HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 959 - Regulating the Discharge of Industrial Wastes into Public Sewers
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ORDINANCE NUMBER 959
AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE DISCHARGE OF INDUSTRIAL WASTES
INTO THE PUBLIC SEWERS OF THE CITY OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE,
TEXAS, PROMULGATING REGULATIONS AND ESTABLISHING CHARGES
FOR SERVICES RENDERED, PROVIDING FOR A PENALTY NOT TO EXC5ED
TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS ($200) FOR EACH OFFENSE.
WHEREAS, the City of West University Place, Texas has provided faci-
I ities for the collection and treatment of sewage to promote the health,
safety and convenience of its people and for the safeguarding of water resources
common to all, and
WHEREAS, provIsion has been made in the design, construction, and
operation of such facil ities to accommodate certain types and quantities of
industrial wastes in excess of, and in addition to, normal sewage, and
WHEREAS, it is the obligation of the producers of industrial wastes
to defray the cost of the waste treatment services rendered by the City of
West University Place in linear proportion to the cost of the waste treatment
facilities and of the operation and maintenance costs util ized in treating the
industrial wastes, and
WHEREAS, proper protection and operation of the collection and treat-
ment facil ities may require either the exclusion, pretreatment, or controlled
discharge at point of origin of certain types or quantities of industrial
wastes.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF WEST UNIVERSITY PLACE, TEXAS:
SECTION I.
Definition of Terms
The meaning of terms used in the Ordinance shall be as follows:
(a) liCit/I shall mean the City of West University Place, Texas, or
any authorized person acting in its behalf.
(b) "Person", "Establishment'l, or IIOwner'l shall mean any and all
persons, natural or artificial, including any individual, firm, company, in-
dustry, municipal or prtvate corporation, association, governmental agency or
other entente and agents, servants or employees.
(c) "Approving Authority'l shall mean the City Engineer (or other
official designated by the City Manager) of the City of West University Place,
or his duly authorized deputy, agent, or representative.
(d) "Sewage" shall mean a combination of the water-carried waste
from residences, business buildings, institutions, and industrial establ ishments,
together with such ground surface and storm water as may be present.
(e) 'IDomestic Sewage'l shall mean water-borne wastes normally dis-
charging into the sanitary conveniences of dwell ings (including apartment
houses and hotels), office buildings, factories and institutions, free of storm
surface water and industrial wastes.
-II !"1t:.
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(f) "Norma I" domes tic sewage sha 11 mean norma 1 sewage for the City of
West University Place in which the average concentration of suspended materials
and 5-day B.O.D. is established at 300 parts per million each, by weight, on
the basis of the normal contribution of seventeen-hundredths (0.17) pounds per
capita, per 100 gallons.
(g) I'Garbage'l shall mean solid wastes and residue from the prepara-
tion, cooking and dispensing of food, and from the handling, storage and sale
of food products and produce.
(h) "Properly Shredded Garbage" shall mean the wastes from the pre-
paration, cooking and dispensing of food that have been shredded to such degree
that particles shal I be carried freely under the flo conditions normally pre-
vail ing in publ ic sewers, with no particle greater than 1/2 inch in any dimen-
sion.
Ci) "Sewer" shall mean a pipe or conduit for carrying sanitary sewage.
(j) "Public Street" shall mean a sewer in which all owners of abut-
ting properties shall have equal rights and interest controlled by public authority.
(k) "Sanitary Sewer" shall mean a sewer that conveys sewage or indus-
trial wastes or a combination of both, and into which storm, surface and ground
waters or unpolluted industrial wastes are not intentionally passed.
(I) "Storm Sewer or Storm Drain" shall mean a sewer which carries storm
and surface waters and drainage but excludes sewage and polluted industrial wastes.
(m) "Sewage Works" shall mean all facilities for collecting, pumping,
treating and disposing of sewage and industrial wastes and would include sewage,
as well as the sewage treatment facil ities.
(n) "Sewerage" shall mean the system of sewers and appurtenances
for the collection, transportation and pumping of sewage and industrial wastes.
(0) "Sewage Treatment Plant" shall mean any City owned facil itiy,
device, and structures used for receiving and treating sewage from the City
sanitary sewer system.
(p) "pH'1 shall mean the logarithm (base 10) of
hydrogen-ion concerntration expressed in mols per liter.
by one of the procedures outlined in "Standard Methods".
the reciprocal of the
It shall be determined
(q) "B.O.D." shall mean the quantity of oxygen expressed in parts per
million by weight, utilized in the bio-chemical oxidation of organic matter
under standard laboratory conditions for five days at a temperature of 20 degrees
Centigrade. The laboratory determinations shall be made in accordance with pro-
cedures set forth in "Standard Methods".
(r) "Suspended Solids" shall mean solids that either float on the
surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage, or other liquids, and which
are removable by a laboratory filtration device, Quantitative determination of
suspended sol ids shall be made in accordance with procedures set forth in "Stan-
dard Methods"~
(s) "Unpolluted Water or Waste" shall mean water or waste containing
none of the following: free or emulsified grease or oil; acids or alkalis,
phenols or other substances imparting taste and odor in receiving water, toxic
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or poisonous substances in suspension; colloidal state or solution and noxious
or otherwise obnoxious odorous gases. It shall contain not more than ten parts
per million each of suspended sol ids and B.O.D. The color shall not exceed
fifty parts per mil lion.
(t) "Standard Methods" shall mean the examination and analytical
procedures set forth in the latest edition at the time of analysis of "Standard
Methods for the Examination of Water and Sewage" as prepared, approved and
published jointly by the American Publ ic Health Association, the American Water
Works Association and the Federation of Sewage and Industrial Wastes Associa-
tions.
(u) "Building Drain" shall mean that part of the lowest horizontal
piping of a drainage system which receives the discharge from soil, waste, and
other drainage pipes inside the walls of the building and conveys to the
building sewer, beginning three foot outside the inner face of the building wall.
(v) "Building Sewerll shall mean the extension from the building
drain to the sewer or other place of disposal.
(w) IINatural Outletll shall mean any outlet into a water-course, pond,
ditch, lake or other body of surface or ground water.
(x) IIWater-coursell shall mean a channel in which a flow of water
occurs, either continously or intermittently.
(y) IIParts per Mi 11 ionll shall mean a weight to weight ratio; the
parts-per-mi11ion value multiplied by the factor 8.345 shall be equivalent to
pounds per million gallons of water.
(z) IISewage Service Chargell shall mean the charge made on all users
of the public sewer system whose wastes do not exceed in strength the concen-
tration values established as representative of normal sewage.
(aa) IISurchargel1 shall mean the charge in addition to the sewage ser-
vice charge which is made on those persons whose waste loadings exceed those of
normal domestic sewage.
(bb) "Storm Water Runoffll shall mean that portion of the rain fa] 1
that is drained into the sewers.
(cc) '1Industria] Wastell shall mean water-borne solids, liquids or
gaseous wastes resulting from and discharged, permitted to flow or escaping
from any industrial, manufacturing or food processing operation or process from
the development of any natural resource, or any mixture of these with water or
domestic sewage as distinct from normal domestic sewage.
SECTION 2.
Admission of Industrial Wastes into the Public Sewers
(a) Approval Required - Review and acceptance of the Approving Author-
ity shall be obtained prior to the discharge into the public sewers of any wastes
and water having:
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(1) A 5-day 20 degrees Centigrade bio-chemical-oxygen demand
(B.O.D.) greater than 300 ppm.
(2) Suspended solids containing greater than 300 ppm.
(b) Pre-treatment - Where required, in the opinion of the Approving
Authority, to modify or eliminate wastes that are harmful to the structures,
processes or operation of the sewage disposal works, the person shall provide,
at his expense, such preliminary treatment or processing facilities as may be
determined necessary to render his wastes acceptable for admission to the
public sewers.
(c) Grease, Oi I & Sand Interceptors - Grease, oil and sand inter-
ceptors shall be provided for the proper handling of liquid wastes containing
grease in excessive amounts or any f1amable wastes, sand and other harmful in-
gredients; except that such interceptors shall not be required for private liv-
ing quarters or dwellings. All interceptors shall be of a type and capacity
approved by the Approving Authority and shall be located as to be readily and
easily accessible for easy cleaning and inspection. Grease and oil interceptors
shall be constructed or impervious materials capable of withstanding abrupt and
extreme changes in temperature. They shall be of substantial construction,
water-tight and equipped with easily removable covers which, when bolted in
place, shall be gas-tight and water-tight. Where installed, all grease, oil
and sand interceptors shall be maintained by the owner, at his expense, in
continuously efficient operation at all times.
(d) Submission of information - Design calculations, plans, specifi-
cations and any other pertinent information relating to proposed preliminary
treatment or processing facil ities shall be submitted for approval of the Ap-
proving Authority prior to the start of their construction, if the effluent from
such facilities is to be discharged into the public sewers.
SECTION 3.
~rnhihitivp ni~rh~r~p~
(a) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any storm
water, ground water, roof run-off, sub-surface drainage, down spouts, yard
drains, yard fountains and ponds or lawn sprays into any sanitary sewer. Storm
water and all other unpolluted drainage shall be discharged to such sewers as
are specifically designated as storm sewers or to a natural outlet approved by
the Approving Authority. Unpolluted processed water may be discharged upon
prior written approval of the Approving Authority to a storm sewer or natural
outlet or into the sanitary sewer system by an indirect connection whereby
such discharge is cooled, if required, and flows into the sanitary sewer at a
rate not in excess of three gallons per minute, provided the waste does not con-
tain materials or substances in suspension or solution in violation of the
1 imits prescribed by this Article.
In cases where, and in the opinion of the Approving Authority the
character of the sewage from any manufacturer or industrial plant building or
other premises is such that it wi 11 damage the sytem or cannot be treated
satisfactorily in the system, the Approving Authority shall have the right to
require such user to dispose of such waste otherwise and prevent it from enter-
ing the system.
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(b) No person shall d~scharge ~r cause to be discharged either directly
or indirectly any of the following described substances, materials, waters or
waste:
(1) Any 1 iquid having a temperature higher than 150 degrees Fah-
renheit (65 degrees Centigrade), except with approval of Approving Authority.
(2) Any solids, I iquids or gases which by themselves or by in-
teraction with other substances may cause f'lre l' h d .
or exp oSlon azar s, or In any
other way be injurious to person, property, or the operator of the sewage dis-
posal works.
(3) Any solids, slurries or viscous substances of such character
as to be capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other inter-
ference with the proper operation of the sewage works, such as ashes, cinders,
sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood,
whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshlings, entrails, line slurry, 1 ime
residues, slops, chemical residues, paint residues, or bulk solids.
(4) Any garbage that has not been properly comminuted or shredded.
If properly comminuted or shredded, then it may be accepted under provisions
established in Section l.
(5) Any noxious or malodorous substance, which either singly or
by interaction with other substances is capable of causing objectionable odors,
or hazards to life; or forms solids in concentrations exceeding limits estab-
I ished in Section 2, or creates any other condition deleterious to structures,
or treatment processes; or requires unusual provisions, alterations, or expense
to handle such materials.
(6) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or higher
than 10.5 or having any corrosive proe-rty capable of causing damage or hazards
to collection lines, structures, equipment, or personnel of sewage disposal
works.
(7) Any wastes or waters containing suspended or dissolved
solids of such character and quantity that unusual attention or expense is re-
quired to handle such materials at the sewage treatment or in the public
sewage works.
(8) Any waters or wastes containing a toxic or poisonous sub-
stance such as plating or heat-treating wastes in sufficient quantity to in-
jure or interfere with any sewage treatment process, to constitute a hazard
to humans or animals, or to create any hazard in the receiving waters of the
sewage treatment plant.
(9) Any cyanide greater than l.O part per mi II ion, as CN.
(l 0) Any hexavalent chromium greater than 1.0 part per mi 1l ion.
( ll) Any trivalent chromium greater than 10 parts per mi 11 ion.
( l2) Any cop pe r greater than 1.0 part per mi 1l ion.
(13) Any nickel greater than 1.0 part per mi II ion.
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(14) Any cadmium greater than l.O part per million.
(15) Any zinc greater than 1.0 part per million.
(16) Any phenols greater than l2 parts per million.
(17) Any iron greater than 5 parts per mill ion.
(l8) Any tin greater than 1.0 part per million.
(19) Any radioactive wastes greater than allo\^Jable releases as
specified by current United States Bureau of Standards Handbooks dealing with
the handling and release of radioactivity.
(c) Except in quantities, or concentrations, or with provisions as
stipulated herein, it shall be unlawful for any person, corporation or indivi-
dual, to discharge waters or wastes to the sanitary sewer containing:
(I) Free or emulsified oil and grease exceeding on analysis an
average of lOO parts per million (833 pounds per million gallons) of either or
both, or combinations of free or emulsified oil and grease, if, in the opinion
of the Approving Authority it appears probable that such wastes:
(a) Can deposit grease or oil in the sewer lines in such
manner to clog the sewers.
(b) Can overload skimming and grease handling equipment.
(c) Are not amenable to bacterial action and will therefore
pass to the receiving waters without being affected by
normal sewage treatment processes, or,
(d) Can have deleterious effects on the treatment process
due to excessive quantities.
(2) Cyanides or cyanogen compounds capable of liberating hydro-
cyanic gas on acidification in excess of one-half (0.5) part per million by
weight as CN in the wastes from any outlet into the public sewers.
(3) Materials which exert or cause:
(a) Unusual concentrations of sol ids or compositions; as for
example, in total suspended solids of inert nature (such
as Fuller1s Earth) and/or in total dissolved solids (such
as sodium chloride, or sodium sulfate).
(b) Excessive discoloration.
(c) Unusual biochemical oxygen demand or an immediate oxygen
demand.
(d) High hydrogren sulfide content, or
(e) Unusual flow and concentration shall be pretreated to a
concentration acceptable to the City, if such wastes can
1~1
(l) Cause damage to collection facilities.
(2) Impair the processes.
(3) Incur treatment cost exceeding those of normal
sewage, or
(4) Render the water unfit for stream disposal or in-
dustrial use.
Wheee discharges of such wastes to the sanitary sewer
are not properly pretreated or otherwise corrected, the
Approving Authority may:
(I) Reject the wastes or terminate the service of water
and/or sanitary sewer.
(2) Require control of the quantities and rates of dis-
charge of such wastes, or
(3) Require payment of surcharges for excessive cost
for treatment provided such wastes are amenable to
treatment by normal sewage plant facil ities opera-
ted by the City.
SECTION 4.
Control of Admissiblp. Wrl~tp~
(a) Within l20 days after passage of this Ordinance, any person desiring
to deposit or discharge any industrial waste mixture into the sewer or sewer
works of the City, or any sewer connected therewith, or who is now so doing,
shall make application to the Approving Authority for a permit therefor upon
appl ication forms to be obtained from him.
(b) Control Chambers - Within six months from the date of passage of
this ordinance, any person discharging or desiring to discharge an industrial
waste mixture into the sewers or sewer works of the City, or any sewer connected
therewith, shall provide and maintain in a suitable, accessible position on his
premises, or such premises occupied by him, an inspection chamber or manhole near
the outlet of each sewer, drain, pipe, channel, or connection which communicates
with any sewer or sewer works of the City or any sewer connected therewith. Each
such manhole or inspection chamber shall be of such design and construction which
will prevent infiltration by ground and surface waters or introduction of slugs
of solids by installation of screens with maximum openings of one inch, but of
such sufficient fineness to prevent the entrance of objectionable slugs of
solids to the sanitary sewage system and shall be so maintained by persons
discharging wastes so that any authorized representative or employee of the City
may readily and safely measure the volume and obtain samples of the flow at
all times. Plans for the construction of control manholes or inspection
chambers, including such flow measuring devices as mayor may not be required,
shall be approved by the Approving Authority prior to the beginning of construc-
tion.
(c) Measurement of Flow - The water consumption during the previous
month, as determined from the meter records of the Water Department, shall be
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the valid basis for computing the sewage flow, unless actual sewage flow is
measured by a recordtng meter of a type approved by the Approving Authority.
The persons shall install and maintain such device in proper condition to ac-
curately measure such flow. Upon failure to do so, the water consumption shall
be the basis for charges.
When water is contained in a product or is evaporated or is
discharged as unpolluted waste in an uncontaminated condition to surface drain-
age, an app1 ication may be made for a reduction in the volume of waste dis-
charged to the public sewer, provided supporting data satisfactory to the Ap-
proving Authority is furnished. This data shall include a flow diagram,
destination of water supply and/or waste, supported by sub-metering data in-
stalled on such process piping at the expense of the person.
(d) Samplin~ of Wastes - Sampl ing of the effuent of waste dis-
charges may be accomplished manually or by the use of mechanical equipment to
obtain a composite sample which would be representative of the total effluent.
Samples shall be taken at such intervals as determined by the Approving Author-
ity as necessary to maintain a control over the discharge from the establish-
ment. The method used in the examination of all bacteriological waste to
determine suspended solids, B.O.D., pH, and prohibited wastes shall be those
set forth inSect i on I.
SECTION 5.
Protection from DamaQ~
(a) No unauthorized person shall mal iciously, willfully of negl igib1y
break, damage, uncover, deface or tamper with any structure, appurtences or
equipment which is a part of the municipal sewage works. Any persons violating
this provisions shall be subject to immediate arrest under charge of disorderly
conduct.
SECTION 6
(a) The sewage service charge for any person, firm, owner or corpora-
tion discharging wastes into the system is twenty-five percent (25%) of the
total cost of water purchased by the owner for that billing period provided that
the City meter is the only source of water used by the owner, and provided that
the B.O.D. or the suspended solids in the waste water does not exceed the nor-
mal concentration of two hundred (200) parts per million. In those cases where
the owner used water other than City water, then said owner shall be required
to install at his own expense a City water meter to measure the volume of water
used. The sewage service charge will then be computed on the basis of the City
water rate as if such volume of water was purchased from the City.
(b) When the total concentration of the B.O.D. and the suspended
sol ids added together exceed four hundred (400) parts per mill ion at the point
entering the City1s system, a surcharge shall be applied to the base sewage
service charge by multiplying the base charge by the factor obtained from divid-
ing the total of the actual measured 8.0.0. and suspended solids added together
by four hundred (400). The surcharge will be applied only when such factor ex-
ceeds one.
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Cel Hte. de.te-rroinCltion of B.O.D. and s;uspende.d s;ol i.ds s.hall be by an
independent laboratory selected by the City.
(d) Samples shall be taken in accordance with the provisions covered
under Section 4, item (d), of this Ordinance.
(e) When any such tests made at the discretion of the City shows
that a surcharge shall be applied, continued or increased over the base rate,
whichever is applicable, then the owner shall be billed at the rate of Five
Dollars ($5.00) for each test to cover the costs of sampl ing, mai ling and
handl ing, plus the laboratory fees. When a surcharge is in effect, a test
will be made at least once each thirty (30) days. When such tests made at
the discretion of the City reveals that the surcharge is no longer applicable,
then no costs will bel made to the owner for such test or tests.
SECTION 7.
Contractural Agreements
(a) Persons discharging industrial wastes, which in the opinion of
the Approving Authority requires special consideration, will be required to
enter into a contractura1 agreement with the City which will include the follow-
ing:
(l) Necessary provisions for pre-treatment
(z) Maximum loads for treatment capacity:
(a) Hydraul ic - million gallons/day
(b) B. O. D. - lbs./day
(c) Suspended Solids - Jbs./day
(d) Grease - lOO PPM (Maximum permitted)
(3) Charges based on the proportional cost of waste treatment
facilities util ized to treat the industriaJ wastes of each industry.
(4) Charges based on the proportional costs of the maintenance
and operating costs that is attributed to the industrial wastes treated for
each industry. In the event the agreed upon maximum loads are exceeded, a sur-
charge will be applied to the loads in excess of the loads agreed upon as
follws:
B.O.D.
$0 . 72/ 1 000 ga 1 .
$0.012/1b
$0.04/1b.
Hydraulic
S. S.
SECTION 8.
Bill i ng
(a) Industrial waste surcharges provided for in this Ordinance shall
be included as a separate item on the regular bill for water and sewer charges
and shall be paid monthly in accordance with the existing practices. Surcharges
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shall be paid at the same time that the water, sewer and sanitation charges of
the person become due and payment for water, sewer and sanitation services
shall not be accepted without payment also of sewer service charges and sur-
charges.
SFc:TION 9
Pp-nrll ty for F."l i lllrp tn P~y Rill ~
(a) Failure to pay monthly bills for water and/or sanitary sewer
services when due, or failure to pay the established sewer charge for indus-
trial wastes when due, or repeated discharge of prohibited waste to the sani-
tary sewer, shall be sufficient cause to disconnect any and all services to
the water and/or sanitary sewer mains of the City of West University Place, and
the same penalties and charges now or hereafter provided for by the Ordinances
of the City of West University Place for failure to pay the bill for water ser-
vice when due shall be applicable in like manner in the case of failure to pay
the established surcharge for industrial waste discharged to the sanitary sewer
mains as established in Section 6.
,J:"('TIOM lQ
Powers rlnd AlJthori ty of Fnfnrri ng A~pnt~
(a) The Approving Authority hearing credentials and identification
shall be permitted to gain access to such properties as may be necessary for
the purpose of insepction, observation, measurement, sampling and testing, in
accordance with provisions of these regulations. Any person found to be violat-
ing any provision of this Ordinance shall be served by the City with written
notice stating the nature of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit
for the satisfactory correction thereof. Any person who shall continue any viola-
tion beyond the time 1 imit shall be guilty of violation of the service contract
and shall be summarily disconnected from the sanitary sewer and/or water service.
Such disconnection and reconnect ion would be at the total expense of the cus-
tomer.
(b) Where acides and chemicals, damaging to sewer lines or treatment
processes are released to the sewer causing rapid deterioration of these
structures, or interfering with proper treatment of sewage, the Approving
Authority is authorized to immediately terminate services by such measures as
are necessary to protect the facilities.
SECTION 11
Pp-nrlltip-s
(a) If any person, firm, or corporation shall violate any of the
provisions of this Ordinance, they shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction in the Municipal Court, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed
Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for each offense. Each day of such violation
shall be deemed a separate offense.
(b) Any person violating any of the provIsions of this Ordinance
shall become liable to the City for any expense, loss or damage occasioned by
the City by reason of such violation.
I?~
SECTION 12.
Non-waiver
(a) The failure on the part of the City to enforce any section,
clause, sentence or provision of this Ordinance sha1 1 not constitute a waiver
of the right of the City to later enforce any section, clause, sentence or
provision of this ordinance.
SECTION l1.
Validity
(a) All ordinances or parts of Ordinances in confl ict herewith are
hereby repealed. The val idity of any section, clause, sentence or provision of
this Ordinance shall not effect the val idity of any other part of this Ordinance,
which can be given effect without inva1 idated part or parts.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Commission of the City of West Uni-
versity Place, Texas at its regular meeting l4th day of June, 1971.
Commissioners Voting Aye: All
Commissioners Voting No: None
ATTEST: