Administrative Brief
CITY COMMISSION INFORMATION MEMORANDUM
May 16, 2013
ADMINISTRATIVE BRIEF FROM MARTHA TASKER
UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
City of Salina Industrial Pretreatment Program
Beneath the streets of every city, a system of sewers and pumps conveys wastewater away
from homes, factories, offices, and stores. This disposed wastewater, which may contain a
variety of domestic, commercial, and industrial wastes, flows through the sewers to a
wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). There, pollutants are removed and the cleansed water is
discharged into an adjacent water body, such as a river, bay, lake or ocean. The residues of the
treatment process (biosolids) are either used productively as a soil conditioner or disposed of as
a solid waste.
Industrial plants are only one of
many sources of wastewater
discharged into municipal
sewers. The wastewater
discharged by industry is often
contaminated by a variety of toxic
or otherwise harmful substances
not common to other sources -
the by-products of industrial
processes such as cyanide from
electroplating shops and lead
from the manufacturing of
batteries. These wastes can pose
serious hazards, because
municipal sewers and WWTP’s
have not been designed to treat
them. Industrial wastes can
damage the sewers and interfere
with the operation of WWTP’s, or pass through the systems untreated, resulting in
contamination of nearby water bodies and increase the cost and environmental risks of sludge
treatment and disposal.
The undesirable effects resulting from the discharge of industrial wastewater into municipal
sewers can be prevented. Industrial plants, using proven pollution control techniques, can
remove pollutants from their wastewaters before discharging them into the municipal
wastewater system. This practice is known as "pretreatment.”
The federal government has developed national regulations or "standards" that restrict industrial
pollutants from being discharged into municipal wastewater systems. Individual WWTP’s impose
limitations by means of a sewer-use ordinance that may be stricter than the national standards,
but cannot allow less stringent levels of control.
The City of Salina’s industrial pretreatment ordinance was first adopted in 1984 and was revised
in 1992. The purpose of this ordinance is:
(1) To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the municipal wastewater system, that
could interfere with the normal operation of the system and/or contaminate the resulting
sludge;
(2) To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the municipal wastewater system, which
could pass through the system inadequately treated into receiving waters or the
atmosphere, or otherwise be incompatible with the system; and
(3) To improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewaters and biosolids from the
system.
Currently, there are 13 industries that are regulated by the industrial pretreatment ordinance.
They are as follows:
Bergkamp, Inc. Metlcast Products
Cameron Compression Systems Philips Lighting
Exide Technologies Premier Pneumatics
Exline Leasing Ramaco, Inc.
Grain Belt Supply Schwan’s Global Supply Chain, Inc.
Great Plains Manufacturing Valmont Coatings
KASA Fab, Inc.
These industries are regulated by the use of Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permits. These
permits outline the requirements for industries to remain in compliance with wastewater limits.
Each industry submits monthly reports that include process and/or plant flows and any analysis
of their wastewater required by their permit. The City of Salina monitors industries by reviewing
monthly reports, site visits and annual sampling.
Industries throughout Kansas are presented awards at the annual Kansas Water Environment
Association (KWEA) meeting for compliance with industrial pretreatment requirements. Gold
awards are presented to those that: have at least 95% compliance with all discharge
requirements; exhibit a good working relationship with their local pretreatment coordinator; and
are proficient in report submittal requirements. Silver awards are presented to those that: have
at least 85% compliance with all discharge requirements; exhibit a good working relationship
with their local pretreatment coordinator; and are proficient in report submittal requirements. In
2012, all of Salina’s industries received gold awards. Year after year, Salina industries have
done very well at meeting the pretreatment requirements. Their outstanding dedication results
in protecting the public’s health and safety as well as the environment.
MONDAY’S MEETING
Enclosed are other items on the agenda. If any Commissioner has questions or cannot attend
the meeting, please contact me.
Jason A. Gage, City Manager