Pretreatment 101
Training Course
Sponsored by
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
States of Region 6
And the
Region VI Pretreatment Association
“Why the Pretreatment
Program Was Established &
Overview of Regulations &
Implementation”
History of Water Protection
1899 Rivers and Harbors Act
1956 Federal Water Pollution Control Act
1962 Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring
1963 Robert Zimmerman changed his name to?
1965 Water Quality Act
History of Water Protection, cont.
1970 EPA established through an executive order
1972 FWPCA Amendments create NPDES Program
1977 Clean Water Act
1987 Water Quality Act
How Acts Are Implemented
• Act passed/signed
• Federal Register notice
• Regulations into effect
• Appropriate Entities act out provisions
Statutory Basis
Clean Water Act
[33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq.]
101
212
301
307
308
309
402
502
Statutory Basis
• Section 101 - Congressional declaration of goals
• Section 212 – Definitions
• Section 301 – Effluent limitations
• Section 307 - Toxic and Pretreatment Standards
Statutory Basis
• Section 308 - Records and reports; inspections
• Section 309 – Enforcement
• Section 402 – NPDES
• Section 502 - Definitions
National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System(“NPDES”)
[40 CFR Part 122]
• NPDES applies to all “point sources discharging
pollutants” into “waters of the United States”
• point sources must obtain an NPDES permit from
EPA or their delegated State
• NPDES permits require development of Pretreatment
Programs
The connection: 40 CFR Part 122
EPA
NPDES State
NPDES Permit
Pretreatment Program
Industrial User
Evolution of Pretreatment Regulations
1973 - 40 CFR Part 128 promulgated
1978 - 40 CFR Part 403 promulgated
1983 - POTW program approval deadline
1985 - Pretreatment Implementation Review Task
Force(“PIRT”) report released
Evolution of Pretreatment Regulations
(Cont.)
1986 - Domestic Sewage Study(DSS) Report to Congress
1988 - PIRT Rules promulgated
1990 - DSS regulations promulgated
1993 - Removal credit/pollutant eligibility revised
1997 - Program Modification Regulation Streamlined
2005 – Pretreatment Streamlining
40 CFR Part 403
• U.S. Code of Federal Regulations(CFR)
> Title 40 - Protection of the Environment
>Chapter I - Environmental Protection Agency
>Subchapter N - Effluent Guidelines and Standards
>Part 403 - General Pretreatment Regulations for
Existing and New Sources of Pollution
Injury to Workers
from Hazardous
Fumes
Limitations on
Sludge
Disposal
Options and/or
Greater
Expense
Corrosion of
Collection System
and/or Treatment Plant
Explosions
Interference with
Wastewater
Treatment Facility
Pass-Through of
Toxics into Surface
Waters
40 CFR Part 403 Objectives
• To prevent the introduction of pollutants into
POTWs which will:
– interfere,
– pass through, and/or
– be incompatible.
• To improve opportunities to recycle and reclaim
wastewaters and sludges.
• To protect POTW workers.
“Why Do We Need a
Pretreatment Program”
Region 6 Totals
• 145 Approved Programs
• 281 POTW’s
• 4143 MGD Design Flow
• 2085 SIU’s