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Industrial Charges

Forms  

Frequently Asked Questions

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Certain customers, often known as significant industrial users, must be permitted under the pretreatment program because of the large amounts of wastewater they discharge each day or because of the potential their wastewater has for adversely affecting the treatment plant operation.

If you have questions about whether your business or industry should be permitted, call 704.336.4407 and ask for someone in industrial pretreatment (fax number is 704.336.5077).

Our wastewater treatment plants are designed to handle wastes from a typical household, not the wastes from an industry or business such as a hospital or car wash. Wastewater discharged from a factory, for example, may contain pollutants that could interfere with the operation of the treatment plant and could also be dangerous to plant operators and the surrounding community.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities began the industrial pretreatment program to handle the increased pollution levels from industrial and commercial users. Certain customers, often known as significant industrial users, must be permitted under the pretreatment program because of the large amounts of wastewater they discharge each day or because of the potential their wastewater has for adversely affecting the treatment plant operation.

Industrial and commercial users are required -- in accordance with the permit -- to control the quality of their discharge by installing appropriate treatment systems that will "pretreat" their wastewater prior to discharging to the sewer system.

Utilities will regulate this program with wastewater sampling and on-site inspections of commercial and industrial facilities -- both permitted and non-permitted.

The industrial pretreatment policy (click on online library, North Carolina, Charlotte and then search for Chapter 23, Article III) more clearly explains which customers must be permitted and the requirements of permitted customers. If you have questions about whether your business or industry should be permitted, call 704-336-4407 and ask for someone in industrial pretreatment.

Industrial pretreatment also has a septage receival program in place for septic tank waste, portable toilet waste and special industrial discharges. For more information about this program or for acceptance into this program, call 704-336-4407.


Industrial Waste Charges

Since wastewater from an industry or business costs more to treat -- even after it has been pretreated at the plant -- the business or industry must also incur the increased costs to the treatment plant. This ensures that proper measures are in place at the treatment plant to adequately treat the higher strength wastewater and that the added costs of this treatment are assumed by the appropriate users.

Commercial and industrial users are typically charged based on the type of establishment they are, not by their specific discharge. Customers should be given a classification code when they obtain a business license. This code will later be used to determine industrial waste charges, which are based on field sampling and laboratory analysis. 

Current Industrial Waste Charges  - Industrial and commercial users, both permitted and non-permitted, must incur the increased costs to the wastewater treatment plant of treating their wastewater.

Important forms: 
(right-click and 'save target as' to copy forms onto computer.  These will not open by left clicking.)

• Current Wastewater Discharge Permit Application 

• Guidance for Completing Wastewater Discharge Permit Application 

• Sample Permit

• Industrial Wastewater Discharge Survey Form.doc

• Periodic SelfMonitoring Report.xls

• Periodic Self-Monitoring Report Certification Form.xls

• Field Measurement Record Form.xls

• Chain of Custody Record Form.xls

 

Other websites                                                                          (back to top) 

• Consortium of Pretreatment professional from across North Carolina  

• National Association of Clean Water Agencies

• Mecklenburg County EPA / Land Use and Environmental Services Agency (LUESA)

• North Carolina Division of Water Quality (Pretreatment Program)

• Environmental Protection Agency

 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I discharge ground water or storm water to the sanitary sewer?

No. Sec. 23-79 list ground water, storm water and other prohibitive discharges.



How can I get a wastewater discharge permit?

Complete a wastewater survey and application, then System Protection staff will do on-site evaluation of the physical address to verify reported information and determine needs.



Can I dump some used material (bio-degradable) to the sanitary sewer?

No. Any non-domestic discharge to the sanitary sewer must be approved by System Protection.



How are permitted pollutant limitations assigned?

Pollutant limitations are first assigned according to federal categorical criteria (if applicable), then allocation of pollutants at the wastewater treatment facility are taken into consideration, and the actual pollutant discharge need of the company is factored in where possible.