In June 2013, the City of Painesville was re-issued a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit that enables the discharge of wastewater into the Grand River. This permit issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, places various requirements on the City of Painesville. One of these requirements is the establishment of an Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP).  The main purpose of the IPP is to ensure the protection of the Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP).

 

Industrial water users discharge processed wastewater that is often contaminated by a variety of harmful substances.  Because wastewater treatment plants are not specifically designed to treat these substances, pretreatment programs are needed to eliminate potentially serious problems that may occur if these substances are discharged into the public sewer system.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program is designed to:

• Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the wastewater treatment plant that interfere with the operation of the facility or be incompatible with its equipment.
• Improve opportunities to recycle and reclaim municipal wastewater and biosolids.

 

The pretreatment program regulates industrial facilities discharging wastewater to the Painesville WPCP.  Painesville’s industrial pretreatment program forbids discharges containing pollutants which may:

• Create a fire or explosion in the treatment plant
• Cause corrosive structural damage to the plant
• Contain solid or viscous pollutants which cause obstruction of flow
• Cause interference with the plant’s operation
• Inhibit biological activity
• Result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors or fumes within the plant which may cause worker health and safety problems

Contact our Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator at 440-392-6303 with any questions or concerns.