Industrial Wastewater Control
Industrial Wastewater Discharge Program
(520) 443-6200
Industries that discharge hazardous wastes into the sewers, including car washes, auto repair shops, military facilities and hospitals, must have industrial discharge permits. Pima County Development Services and RWRD's Industrial Wastewater Control section can help you determine what can be disposed of down the drain, and what requires a permit.
- Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit Application (Fillable PDF)
NOTE - print this file before you exit or all data will be lost.
Septage Haulers
About the Industrial Wastewater Control Section
The Industrial Wastewater Control Section (IWC) of the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department implements the federally- mandated Pretreatment Program for Pima County. It is tasked with the protection of the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) from outside interference, pass-through of pollutants, municipal sludge contamination and exposure of workers and the public to chemical hazards. Non-domestic users of the POTW self-monitor their discharges, and IWC conducts surveillance sampling to insure compliance with Pretreatment regulations.
- IWC is comprised of five work groups:
- Administrative Services
- Permitting, Compliance and Enforcement
- Surveillance Sampling
- Field Services and Emergency Response
- Special Studies
The Administrative Services Work Group (AWG) oversees secretarial and reception services, information and data processing, mail, printing, reproduction, records management, telecommunications management and other tasks as needed.
The Permitting, Compliance and Enforcement Work Group is responsible for drafting new industrial permits, modifying existing industrial permits, reviewing plans for newly constructed businesses that are discharging to the POTW, issuing notices of violation and providing guidance for corrective actions, communicating with permitted businesses to help identify/resolve permit discharge exceedances.
The Surveillance Sampling Work Group (SSWG) is responsible for quarterly sampling of 55 Categorical Industrial Users. Categorical Industries range from Metal Finishing and Electroplating Businesses to Hospitals. Categorical discharges are monitored by both federal and local entities, and permits include the most stringent limitations on both. The SSWG also conducts quarterly plant sampling for the Green Valley and Avra Valley WRF’s. Their findings are included in the annual pretreatment report.
The Field Services and Emergency Response Work Group is responsible for investigating causes and contributors of sewer system overflows (SSOs). This entails inspection of facilities suspected of contributing to a SSO. This typically involves food service facilities, and requires dye testing drains to determine if they are connected to a pretreatment device (such as a grease trap or interceptor). Also included in the inspection is a review of maintenance records for any pretreatment device on the premises, to determine if routine cleaning is occurring.
The Special Studies Work Group (SSWG) is responsible for compiling data from quarterly plant sampling from the Ina Road, Roger Road, Green Valley and Avra Valley WRF locations for the annual pretreatment report. The SSWG also conducts biosolids land application inspections to ensure that federal 503 requirements are being met. 503 requirements are federal codes governing biosolids application, generation, and storage. The SSWG is responsible for maintaining the POTW Administration and Compliance System (PACS) which houses the self monitoring report forms (SMRF) data and permit information. Special Studies is currently conducting monthly odor monitoring at Roger Road WRF as well as quarterly end of effluent (eof) inspections to determine what distance our current effluent discharge from Roger and Ina Rd WRF is traveling.
IWC issues industrial wastewater discharge permits, conducts inspections and monitors industrial discharges to the POTW. IWC also provides business and technical assistance as required by other work groups in the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department.
