§ 37-735. Prohibited discharge standards.

(a)

This section establishes limitations and prohibitions on the quantity and quality of sewage or wastewater which may be lawfully discharged into the county WWF or any of its publicly-owned treatment works. Pretreatment of some sewage discharges may be required to achieve the goals established by this article and the Act. The specific limitations set forth herein, and other prohibitions and limitations of this article, are subject to change as necessary to enable the county to provide efficient wastewater treatment, to protect the public health and the environment, and to enable the county to meet the requirements contained in the pretreatment regulations, and various federal and state permits.

(1)

General prohibitions.

a.

No user shall introduce or cause to be introduced into the county wastewater system any pollutant or wastewater which causes pass through, process interference or facility upset in accordance with Chapter 62-625.400(1)(a), F.A.C. The general prohibitions shall apply to all users of the county wastewater system whether or not they are subject to categorical pretreatment standards or any other federal, state or local pretreatment standards or requirements.

b.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated or noncontact cooling water, swimming pool drainage or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer. No person shall make connection of roof downspouts, exterior foundation drains, areaway drains, or other sources of surface water runoff or groundwater to a building drain or sewer lateral which in turn is connected directly or indirectly to the county wastewater system, unless such connection has been approved previously in writing by the director. Users shall properly maintain building drains, wastewater laterals and mains located on private property to prevent the discharge of any stormwater, surface water, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage, uncontaminated or noncontact cooling water, swimming pool drainage or unpolluted industrial process waters to any sanitary sewer. Commercial swimming pool filter backwash discharge may be discharged to the sanitary sewer upon director approval and sufficient pretreatment as needed to meet county local limits.

c.

No person shall discharge into any stormwater system or natural outlet within the county any sanitary sewage, industrial wastes or other polluted waters, except where suitable treatment has been provided in accordance with the provisions of this article.

d.

Stormwater, other unpolluted drainage, noncontact (uncontaminated) cooling water or other unpolluted waters may be discharged to a specifically designated stormwater system or natural outlet with prior written approval of the director, and in accordance with applicable county ordinances and other local and state regulations.

(2)

Specific prohibitions. No person or user shall discharge or cause to be discharged substances, materials, waters or wastes if it appears likely, in the opinion of the director, that such wastes can harm any component of the county WWF, or have an adverse effect on the receiving stream, effluent disposal facilities, reclaimed water systems, sludge facilities; or can otherwise endanger life, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance in accordance with Chapter 62-625.400, F.A.C. In forming his opinion as to the acceptability of these wastes, the director will give consideration to such factors as the quantities of subject wastes; quantities of subject wastes in relation to the flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction or current condition or age of the sewers, nature of the sewage treatment processes, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, degree of treatability of the wastes by the county WWF, and other pertinent factors. Specific prohibited wastes or substances which shall not be discharged, introduced or contributed by a user to the county WWF include:

a.

Any liquids, solids or wastes which, by reason of their nature or quantity are, or may be, either alone or in combination with other substances, sufficient to cause a fire or explosion or be injurious in any other way to the county wastewater system or to the operation of said system. At no time shall two (2) successive readings on an explosion hazard meter at the point of discharge into the system, or at any point in the county collection system, be more than five (5) percent, nor any single reading over ten (10) percent of the lower explosive limit (LEL) as calibrated using propane for one hundred (100) percent of the meter.

b.

Pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the county WWF, either singly or in combination with other substances, with a closed-cup flashpoint of less than one hundred forty (140) degrees Fahrenheit (ºF) or sixty (60) degrees Celsius (ºC) using the test method set forth in 40 CFR Part 261.21, Chapter I, Subchapter I, Subpart C, or as amended.

c.

Pollutants in a concentration or quantity, either singly or in combination with other wastes, which produce in the county wastewater system toxic gases, vapors or fumes; such as, naphtha, benzene, toluene, xylene, ethers, alcohols, solvents, ketones, aldehydes, peroxides, chlorates, perchlorates, bromates, carbides, hydrides and sulfides, that singly or in combination with other substances, create a fire or other hazards to the county wastewater system, or can causes acute worker health and safety problems.

d.

Any solid or viscous substances in quantities or of such size which may cause obstruction to the flow in a sewer or other interference with the proper operation of the wastewater treatment facilities, including, but not limited to: greases, garbage, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bones, hair, hides, flesh materials, entrails, whole blood, feathers, spent lime, grit, gravel, stone or marble dust, ashes, cinders, sand, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grains, spent hops, wastepaper, ground paper products, wood, plastics, tar, asphalt residues, residues from refining, or processing of fuel, lubricating oil, car wash recirculation sludge, mud or glass grinding(s), polishing wastes, paper or plastic dishes, cups, containers, either whole or ground by a garbage grinder.

e.

Any wastewater having a pH lower than the county's lower pH local limit specified in and established by county resolution, or higher than the county's upper pH local limit specified in and established by county resolution, or otherwise capable of causing corrosive damage to structures or equipment, or creating safety or health hazards to county personnel or the general public.

f.

Any sewage or wastewater containing toxic pollutants in sufficient quantity, either singly, or in combination, with other pollutants, to injure or interfere with any wastewater treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a toxic effect in the receiving waters of the county wastewater system, reclaimed water or system or to exceed the limitations set forth in a categorical pretreatment standard. A toxic pollutant shall include, but not be limited to, any pollutant identified pursuant to Section 307(a) of the Act, or as amended.

g.

Any noxious or malodorous liquids, gases or solids which, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life or are sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for maintenance and repair.

h.

Any substances which may cause the discharge from any county treatment facility or any other product of the county wastewater system, such as residues, screenings, sludges, or scums, to be unsuitable for reclamation and reuse, or to interfere with the reclamation and reuse program(s). In no case shall a substance be discharged to the county wastewater system which cause the county wastewater system 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 Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA), the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, or state criteria applicable to the sludge management method that the county may employ.

i.

Any substance which will cause the county wastewater system to violate its NPDES, FDEP or other applicable permits, the receiving water quality standards, reclaimed water quality requirements, or violate an agreement for delivery and reuse of reclaimed water.

j.

Any pollutants or wastewaters which impart excessive discoloration that can not be removed sufficiently in the treatment process to prevent violation of applicable standards for effluent disposal or reuse; such as, but not limited to, dye wastes and vegetable tanning solutions.

k.

Any sewage or wastewater having a temperature which will inhibit biological activity at the county treatment facility resulting in interference; but in no case shall the user discharge wastes in such quantities that the temperature of the influent at the headworks shall be in excess of one hundred degrees Fahrenheit (100° F). No user shall discharge into any public sanitary sewer wastes with a temperature in excess of one hundred forty degrees Fahrenheit (140° F), unless a higher temperature is allowed in the industrial wastewater discharge permit.

l.

Any waters or wastes containing fats, wax, grease, vegetable oils, products of mineral oil origin, or petroleum based oils and greases, whether emulsified or not, in excess of the total oil and grease local limit established by county resolution or containing substances which may solidify or become viscous at temperatures between thirty-two (32) and one hundred (100) degrees Fahrenheit (ºF). Exceedances of the total oil and grease county local limit established by county resolution shall be considered as a violation, and the user may be subject to enforcement action and high strength surcharges.

m.

Any garbage that has not been properly shredded.

n.

Any waters or wastes containing strong acid iron pickling wastes or concentrated plating solutions, whether neutralized or not.

o.

Any waters or wastes containing phenols or other tastes or odor producing substances, in such concentrations, that after treatment of the composite sewage, the discharge from the county wastewater system fails to meet the requirements of the federal, state or other public agencies with jurisdiction for such discharge to the waters of the state or nation.

p.

Any radioactive wastes or isotopes, except in compliance with applicable federal and state regulations, and the limits that may be established by the director.

q.

Any pollutants, including oxygen demanding pollutants, such as CBOD and COD, released at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration, either singly or in combination or by interaction with other pollutants, which will cause pass through or interference to the county wastewater system. In no case shall a slug load be discharged to the county's wastewater system.

r.

Inert suspended solids, such as, but not limited to, Fuller's earth, spent lime, lime slurries and residues, and stone or marble dust; or dissolved solids, such as, but not limited to, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate.

s.

Wastes or compatible pollutants, such as CBOD, TKN, TP, COD, TSS or chlorine demanding compounds, in such quantities or volumes of flow, such as slug discharges, as to constitute a significant loading on the county's wastewater treatment facilities.

t.

Any waters or wastes containing products of mineral oil origin, or petroleum products, such as oil, gasoline, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, kerosene, cutting oil, mineral spirits or other petroleum hydrocarbon products, in quantities that will cause interference, pass through or facility upset.

u.

Transported or hauled wastewater or wastes, except at discharge locations so designated by the director in accordance with the provisions of this article.

v.

Medical, biological, pharmaceutical, or biohazardous wastes, except as specifically approved by the director in writing or an industrial wastewater discharge permit.

w.

Biosolids, sludges, screenings or other residues, including, but not limited to, car wash sludge, catch basin residual, lint trap solids and other similar waste from pretreatment or other industrial waste facilities.

x.

Any waters, wastes or pollutants singly or in conjunction with other sources that may cause the discharge from the county's wastewater treatment facilities to fail a toxicity test.

y.

Detergents, surface active agents or other nonbiodegradable substances which can cause excessive foaming in the county wastewater system.

z.

Stormwater, surface water, groundwater, well water, roof drainage, subsurface drainage, swimming pool drainage, commercial swimming pool filter back wash discharge without director approval and sufficient pretreatment as needed to meet county local limits, condensate, boiler blow-down, noncontact cooling water, and other unpolluted or uncontaminated water, unless specifically authorized in writing by the director prior to commencement of the discharge.

aa.

Any enzyme degreasers, chemical degreasers, emulsifiers, or unauthorized biological microbial degreasers.

(3)

When the director determines that a user is contributing to any portion of the county wastewater system any of the above enumerated prohibited substances in such amounts as to cause pass through, a violation of any applicable permit or contract, or otherwise interfere with the operation of the system, the director shall:

a.

Advise the user of the impact of the contribution on the county wastewater system; and

b.

Develop effluent (discharge) limitations for such user to correct the interference with or impacts to the county wastewater system.

(4)

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

(5)

Users shall notify and obtain written approval from the director, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regional waste management division director and state hazardous waste authorities for discharges to the county WWF, if disposed in another manner, the discharges would be classified as a hazardous waste. Notification by the user shall comply with 40 CFR Part 403.12, Chapter I, Subchapter N and Chapter 62-625.600, F.A.C., or as amended.

(Ord. No. 2002-20, § 1, 12-3-02; Ord. No. 2009-19 , § 6, 7-14-09; Ord. No. 2012-08 , § 5, 4-3-12)