fats, oils and grease (FOG) into the sewer system.
Pumpers registered with the Preferred Pumper Program certify that they will follow pump-out criteria. Commercial/institutional FOG-generators in the region are encouraged to use a preferred pumper.
Owners of grease traps/interceptors using a registered preferred pumper know that grease trap/interceptor pump-outs should be completed correctly in accordance with industry standards. When FOG-generators use a registered preferred pumper, the pumper assumes responsibility for submitting completed Pump-Out Reports. Regulatory inspections will focus on pumpers’ performance in maintaining traps/interceptors.
Advocate for Environmentally Sound Disposal of Unwanted and Unused Drugs
Proper, environmentally-sound destruction of unwanted and unused medicines prevents prescription drug addiction—especially in teens, reduces poisonings, and protects water quality. A number of Oregon law enforcement agencies provide drop box collection services for residents to dispose of unwanted and unused medicines. The collected medicines are safely incinerated in a facility with high-temperature destruction and air pollution control equipment. See our Directory of Unwanted Drug Dropoff Locations in Oregon ver. 3.7.19. sorted by community.
Separator Installation and BMPs for Oregon Dental Offices
An example inspection form for inspecting dental offices is available for wastewater utilities in two formats: to download and use as an editable form (PDF format) or to customize as required (Word document).
Best Management Practices must be followed at dental offices to reduce hazardous materials including mercury amalgam, lead foil, and x-ray fixer from reaching the sewer system.
ACWA Pollution Prevention website
Many ACWA members collaborated to develop a pollution prevention web site. Although initially developed as a compliance tool for SB 737 and its associated 118 Priority Persistent Pollutants.
Pretreatment Coordinators will find the detailed chemical profiles and pollution prevention program outlines on the Oregon Water Quality website useful. Participating ACWA members have been issued pass-codes to access the site.