Industrial Pre-Treatment Program
Listing files in 'Industrial Pre-Treatment Program'
Federal and State Regulations require that the City maintain an industrial pretreatment program that is designed to work with industrial and commercial customers who meet certain criteria. The intent of the pretreatment program is to protect the sewer system and wastewater treatment plant from pollutants that may be discharged to the sewer system by local industries. These pollutants may have the potential to upset the wastewater treatment plant and cause pollutants to "pass-through" the plant untreated, or partially treated, and then be discharged to the Penobscot River. This program is also designed to protect sewer system and plant personnel by controlling and, in some cases, prohibiting the discharge of dangerous wastewater into the sewer system. The United States Environmental Protection Agency recognized the City’s Industrial Pretreatment Program as one of the best in the country in 2002.
WHY IS THIS PROGRAM NECESSARY?
The United States Environmental Protection Association (EPA), under authority of the Clean Water Act of 1977 requires all Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) to implement and maintain Pretreatment Programs if any of the following criteria apply to the POTW:
1). The POTW has a design flow greater than 5 million gallons per day;
2). If the POTW has less than 5 million gallons per day, but non-domestic wastes (industrial) cause upsets, sludge contamination, or violations of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit held by the POTW; or
3). If the industrial users are subject to national pretreatment standards. These industries are
also referred to as “Categorical Industrial Users, or CIUs.
These regulations are enumerated in detail in 40 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) part 403. The public can access these regulations via the internet at www.epa.gov./fedrgstr/EPA-WATER.
The City of Bangor WWTP has a design flow of 18 million gallons per day, and has several local industries which are subject to national pretreatment standards (this means that the federal government sets the discharge limits for certain pollutants that may be found in the industrial wastewater discharged from these industries). The list of industries that are subject to national pretreatment standards can be found in 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR Chapter I, subchapter N.
For these reasons, the City administers a federally required program. The intent of the pretreatment program is to protect the POTW from pollutants that may be discharged to the sewer system by local industries. These pollutants may have the potential to upset the POTW and cause pollutants to “pass-through” the plant untreated, or partially treated and then be discharged to the receiving waters of the POTW, in the case of Bangor, this means the Penobscot River.
Another function of the pretreatment program is to protect the employees of the POTW and the public from adverse effects of pollutants entering the sewer system that may endanger the health or safety of these people. For example, the discharge of flammable products to the sewers could result in any number of explosive situations.
The contamination of sludge produced at the WWTP is another concern. For the City of Bangor, sludge that is a by-product of cleaning wastewater is being used in a beneficial reuse program. The processed sludge is transported to a central location where it is blended with filler products, properly aged, and then made available for public use as a soil amendment. Sewage sludge that is being reused in this manner must meet strict Federal and State guidelines, and the Pretreatment Program helps to ensure Bangor WWTP sludge consistently meets or exceeds these standards.
WHO SHOULD BE IN THIS PROGRAM?
Any commercial or non-residential user of the sewer system in the city of Bangor, or towns of Hampden and Hermon, may potentially be required to participate in the Pretreatment Program. Such users may qualify as “Significant Industrial Users” or “Categorical Industrial Users”.
Categorical Industrial Users are described in the documents listed above. Significant Industrial Users are defined in 40 CFR 403 as: “(i) All industrial users subject to Categorical Pretreatment Standards under 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR chapter I, subchapterN; and (ii) any other industrial user that discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewater); contributes a process wastestream which makes up 5% or more of the average dry weather hydrolic or organic capacity of the POTW treatment plant; or is designated as such by the Control Authority as defined in 40 CFR 403.12(a) on the basis that the industrial user has a reasonable potential for adversly affecting the POTW’s operation or for violating any pretreatment standard or requirement (in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6)).”
It is the responsibility of the user to determine if they are subject to any Federal, State, or Local statues, and report their status to the Pretreatment Coordinator before any process discharge begins.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
The first step a business that has a non-sanitary wastewater discharge should take is to determine if their process is a Categorical issue as defined in 40 CFR. Secondly, the business with an industrial wastewater discharge should look at the definition of Significant Industrial User to see if that may fit their status. If the business may fit into either of these situations, or there is a reasonable potential that they might, they should contact:
Scott Paradis, Pretreatment Coordinator/Lab Technician - City of Bangor Wastewater Treatment Plant
760 Main Street, Bangor, Maine 04401
Phone: (207) 992-4477
Fax: (207) 947-3537
scott.paradis@bangormaine.gov
Available on this website are the following forms: Bangor WWTP Survey & Disclosure, Industrial Wastewater Permit Application, Industrial Wastewater Permit Renewal Application, Enforcement Response Plan, Enforcement Response Guide, and the Local Limits for the Bangor WWTP.
Also available are links to important environmental sites for your convenience.
Please remember, that compliance with all Federal, State, and Local regulations is the responsibility of the user, and that proper notification and permits must be secured prior to start up!
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