Purposes of a Pretreatment Program

• Regulate the disposal of industrial wastewater into the sanitary wastewater collection system.
• Protect the physical structures and the safety of operation and maintenance personnel of the wastewater system (collection and treatment).
• Protect the health and safety of the public and the environment.
• Comply with pretreatment regulations as required under the Federal General Pretreatment Regulations and Categorical Standards and local source control ordinances.

GENERAL PROHIBITIONS disallow industrial wastewaters introduced into Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) which:

1. Pass through the POTWs untreated, and/or
2. Interfere with the operation or performance of the POTWs,

SPECIFIC PROHIBITIONS disallow the introduction of eight specific categories of pollutants into POTWs as follows:

1. Pollutants that create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTWs sewer system or at the treatment plant;
2. Pollutants that are corrosive including any discharge with a pH lower than 5.0;
3. Solid or viscous pollutants in amounts that would obstruct flow in the collection system and treatment plant, resulting in interference with operations;
4. Any pollutant, including oxygen demanding pollutants released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or concentration which would cause interfence;
5. Heat in amounts which would inhibit biological activity in the POTW resulting in interference;
6. Pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems.
7. Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause pass through or interference.
8. Trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the Superintendent.