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Department of UtilitiesIndustrial Waste Pretreatment Program
Chesterfield County’s Pretreatment Program ObjectiveThe objective of the Pretreatment Program is to prevent the introduction of pollutants that would interfere with the treatment plant’s operation, pass through the plant and interfere with the aquatic life of the receiving waters, or adversely affect worker health and safety. The program meets this objective by continuously evaluating the wastewater of new and existing facilities, issuing wastewater discharge permits and monitoring permitted industries by regularly sampling wastewater discharge and conducting comprehensive facility inspections. National Pretreatment ProgramThe Clean Water Act of 1972 sought to restore and preserve our nation’s waterways by eliminating discharges of pollutants. As a component of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permitting Program, the Pretreatment Program was formed to address discharges from industries to publicly owned treatment works (POTWs). Under Pretreatment Program regulations, industries must meet certain limits for pollutants in their wastewater. These regulations ensure that heavy discharges and toxic pollutants from industries are not discharged to the POTWs and, in turn, possibly to the receiving stream. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides further information at the Pretreatment Program Web site. For information on general pretreatment regulations, visit 40 CFR Part 403. Chesterfield County Wastewater TreatmentChesterfield has two wastewater treatment facilities, Falling Creek and Proctors Creek. Unlike the city of Richmond, Chesterfield does not treat its storm water. The county treats roughly 23.7 million gallons of wastewater a day and the effluent from both facilities is discharged into the James River. Biosolids* from the treatment process are categorized as Class B and used for land application purposes. Wastewater treatment facilities are designed to treat domestic waste by physical, biological and chemical processes. However, industries often use heavy metals, chemicals, acids or other materials in their operations. In the sewer system, these materials have the potential to erode the sewer lines, produce explosive conditions and interfere with the treatment facilities. The Pretreatment Program focuses on reducing harmful pollutants discharged from industries to the POTWs that could interfere with the treatment process or pass through the treatment system. Local limits imposed by the program on industries ensure that the Proctors Creek and Falling Creek wastewater treatment plants meet their federally mandated discharge limits. The program also must monitor the quality of biosolids to ensure safe land application. (*biosolids – a solid bi-product of wastewater treatment) Industrial UsersAlthough all non-domestic users are subject to Pretreatment Program regulations, most businesses will simply need to follow the requirement that they not discharge anything that adversely affects the sewer lines and treatment plant. However, those that are discharging significant amounts of waste may encounter the technical requirements of the program. EPA has developed certain criteria to determine Significant Industrial Users (SIUs). SIUs include those sources that (1) discharge on average 25,000 gallons of waste per day or more, (2) contribute a process waste stream making up 5 percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic loading capacity of a POTW, (3) have the potential to adversely impact the POTW’s treatment processes, or (4) are subject to Federal Categorical Standards. EPA defines certain processes as “categorical” in the Code of Federal Regulations (40 CFR 405-471). These industries must follow federally mandated discharge limits and are known as Categorical Industrial Users (CIUs).
The county also has 22 industries that are surcharged for bio-chemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS). The revenue created by these charges offsets the costs of treating the wastewater. Pilot PlantChesterfield County developed a pilot plant that models the Proctors Creek treatment facility. The pilot plant is an effort to develop more accurate and quantitative local limits. Currently, local limits are based on EPA regulations. The pilot plant allows the pretreatment team to study the effects of pollutants at various levels and apply the results in generating local limits for industries. For more information on the pilot plant, click here. Technical DocumentsNew businesses should contact the Pretreatment Program concerning sewer use. Some businesses will be required to complete an application for the Pretreatment Program describing their type of industry, any wastewater pretreatment processes, wastewater discharge characteristics and other specifications about their operations. In turn, the pretreatment team will evaluate the application and determine if your business needs a wastewater permit. Below are links to the application and other documents concerning Chesterfield County’s Pretreatment Program.
Septic HaulersFor those customers that do not receive sewer service through Chesterfield County, septic haulers must periodically remove sewage and wastewater from underground septic tanks and above-ground storage containers. This material is transferred to a temporary storage tank, then transported to Proctor’s Creek for discharge and treatment. In order to prevent the introduction of hazardous waste into the pretreatment system at Proctor’s Creek, haulers are required to submit a detailed manifest with each load to track the origin of the waste. Samples of the hauled waste are routinely taken to identify any pollutants that could potentially interfere with the treatment process. On a regular basis, pH* measurements are also conducted to determine if waste pH is within the County’s limits (5.0 – 12.0 S.U.). Copies of manifests are collected on a monthly basis and sent to pretreatment staff for review. Generator and hauler addresses and phone numbers are verified using a variety of Web and database software. Pickup of waste from any locality other than Chesterfield County followed by discharge into Proctor’s Creek is illegal, resulting in issuance of a notice of violation to the hauler’s employer. Removal of waste from customers that are already subject to sewer billing is also illegal. If you are interested in becoming licensed as a local area septic hauler, please contact the Pretreatment Program prior to discharging at Proctor’s Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. (*pH – measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance; range is from 0 to 14, increasing with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity) Public Education Chesterfield County Pretreatment AwardsThe Chesterfield County Pretreatment Program has won two awards from the EPA during the past six years. The program most recently won EPA's 2002 Clean Water Act Recognition Award. The same award was given to the pretreatment team in 1997. Contact Chesterfield County Utilities Note: Most of the documents on this Web site are in pdf format and require the free Adobe® Reader® to view and print. Can't find what you need? |
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Chesterfield County’s Pretreatment Program regulates 39 SIUs. These permitted industries are monitored for wastewater quality on a regular schedule and inspected by pretreatment personnel annually. When in violation of a regulation, an industry is notified via a certified document describing the applicable penalties and/or formal enforcement action. (For specific enforcement protocol, see the Enforcement Response Plan in the Technical Documents section below). Each year, the Pretreatment Program recognizes those industries with excellent compliance records. The 
One
of the fundamental responsibilities of any effective Pretreatment Program
is industrial awareness. An often neglected area of equal importance is
public awareness and education. Participation in an annual career day
exposes local students to the goals and responsibilities of Chesterfield
County’s Pretreatment Program. Throughout the day, youths interact
with pretreatment representatives in an exciting and informative atmosphere.
They acquire hands-on experience with sampling equipment and methods.
They also learn about pertinent environmental issues and are encouraged
to ask questions in an open discussion.