The City of Boynton Beach’s Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) is a federally mandated and approved program designed to control the discharge of pollutants from non-residential sources into the public sanitary collection system. This program ensures that industrial users comply with local, state, and federal regulations by monitoring and managing the types of waste entering the sewer system and the facilities that treat the water from the sanitary sewers. 

IPP protects the infrastructure of the sanitary collection system by developing ordinances, issuing permits when necessary to industrial users, by conducting inspections and sampling events throughout the system, by evaluating compliance of industrial users in our jurisdiction, and by taking enforcement action as appropriate.

Did you know?

Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) is defined by the EPA as any intercepting sewers, outfall sewers, sewage collection systems, pumping, power, and other equipment including the POTW treatment plant.

Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) are defined by the EPA as facilities that discharge 25,000 gallons or more of process wastewater per day; contribute a process waste stream making up 5% or more of the POTW’s capacity; are designated by the Control Authority due to potential for impact on the system.

Any non-residential user that discharges process wastewater into the public sanitary collection system, especially those classified as SIUs, must comply with pretreatment regulations.

National IPP Standards

The Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 was passed by Congress to restore and maintain the integrity of the nation’s waters. Since POTWs are designed to only treat typical household wastes and biodegradable commercial/industrial wastes, and to address “indirect dischargers” to waters of the U.S. from industrial discharges to public sewers, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), through CWA authorities, established the National Pretreatment Program. 

The National Pretreatment Program requires industrial and commercial dischargers to treat or control pollutants in their wastewater prior to discharge to POTWs. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), in its role as approval authority, oversees the development and implementation of local pretreatment programs in the state. 

Below are the EPA’s six minimum required pretreatment program elements:

1. Legal Authority

The POTW must operate pursuant to legal authority enforceable in federal, state or local courts, which authorizes or enables the POTW to apply and enforce any pretreatment requirements developed pursuant to the CWA and implementing regulations. At a minimum, the legal authority must enable the POTW to

i. Deny or condition discharges to the POTW;

ii. Require compliance with pretreatment standards and requirements;

iii. Control IU discharges through permits, orders, or similar means;

iv. Require IU compliance schedules when necessary to meet applicable pretreatment standards and/or requirements and the submission of reports to demonstrate compliance

v. Inspect and monitor IUs

vi. Obtain remedies for IU noncompliance; and

vii. Comply with confidentiality requirements.

2. Procedures

The POTW must develop and implement procedures to ensure compliance with pretreatment requirements, including

i. Identifying and locating all IUs subject to the pretreatment program;

ii. Identifying the character and volume of pollutants contributed by such users;

iii. Notifying users of applicable pretreatment standards and requirements;

iv. Receiving and analyzing reports from IUs;

v. Sampling and analyzing IU discharges;

vi. Evaluating the need for IU slug control plans;

vii. Investigating instances of noncompliance; and

viii. Complying with public participation requirements.

3. Funding

The POTW must have sufficient resources and qualified personnel to carry out the authorities and procedures specified in its approved pretreatment program.

4. Local Limits

The POTW must develop local limits in defined circumstances or demonstrate why these limits are not necessary.

5. Enforcement Response Plan (ERP)

The POTW must develop and implement an ERP that contains detailed procedures indicating how the POTW will investigate and respond to instances of IU noncompliance.

6. List of SIUs

The POTW must prepare, update, and submit to the Approval Authority a list of all SIUs and where applicable, indicate which SIUs are Non-Significant Categorical Industrial Users (NSCIUs) or Middle-Tier Categorical Industrial Users (MTCIUs).

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