The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board requires the South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (District) to operate under Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) Order No. R3-2009-0046. WDR Order No. R3-2009-0046 requires the District to implement a Pretreatment Program in its jurisdiction, in order to protect the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plant.
The District adopted Pretreatment Ordinance 1994-1 to comply with WDR Order No. R3-2009-0046 and state and federal laws, such as the Clean Water Act [33 USC § 1251 et. seq.] and Federal General Pretreatment Regulations [40 CFR 403]. Pretreatment Ordinance 1994-1 establishes the District’s legal authority to inspect, permit, and monitor industrial users, who have a reasonable potential to impact the Publically Owned Treatment Works (POTW) through accidental or deliberate discharges, and to enact standards and regulations governing industrial discharges to the POTW.
The primary objectives of Pretreatment Ordinance 1994-1 are to:
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW, which will interfere with the operation of the POTW;
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW, which will pass through the system into the receiving water, the Pacific Ocean; and
- Protect POTW personnel from exposure to hazardous chemicals.
In order to meet these objectives, industrial users must be inspected and permitted. The District inspects industrial facilities prior to issuing a permit and annually after issuing a permit, in order to ensure industrial users remain in compliance.
