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The National Pretreatment Program began with the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972. The Act called for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop national pretreatment standards to control industrial discharges into the sewage system.
“Pretreatment” is the application of physical, chemical or biological treatment methods to industrial or non-domestic wastewater before it is discharged to a stream or to the Publicly owned treatment works (POTW) for the purpose of protecting personnel, stream wildlife, the plant processes and meeting water quality standards.
The Auburn POTW collects wastewater from homes, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities and transports it via a series of pipes, known as the collection system, to the treatment plant on Bradley Street. Here, the city s Water Pollution Control Plant removes harmful organisms and other contaminants from the sewage so it can be discharged safely into the Owasco Outlet. Generally, POTWs are designed to treat domestic sewage only. However, our POTW also receives wastewater from industrial (non-domestic) users. The General Pretreatment Regulations establish responsibilities of Federal, State, and local government, industry and the public to implement Pretreatment Standards to control pollutants from the industrial users which may pass through or interfere with POTW treatment processes or which may contaminate sewage sludge.
The City of Auburn is therefore required by the EPA to develop and enforce an approved industrial pretreatment program. The City of Auburn program was approved by the EPA in 1985. Requirements of the program include surveying local industry, permitting, inspection, sampling of wastewater, enforcement of local and Federal environmental regulations and annual reporting to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the USEPA.
For more information or questions concerning this program, contact Bruce Ross, Pretreatment Program Coordinator at 315-255-4135 or via email at: bross@ci.auburn.ny.us.
FAQs
Q: What should I do if I m not sure whether I can pour a liquid down the drain or not?
A: You may contact the Contact the Water Pollution Control Plant (315-255-4180), Engineering Department (315-255-4135), or the Solid Waste Office (315-255-4123). When in doubt, don t discharge the material to the sewer. (See also Solid Waste).
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