§ 110-153. Discharge standards.

(a)

Prohibited standards.

(1)

General prohibitions. No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the POTW, or any connected system, any pollutant or wastewater which causes pass through or interference. These general prohibitions apply to all users of the POTW whether or not they are subject to categorical pretreatment standards or any other national, state, or local pretreatment standards or requirements.

(2)

Specific prohibitions. No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the POTW, or any connected system, the following pollutants, substances, or wastewater:

a.

Toxic or poisonous substances, chemical elements or compounds, phenols or other taste- or odor-producing substances, or any other substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed by the county, or which are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the substance may interfere with the biological processes or efficiency of the treatment plants, or that may pass through a treatment plant and cause the effluent therefrom, or any other product from the plant, or the water or groundwater into which it is discharged, to fail to meet applicable state or federal standards. In no case shall a substance discharged to the POTW cause the POTW to be in noncompliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines or regulations developed under Section 405 of the Act; any criteria, guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to the SWDA, the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, or the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act; or state or federal criteria applicable to the sludge management method being used.

b.

Toxic, noxious, or malodorous solids, liquids, or gases, which either singly or by interaction with other waste or wastewater:

1.

Are capable of creating a public nuisance or hazard to human or animal life;

2.

Are or may be sufficient to prevent entry into a sewer for its maintenance, inspection, or repair; or

3.

May create any hazard in the receiving waters of the POTW.

c.

Liquids, solids, or gases which by reason of their nature or quantity are sufficient to cause fire or explosion or to be injurious in any other way to the POTW or to its operation, including, but not limited to, waste streams with a closed cap flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Celsius using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21. Materials of concern include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides, and sulfides, or any other substance which the county, the state or any federal agency has determined is a fire hazard or a hazard to the POTW when discharged to the POTW in sufficient quantity.

d.

Radioactive wastes or isotopes of such half-life or concentration as may exceed limits established by regulations within the Florida Administrative Code issued by the state department of health and rehabilitative services and which will or may cause damage or hazards to the POTW or its operating personnel.

e.

Stormwater, surface water, groundwater, artesian well water, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, swimming pool discharges, condensate deionized water, unpolluted industrial process water, or noncontact cooling water, unless specifically approved by the administrator; however, if the user was discharging noncontact cooling water or condensate deionized water to the POTW or a connected system prior to the effective date of this division, then such user may continue to discharge noncontact cooling water or condensate deionized water in amounts that are not harmful to the operation of the POTW. Whenever any such unpolluted water is found to be discharged to a sanitary sewer, the administrator may require such discharges to be connected to the storm sewer at the expense of the user, provided that the user shall obtain all required regulatory permits.

f.

Domestic wastes from septic tanks, portable toilets, or other similar facilities, unless approved by the administrator in writing. Such discharges shall only be made at a site approved by the administrator in writing.

g.

Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin in excess of 50 mg/l or animal/vegetable fats, wax, grease, or oils in excess of 100 mg/l, whether emulsified or not; or substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures lower than or equal to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (65.5 degrees Celsius) or in any amount that will cause interference in the POTW.

h.

Food waste that has not been ground or comminuted to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely in suspension under flow conditions normally prevailing in public sewers, with no particle greater than one-half inch in any dimension. At no time shall the concentration or properly ground food waste exceed a level that would prevent the POTW treatment plants from maintaining the required efficiency or cause operational difficulties.

i.

Inert suspended solids, such as, but not limited to, fuller's earth, lime slurries, and lime residues, or dissolved solids, such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate, in such concentrations as to pass through or interfere with the operations of the POTW.

j.

Any waste or wastewater having a pH lower than 5.5, exhibiting any corrosive property which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, is capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, or personnel of the POTW.

k.

Any waste or wastewater having a pH higher than 9.5 which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, is capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, or personnel of the POTW.

l.

BOD, COD, or chlorine in such concentration and/or flow as to constitute a significant load on, or shock or interference to, the POTW.

m.

Volume of flow or concentrations of wastes constituting slugs as defined in this division.

n.

Any liquid or vapor having a temperature higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60.0 degrees Celsius), which will inhibit biological activity in the treatment plant resulting in interference, except where higher temperatures are required by law; or any liquid or vapor having a temperature at such a level that the temperature at the introduction into the treatment plant exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit or 40 degrees Celsius.

o.

Solid or viscous substances in such quantities or of such size as to be capable of causing obstruction to the flow in a sewer, or other interference with the proper operation or any connected system, such as, but not limited to, grease, uncomminuted food wastes, animal entrails or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides or fleshings, whole blood, feathers, ashes, cinders, sand, spent lime, stone or marble dust, metal glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains or hops, wastepaper, wood, plastics, rubber stoppers, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining or processing of fuel or lubricating oil, gasoline, naphtha, and similar substances, either whole or ground.

p.

Excessive discoloration, such as, but not limited to, dye, printing wastes, and vegetable tanning solutions.

q.

Any pollutant, including oxygen-demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.), released in a discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which, either singly or by interaction with other pollutants, will cause interference with the POTW.

r.

Pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems.

s.

Trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the administrator.

t.

Sludges, screenings, or other residues from the pretreatment of industrial wastes.

u.

Medical wastes, except as specifically authorized by the administrator.

v.

Wastewater causing, alone or in conjunction with other sources, the treatment plant's effluent to fail a toxicity test.

w.

Detergents, surface-active agents, or other substances which may cause excessive foaming in the POTW.

Pollutants, substances, or wastewater prohibited by this section shall not be processed or stored in such a manner that they could be discharged to the POTW.

(b)

National Categorical Pretreatment Standards. Users must comply with the categorical pretreatment standards found at 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405-471.

(1)

The categorical pretreatment standards found in 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N, Parts 405-471 are hereby incorporated. It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant into the POTW or a connected system except when such discharge is in compliance with federal standards promulgated pursuant to the Act, and any other more stringent state and local standards. Wastes containing concentrations in excess of the National Categorical Pretreatment Standards are prohibited. New sources shall be subject to proposed standards which are thereafter promulgated in accordance with the Act. No user shall increase the use of process water or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the limitations contained in the National Pretreatment Standards, or in any other pollutant specific limitation developed by the county.

(2)

Where a categorical pretreatment standard is expressed only in terms of either the mass or the concentration of a pollutant in wastewater, the administrator may impose equivalent concentration or mass limits in accordance with 62-625.410(4), F.A.C.

(3)

When the categorical pretreatment standard is expressed only in terms of mass of pollutant per unit of production, the administrator may impose equivalent concentration or mass limits in accordance with 62-625.410(4), F.A.C.

(4)

When wastewater subject to a categorical pretreatment standard is mixed with wastewater not regulated by the same standard, the administrator shall impose an alternate limit using the combined waste stream formula in 62-625.410(6), F.A.C.

(5)

A user may obtain variance from a categorical pretreatment standard if the user can prove, pursuant to the procedural and substantive provisions in 62-625.410, F.A.C., that factors relating to its discharge are fundamentally different from the factors considered by the EPA when developing the categorical pretreatment standard.

(6)

A User may obtain a net gross adjustment to a categorical standard in accordance with 40 CFR 403.15 and 62-625, F.A.C.

(c)

Local limits. No person shall discharge wastewater containing pollutants in excess of the local limits for those pollutants which have been established for the Pasco County Treatment Plant Service Areas using standard procedures, calculations and methods acceptable to FDEP to protect against pass through, interference, protection of plant employees, and adverse affects on wastewater residuals disposal. No industrial user shall discharge process waste streams, unregulated waste streams, or dilute waste streams in excess of the concentrations set forth by the administrator, as approved by the board of county commissioners by resolution. Local limits shall be included as permit conditions and attached to each SIU wastewater permit issued.

The established local limits are subject to change and shall be modified as needed based on regulatory requirements and standards, wastewater plant operation, performance and processes, the industrial user base, potable water quality and domestic wastewater characteristics. Modifications to the established local limits must be reviewed and approved by FDEP prior to implementation. Implementation shall be effective 30 days from notice of acceptance of the modified limits by FDEP. Permitted SIUs shall also be issued an addendum to their wastewater discharge permit containing the new local limits.

The established local limits apply at the point where the wastewater is discharged to the collection system. All concentrations for metallic substances are for total metal unless indicated otherwise. At his or her discretion, the administrator may impose mass limitations in addition to or in place of the concentration-based limitations.

The administrator may develop best management practices (BMPs), by ordinance or in individual wastewater discharge permits to implement local limits.

A copy of the approved local limits is available upon request at the following location:

Pasco County Public Utilities
Public Works/Utilities Building S-205
7536 State Street
New Port Richey, FL 34654

(d)

County's right of revision. The county reserves the right to establish in wastewater discharge permits, standards that are different than or in addition to those listed in the local limits. The county reserves the right to establish different or additional standards on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of the associated discharge.

(e)

Dilution. No user shall ever increase the use of process water, or in any way attempt to dilute a discharge, as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with a discharge limitation unless expressly authorized by an applicable pretreatment standard or requirement. The administrator may impose mass limitations on users who are using dilution to meet applicable pretreatment standards or requirements, or in other cases when the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.

(f)

Special agreements. Whenever necessary or expedient in order to carry out the division, the county may enter into special agreements with users of the county's facilities setting forth terms under which the discharge of such users will be acceptable to the county. Such agreements shall be made only in accordance with an application thereof made to the board of county commissioners.

(g)

Sanitary wastewater discharged into storm sewer. No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any sanitary wastewater into the storm sewer system without exception.

(Ord. No. 98-17, § 3, 8-4-98; Ord. No. 11-21, § 2, 12-6-11)