Title 12 WATER AND SEWERS*
Chapter 12.36 WASTEWATER TREATMENT REGULATIONS
Article I. Definition of Terms
12.36.010 Definitions.
Article II. Regulations
12.36.020 DOE permittees.
12.36.030 General discharge prohibitions.
12.36.040 Discharge limitations--City agreement--DOE permit.
12.36.050 Limitations on wastewater strength.
12.36.060 Accidental discharges.
12.36.070 Grease traps.
12.36.080 Nondomestic discharger.
Article III. Charges and Fees
12.36.090 Purpose.
Article IV. Administration
12.36.100 Wastewater discharge.
12.36.110 Request for service by nondomestic discharger--Environmental survey.
12.36.120 Wastewater discharge agreement--General terms.
12.36.130 Inspection and sampling.
12.36.140 Confidential information.
12.36.150 Agreement modifications.
Article V. Enforcement
12.36.160 Termination of treatment services.
12.36.170 Compliance schedule order.
12.36.180 Administrative hearing.
12.36.190 Civil penalties authorized.
12.36.200 Judicial review.
12.36.210 Right to written interpretation of chapter.
12.36.220 Operating upsets.
12.36.230 Records retention.
12.36.240 Emergency suspension of service and permit.
Article VI. Penalties and Liabilities
12.36.250 Civil penalties.
12.36.260 Recovery of costs incurred by the city.
12.36.270 Falsifying information.
12.36.280 General criminal penalties.
Article I. Definition of Terms
12.36.010 Definitions.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the meaning of terms
used in this chapter shall be as follows:
“Act” means the Clean
Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), as now or as it may be
amended.
“Applicable pretreatment standards for any specified
pollutant” means the general discharge prohibitions, the city’s
specific limitations on discharge, the state standards, or the national
categorical pretreatment standards (when effective), whichever standard is most
appropriate in a given situation.
“BOD (biochemical oxygen
demand)” means the quantity of oxygen utilized in the biochemical
oxidation of organic matter under standard laboratory procedures in five days at
twenty degrees Celsius (degrees C), expressed in milligrams per liter
(mg/L).
“City” means the city of Kalama or its authorized
deputy, agent or representative; “department of public works” means
such department of the city of Kalama and includes its director and authorized
representatives, and includes the term “director of public works” as
used in this chapter.
“Discharger” means any person, individual,
corporation, partnership, association or entity who discharges or causes to be
discharged wastewater to the POTW.
“DOE” means the Washington
Department of Ecology.
“DOE permittee” means a nondomestic
wastewater discharger to the POTW who:
1. Is required by state law to obtain
a discharge permit from the Washington State Department of Ecology; or
2. Is
subject to national pretreatment standards promulgated under Section 306(b) or
(c) of the Clean Water Act (CWA); or
3. Has in its wastes any priority toxic
pollutants listed in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 403; or
4. Has in
its wastes toxic pollutants as defined pursuant to Section 307 of the Act;
or
5. Has a discharge flow of twenty-five thousand gallons or more per
average workday; or
6. Has an average monthly discharge flow greater than
five percent of the average monthly flow in the city’s wastewater
treatment system; or
7. Is determined by the city to have a significant
impact, either singly or in combination with other contributing industries, on
the wastewater treatment system, the quality of sludge, the system’s
effluent quality or air emissions generated by the system.
“Domestic
discharger” means any single-family or multifamily residential customer,
industrial customer or commercial business customer discharging domestic waste
in connection with the residential, industrial or commercial
premises.
“Domestic waste” means wastewater limited to kitchen
wastes, human wastes and housekeeping cleaning materials, in volumes and/or
concentrations normally discharged from each class of domestic
users.
“Effluent” means waste flowing out of a
POTW.
“Interference” means the inhibition or disruption of a
POTW’s sewer system, treatment process or operation which may contribute
to a violation of any requirement of its NPDES permit.
“mg/L”
means milligrams per liter; parts per million.
“National categorical
pretreatment standards” means national categorical pretreatment standards
as adopted and hereafter amended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) pursuant to the Act specifying quantities or concentrations of pollutants
or pollutant properties which may be discharged or introduced into a publicly
owned treatment works (POTW).
“Nondomestic discharger” means any
discharger who discharges nondomestic wastewater into a POTW by means of pipes,
conduits, pumping stations, force mains, drainway or any constructed devices and
appliances appurtenant thereto.
“Nondomestic waste” means
wastewater containing solid, liquid or gaseous waste resulting from: any
industrial, manufacturing, trade, or business process or activity; or, from the
development, recovery or processing of natural
resources.
“NPDES” means the national pollutant discharge
elimination system permit program as administered by the United States
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or state of Washington.
“Other
wastes” means decayed wood, sawdust, shavings, bark, lime, grain, refuse,
ashes, garbage, offal, oil, tar, chemicals, and all other substances except
wastewater.
“Permitted peak flow” means the maximum flow during
a certain period as stated in a wastewater discharge agreement or DOE
permit.
“Person” means any individual, firm, company,
corporation, association, society, governmental agency, public district or
group.
“pH” means the logarithm of the reciprocal of the mass of
hydrogen ions in grams per liter of solution.
“Pollutant” means
any substance discharged into a POTW or its collection system which, if
discharged directly, would negatively alter the chemical, physical, biological
or radiological integrity of the water of the state.
“POTW (publicly
owned treatment works)” means any wastewater treatment works and the
sewers and conveyance appurtenances discharging thereto, owned and operated by
the city.
“Pretreatment” means the reduction of the amount of
pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of
pollutant properties in wastewater to a less harmful state prior to or in lieu
of discharging or otherwise introducing such pollutants into a
POTW.
“Public sewer” means a sewer constructed for conveyance of
wastewater which is controlled by a public authority.
“Sewer”
means any pipe, conduit, or other device used to collect and transport
wastewater from the generating source.
“Shall” is a mandatory
requirement.
“Slugload” means any pollutant, including oxygen
demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.), released in a single extraordinary discharge
episode of such volume or strength as to cause interference to the POTW; or
flowrate exceeding the permitted peak flow.
“Storm sewer” means
any pipe, conduit, ditch or other device which collects and carries storm and
surface waters and drainage, but from which wastewater is
excluded.
“Suspended solids” means solids that either float on
the surface of, or are in suspension in water, sewage or other liquids, and
which are removable by laboratory filtering.
“Toxic pollutants”
means those substances listed in the federal priority pollutant list and any
other pollutant or combination of pollutants listed as toxic in regulations
promulgated by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under
Section 307 of the Clean Water Act.
“Upset” means an exceptional
incident in which a discharger unintentionally and temporarily is in a state of
noncompliance with the standards set forth in this chapter due to factors beyond
the reasonable control of the discharger, and excluding noncompliance to the
extent solely caused by operational error, improperly designed treatment
facilities, inadequate treatment facilities, lack of preventive maintenance or
careless or improper operation thereof.
“Waste” means wastewater
containing solid, liquid or gaseous waste including domestic and nondomestic
wastes.
“Wastewater” means domestic waste, nondomestic waste or
any other waste that is or may be discharged to the POTW.
“Wastewater
discharge agreement” means a written set of conditions between the city
and a nondomestic discharger who is not subject to a DOE wastewater discharge
permit (see definition of DOE permittee). It shall set forth the terms and
conditions of the city’s acceptance of wastewater from such nondomestic
discharger. The agreement shall be approved and signed by the mayor and a
person(s) duly authorized by the discharger. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
Article II. Regulations
12.36.020 DOE permittees.
Nondomestic dischargers who meet any of the criteria stated in Section
12.36.010, “DOE permittee,” shall not contribute or cause to be
discharged directly or indirectly into the POTW any wastewater until a permit
from DOE has first been obtained. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.030 General discharge prohibitions.
No discharger shall contribute or cause to be discharged, directly or
indirectly, any of the following described substances into the POTW:
A. Any
liquids, solids or gasses which by reason of their nature or quantity are, or
may be, sufficient either alone or by interaction to cause fire or explosion or
to be injurious in any other way to the operation of the POTW. At no time shall
two successive readings on a combustible gas meter, at the point of discharge
into the system (or at any point in the system), be more than five percent, nor
any single reading over ten percent of the lower explosive limit (LEL) of the
meter. Prohibited materials include, but are not limited to, gasoline, kerosene,
naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes,
peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromines, carbides, hydrides, sulfides and
any other substances which the city, the state, or the EPA has notified the user
is a fire hazard or hazard to the system;
B. Solid or viscous substances
which will or may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference
with the operation of the POTW, including but not limited to, any garbage or
putrescible material that has not been properly comminuted to one-fourth inch or
less in any direction;
C. Any wastewater having a pH less than 5.5 or higher
than 9.0, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or
hazard to structures, equipment or personnel of the system;
D. Any
wastewater having a fat waste, oil or grease (whether or not emulsified), hexane
or ether-soluble matter content in excess of fifty mg/L; or any substance which
may solidify or become discernable viscous at temperatures above zero degrees
Celsius (thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit);
E. Any wastewater containing toxic
pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction, to injure or
interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans
or animals, or to exceed the limitation set forth in categorical pretreatment
standards, or state or local standards;
F. Any noxious or malodorous
liquids, gases or solids which either singly or by interaction are capable of
creating a public nuisance or, hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry
into the sewers for their maintenance and repair;
G. Any substance which may
cause the POTW’s effluent or treatment residues, sludges or scums, to be
unsuitable for reclamation and reuse or to interfere with the reclamation
process. In no case shall a substance be discharged to the POTW that will cause
the POTW to be in noncompliance with sludge use or disposal criteria, guidelines
or regulations developed under Section 405 of the Act; or with any criteria,
guidelines or regulations affecting sludge use or disposal developed pursuant to
the Solid Waste Disposal Act; or with the Clean Air Act, state, local or
standards applicable to the sludge management method being used;
H. Any
substance which will cause the POTW to violate its NPDES and/or other disposal
system permits;
I. Any substance with objectionable color not removed in the
treatment process, such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning
solutions;
J. Any wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit
biological activity in the POTW treatment plant resulting in interference; but
in no case wastewater with a temperature at the introduction into the POTW which
exceeds forty degrees Celsius (one hundred four degrees Fahrenheit);
K. Any
slugload;
L. Any wastewater containing radioactive wastes or isotopes of
such half-life or concentration as exceed limits established by the city in
compliance with applicable state or federal regulation;
M. Persistent
pesticides and/or pesticides regulated by the Federal Insecticide Fungicide
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), including, but not limited
to:
1. Aldrin,
2. Dieldrin,
3. Chlordane,
4. 4,4’-DDT,
5. 4,4’-DDX
(p,p’-DDX),
6. 4,4’-DDD
(p,p’-TDE),
7. A-endosulfan-Alpha,
8. B-endosulfan-Beta,
9. Endosulfan
sulfate,
10. Endrin,
11. Endrin
aldehyde,
12. Heptachlor,
13. Heptachlor
epoxide,
14. A-BHC-Alpha,
15. B-BHC-Beta,
16. C-BHC-(Lindane)-Gamma,
17. G-BHC-Delta,
18. Toxaphene;
N. Septic
tank solids.
O. Stormwater and ground water. (Ord. 829 (part),
1993).
12.36.040 Discharge limitations--City agreement--DOE permit.
A. Discharge of any one of the following substances shall only occur by
dischargers who have either a written wastewater discharge agreement with the
city or a discharge permit from DOE:
1. Any wastewater having a BOD of more
than three hundred mg/L; or
2. Any wastewater having a suspended solids
content of more than three hundred mg/L.
B. By separate ordinance the city
may establish rates for approved discharges at levels exceeding those levels
stated in subsections (A)(1) and (2) of this section. (Ord. 829 (part),
1993).
12.36.050 Limitations on wastewater strength.
A. National categorical pretreatment standards shall be met by all
dischargers of the regulated industrial and all other nondomestic discharger
categories.
B. State Requirements. State requirements and limitations on
discharges to the POTW shall be met by all dischargers which are subject to such
standards in any instance in which they are more stringent than federal
requirements and limitations, or those in this or any other applicable
ordinance.
C. Right of Revision. The city reserves the right to amend this
chapter to comply with state and federal regulations.
D. Dilution. No
discharger shall increase the use of potable or process water in any way, nor
mix separate waste streams for the purpose of diluting a discharge as a partial
or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with the
standards set forth in this chapter.
E. Supplemental Limitations. No
discharger shall discharge nondomestic wastewater containing concentrations
(and/or mass limitations) that exceed any of the following values unless prior
written approval has been obtained from the department of public
works:
Material Concentration (mg/L)
|
Arsenic
|
As
|
0.1
|
|
Barium
|
Ba
|
5.5
|
|
Cadmium
|
Cd
|
0.3
|
|
Copper
|
Cu
|
0.5
|
|
Chromium
|
Cr
|
1.7
|
|
Cyanide
|
CN
|
0.2
|
|
Iron
|
Fe
|
10.0
|
|
Lead
|
Pb
|
0.4
|
|
Mercury
|
Hg
|
0.05
|
|
Nickel
|
Ni
|
0.5
|
|
Selenium
|
Se
|
0.1
|
|
Silver
|
Ag
|
0.1
|
|
Zinc
|
Zn
|
1.0
|
|
Phenols or cresols
|
|
0.6
|
The city may impose mass limitations on dischargers in cases where
necessary to be consistent with national categorical pretreatment standards, or
under circumstances where concentration limits are impractical to apply. (Ord.
829 (part), 1993).
12.36.060 Accidental discharges.
A. Each discharger not required to obtain a DOE wastewater discharge
permit shall provide protection from accidental discharge of prohibited or
regulated materials or substances established by this chapter. Where necessary,
facilities to prevent accidental discharge of prohibited materials shall be
provided and maintained at the discharger’s own cost and expense. Detailed
plans showing facilities to provide this protection shall be submitted to the
city with the building permit application.
B. Dischargers shall immediately
take action to correct the accidental discharge and verbally notify the city
upon the occurrence of a slugload, or accidental discharge of substances
prohibited by this chapter, and follow-up within five days with a written
notification to the department of public works. The notifications shall include
location of discharge, date and time thereof, type of waste, concentration and
volume, and corrective actions. Any discharger who discharges a slugload of
prohibited materials shall be liable for any expense, loss or damage to the
POTW, in addition to any other liabilities established by this chapter or other
city ordinances and the amount of any fines imposed on the city on account
thereof under state or federal law.
C. Signs shall be permanently posted in
conspicuous places on discharger’s premises, advising employees whom to
call in the event of a slugload or accidental discharge. Employers shall
instruct all employees who may cause or discover such a discharge with respect
to emergency notification procedures. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.070 Grease traps.
Dischargers who operate restaurants, cafes, lunch counters, cafeterias,
bars or club; or hotel, sanitarium, factory or school kitchens; or other
establishments that serve or prepare food where grease may be introduced to the
sewer system shall have pretreatment facilities to prevent the discharge of fat
waste, oil or grease. Take-out food establishments or other establishments that
prepare food, but do not cook in oil or grease, and who served food only in
disposable containers, may be exempted from this requirement, provided their
discharges do not violate the general discharge prohibitions of this chapter.
These pretreatment facilities must have grease traps installed in the waste line
leading from sinks, drains or other fixtures in accordance with specifications
of Sections 711, 712, and 713 of the Uniform Plumbing Code (1985), and as
amended and adopted by the city. Dischargers must maintain these facilities in a
manner that will always prevent fat waste, oil or grease from being carried into
the sewer system. Fat waste, oil or grease removed from such facility shall not
be disposed of in sanitary or storm sewers. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.080 Nondomestic discharger.
No single nondomestic discharger shall have an average daily discharge
(during any calendar month) to the POTW which exceeds fifteen thousand gallons
without approval of the city council. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
Article III. Charges and Fees
12.36.090 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this article to establish appropriate discharge fees
to compensate the city for the cost of operating, maintaining and further
improving POTW facilities and collection system. The charges are based upon the
cost to the city of treating the waste and upgrading its POTW to provide
secondary treatment of wastes. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
Article IV. Administration
12.36.100 Wastewater discharge.
It is unlawful for any nondomestic discharger to discharge any nondomestic
wastes into the city’s POTW except as authorized by a DOE permit or by a
written agreement with the city. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.110 Request for service by nondomestic discharger--Environmental survey.
A. All new persons seeking to discharge nondomestic waste into the POTW
shall complete an environmental survey on a form to be supplied by the city. All
existing nondomestic dischargers connected to or discharging to the POTW shall
complete a survey form within ninety days after the effective date of the
ordinance codified in this chapter or at a later time if approved in writing by
the city.
B. Upon completion of the environmental survey, the city shall
determine whether adequate capacity exists at the POTW and if the person seeking
to discharge is required to obtain a discharge permit from the Washington
Department of Ecology (DOE).
1. In the event adequate capacity exists and a
DOE permit is required, the person shall be referred to DOE to acquire the
permit. The issuance of a DOE permit will be necessary before the person can
commence discharging into the POTW.
2. In the event adequate capacity exists
and no DOE discharge permit is necessary, then the city shall identify, in
consultation with the discharger, the acceptable volume and component levels for
the discharge. A wastewater discharge agreement shall be prepared which shall
reduce to writing the discharge terms and conditions. Continued compliance with
the wastewater discharge agreement shall be a condition for continued discharge
into the POTW. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.120 Wastewater discharge agreement--General terms.
The wastewater discharge agreement shall be based on the environmental
survey and shall address the following:
A. Volume of average
discharge;
B. Nature of constituents in wastewater;
C. Discharge limits
on certain constituents;
D. Need for a treatment facility and design
criteria;
E. Accident prevention and upset contingency planning;
F. The
terms and conditions for monitoring needs;
G. Peak flow
conditions;
H. Other terms and conditions necessary to carry out the intent
of this chapter. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.130 Inspection and sampling.
A. The city shall have the right to inspect all monitoring facilities,
sewer lines and plant facilities during all hours that a discharger is operating
or at any time upon twenty-four hours notice. The city shall have the right to
erect or install on the discharger’s property such devices as are
reasonably necessary to conduct sampling, inspection, compliance monitoring or
metering operations.
B. Failure to allow inspection, sampling, monitoring or
metering as authorized by this section shall be grounds for termination of the
discharger’s wastewater discharge agreement by the city or other
appropriate action by DOE concerning the DOE permit.
C. The courts of the
state of Washington shall have authority to issue administrative inspection
warrants for the purpose of enforcing this chapter.
D. Nothing in this
chapter shall be construed to limit the city’s rights to obtain a criminal
search warrant. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.140 Confidential information.
A. Information and data furnished to the city with respect to the nature
and frequency of discharge shall be available to the public or other
governmental agency without restriction unless the discharger specifically
requests and is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the city that the
release of such information would divulge information, processes or methods of
production entitled to protection as trade secrets or proprietary information of
the discharger under the laws or regulations of the state or federal government.
If a discharger furnishing a report requests that information provided as part
of a report or the permit process be kept confidential, and the discharger marks
such pages as “confidential,” then the portions of a report or other
information which may disclose trade secrets or secret processes protected by
state or federal law, shall not be made available for inspection by the public,
subject to the provisions of RCW Chapter 42.17, but shall be made available upon
written request of governmental agencies for uses related to this chapter, the
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, state disposal
system permit and/or the pretreatment programs; provided, however, that such
portions of a report or other information shall be available for use by the
state or any state agency in judicial review or enforcement proceedings
involving the discharger furnishing the report. Wastewater constituents and
characteristics will not be recognized as confidential
information.
B. Information accepted by the city as confidential, shall not
be transmitted to any governmental agency or to the general public by the city
until and unless a ten-day notification is given to the discharger. Once notice
of intent to release information has been given to the discharger, if the
discharger fails to contest the release, then any rights created by this section
shall be deemed to have been waived. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.150 Agreement modifications.
The city reserves the right to amend the wastewater discharge agreement
issued under this chapter in order to assure compliance or continued compliance
by the city with applicable laws and regulations. Within nine months of the
promulgation of a national categorical pretreatment standard, the wastewater
discharge agreement of each discharger subject to such standards shall be
revised to require compliance with such standards within the time frame
prescribed by such standards. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
Article V. Enforcement
12.36.160 Termination of treatment services.
A. The city shall have authority to terminate wastewater treatment
services and to terminate the wastewater discharge agreement of any discharger
if it determines that the discharger has:
1. Failed to accurately report
wastewater constituents and characteristics;
2. Failed to report significant
changes in wastewater constituents or characteristics;
3. Refused reasonable
access to the discharger’s premises for purposes of inspection or
monitoring;
4. Violated conditions of the wastewater discharge
agreement;
5. Violated any of the provisions of this chapter or regulations
promulgated thereunder; or
6. Violated any lawful order of the city issued
with respect to the discharger’s wastewater discharge agreement or this
chapter.
B. The discharger shall be given written notice of the city’s
decision and the basis therefor to terminate wastewater services. Prior to
termination date established in the notice the discharger shall have a right to
request an administrative hearing under this article.
C. During the
administrative hearing process the termination of service shall be stayed,
provided, this shall not preclude emergency suspension of service under this
article, if appropriate. The administrative hearing board shall fix a
termination of service date in its order if it upholds the city’s action.
(Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.170 Compliance schedule order.
A. The city and the discharger may agree to a compliance schedule order in
lieu of termination under this article. The order shall establish specific
actions to be taken and/or procedures to be implemented by the discharger to
assure compliance with this chapter and with the wastewater discharge agreement
or DOE permit. The order shall also establish specific time limits for such
actions or procedures.
B. Failure to comply with any terms or requirements
of a compliance schedule order by the discharger shall be an additional and
independent grounds for termination of wastewater treatment services and
termination of the wastewater discharge agreement. (Ord. 829 (part),
1993).
12.36.180 Administrative hearing.
A. An aggrieved applicant or discharger shall have the right to an
administrative hearing to contest any determination made by the city.
B. Any
hearing pursuant to this section must be requested by the applicant/discharger
in writing within ten business days after the applicant/discharger receives
written notice of the city’s determination. The
applicant/discharger’s written request for hearing shall be filed with the
city clerk. The city shall conduct the hearing within ten business days of the
receipt of the request (or within five business days if a discharger is
contesting suspension of wastewater services and a wastewater discharge
agreement). Public notice shall be posted at city hall not less than forty-eight
hours prior to hearing.
C. The administrative hearing authorized by this
section shall be held before an administrative hearing board. The administrative
hearing board shall consist of the mayor and two council members, one selected
by the Mayor and one selected by the applicant/discharger. All three have an
equal vote. Formal rules of evidence shall not apply but the
applicant/discharger and the city shall have the right to present witnesses and
documentary evidence. The mayor or another member of the administrative hearing
board designated by the mayor shall issue a written decision within five
business days after the conclusion of the hearing. The decision shall be
supported by written findings of facts and conclusions of law.
D. The city
shall provide an electronic recording of the proceedings. The
applicant/discharger may arrange at his/her expense to have a court reporter
record of the hearing.
E. The city council may by resolution adopt
additional rules for the conduct of hearings pursuant to this section. (Ord. 829
(part), 1993).
12.36.190 Civil penalties authorized.
In lieu of or in addition to any other enforcement action authorized in
this chapter, the city shall have authority to assess against a discharger civil
penalties in the manner and amount specified in Article IV. (Ord. 829 (part),
1993).
12.36.200 Judicial review.
The applicant/discharger may appeal the decision of the administrative
hearing board. The procedure for such appeal shall follow the Administrative
Procedure Act (APA), Part V, Judicial Review and Civil Enforcement, RCW
34.05.510, et seq. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.210 Right to written interpretation of chapter.
Any discharger or any interested party shall have the right to request an
interpretation or ruling by the city on any matter covered by this chapter. The
request must be in writing and must be addressed to the city’s director of
public works. The city shall provide a written response within fifteen business
days. A request pursuant to this section shall not stay or otherwise affect
enforcement proceedings. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.220 Operating upsets.
A. Any discharger that experiences an upset in operations which places the
discharger in a temporary state of noncompliance with this chapter or the
wastewater discharger agreement or DOE permit issued pursuant to this chapter
shall inform the city of the upset immediately upon discovering the upset. A
written report describing the upset shall be filed with the city by the
discharger within five business days after the discovery. This report shall
include:
1. A description of the upset, the cause of the upset and the
impact of the upset on the discharger’s compliance with this
chapter;
2. The duration of noncompliance (including exact dates and times)
and, if noncompliance is continuing, the time at which the discharger expects to
be in compliance; 3. All steps which have been taken or will be taken to
prevent the recurrence of the upset.
B. A timely documented and properly
verified operating upset shall be an affirmative defense to any enforcement
action brought by the city against the discharger for failure to comply with
this chapter or a wastewater discharge agreement or DOE permit issued pursuant
to this chapter to the extent that the enforcement action arises out of
violations which occurred during the period of upset; provided, however, that
such an upset shall not relieve the discharger of any other liability for the
upset including, but not limited to, liability for damages sustained by the
POTW, the city or third persons. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.230 Records retention.
All dischargers subject to this chapter shall retain and preserve for no
less than three years, any records, books, documents, memoranda, reports,
correspondence and any and all summaries thereof, relating to monitoring,
sampling and chemical analyses made by or on behalf of a discharger in
connection with its discharge. All records which pertain to matters which are
the subject of an enforcement action or litigation shall be retained and
preserved by the discharger until all enforcement activities have concluded and
all periods of limitation with respect to any and all appeals have expired.
(Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.240 Emergency suspension of service and permit.
A. The city may order the suspension of wastewater treatment service if
the discharger fails to comply with its DOE permit or its wastewater discharge
agreement, and
1. Presents or threatens a substantial danger to the health
or welfare of persons or to the environment; or
2. Threatens to cause the
POTW to exceed the specifications of its NPDES permit or to interfere with the
operation of the POTW.
Any discharger notified of the city’s suspension
order shall immediately cease all discharges.
B. Any discharger whose
wastewater treatment service has been suspended pursuant to this section shall
have the right to a post-suspension hearing to be conducted in accordance with
the procedures set forth in Section 12.36.180. Suspension of service shall
continue during such hearing process. The city shall reinstate the wastewater
treatment services upon proof by the discharger of the elimination of the risk
of actual or potential violations stated in subsection A of this section unless
the city commenced proceedings for service termination pursuant to Section
12.36.160.
C. In addition to all other rights and remedies, the city shall
have the authority to physically cap, block or seal the side sewer line at its
juncture with the sewer line or elsewhere (whether on public property or private
property) if the city determines that such action is reasonably necessary to
suspend service as authorized above by subsection A of this section. The city
shall have the right of access onto the discharger’s private property to
accomplish such capping, blocking or sealing of the sewer line. (Ord. 829
(part), 1993).
Article VI. Penalties and Liabilities
12.36.250 Civil penalties.
Any discharger who violates an order of the city, or who fails to comply
with:
A. Any provision of this chapter; or
B. Any regulation or rule of
the city or any wastewater discharge agreement or DOE permit issued pursuant to
this ordinance;
shall be liable to the city for a civil penalty.
The
amount of such civil penalty shall be not more than one thousand dollars per
violation. The city may also recover the costs incurred by the city for
monitoring activities associated with the investigation and establishment of
such violation or failure to comply.
Each day upon which a violation occurs
or continues shall constitute a separate violation. Such penalties may be
recovered by judicial actions. A discharger’s failure to pay such civil
penalties shall be grounds for suspension of wastewater services and termination
of the wastewater discharge agreement. (Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
12.36.260 Recovery of costs incurred by the city.
Any discharger violating any of the provisions of this chapter who
discharges or causes a discharge producing a deposit or obstruction which causes
damage to or impairs the city’s POTW shall be liable to the city for any
reasonable expense, loss, fines or damage caused by such violation or discharge
including costs incurred by the city for violation of its NPDES permit. The city
shall bill the discharger for the above costs as well as costs incurred for any
cleaning, repair, replacement work or other damages caused by the violation or
discharge. Refusal to pay the assessed costs shall constitute a violation of
this chapter enforceable under the provisions of Article V. (Ord. 829 (part),
1993).
12.36.270 Falsifying information.
Any person who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or
certification in any application, record, report, plan or other document filed
or required to be maintained pursuant to this chapter, or who falsifies, tampers
with or knowingly renders inaccurate any monitoring device or method required
under this chapter (in addition to civil and/or criminal penalties otherwise
provided by law) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by fine not to
exceed five hundred dollars and/or imprisonment not to exceed ninety days. (Ord.
829 (part), 1993).
12.36.280 General criminal penalties.
Any person who willfully violates any provision of this chapter shall be
guilty of a gross misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed five thousand
dollars and/or imprisonment not to exceed one year. (Ord. 912 § 12, 1995:
Ord. 829 (part), 1993).
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