City Council

Agenda Request

Agenda Of:

05-04-10

Agenda Request No:

vii-b

Initiated By:

Christine Krosnicki

Water Quality Manager

Responsible Department:

Utilities

Presented By:

SuEllen Staggs

Director of Utilities

Department Head:

SuEllen Staggs

Director of Utilities

 

Christine Krosnicki

Water Quality Manager

 

Additional Department. Head (s):

N/A

Subject / Proceeding:

Proposed Revisions to Code of Ordinances, Chapter 5, Article VIII, Division 11. Sewer Use Standards for Regulatory Compliance

Review and Discuss

Exhibits:

Draft Ordinance (In council’s work room)

Clearances

Approval

Legal:

N/A

Executive Director:

N/A

Purchasing:

N/A

Asst. City Manager:

Karen Daly

Budget:

N/A

City Manager:

Allen Bogard

Budget

Expenditure Required:  $

N/A

Current Budget:  $

N/A

Additional Funding:  $

N/A

Recommended Action

Review and discuss proposed revisions to Code of Ordinances, Chapter 5, Article VIII, Division 11. SEWER USE STANDARDS for Regulatory Compliance.

 

Executive Summary

The City of Sugar Land’s North Wastewater Plant (NWWTP) has been operational since 1972.  The plant was originally owned and operated by the Brazos River Authority (BRA).  In order to meet the EPA’s Clean Water Act regulations, an Industrial Pretreatment Program was developed for the City of Sugar Land’s North Wastewater Plant (NWWTP) in 1986 and modified in 1995 by the BRA. The existing pretreatment program is defined in the City of Sugar Land Municipal Code, Chapter 5, Section VIII, Division 11 SEWER USE STANDARDS. The Pretreatment Program has been a part of the NWWTP’s Texas Pollution Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) discharge permit, which requires industrial users to meet certain discharge limits before the wastewater flow that is generated from industrial processes can be allowed to discharge to the City’s publicly owned wastewater systems.  The City became the Pretreatment Program Control Authority (CA) with the transfer of ownership from the BRA to the City effective on December 8, 2005. The City currently has seven industrial dischargers (permittees): Nalco, Crown Beverage Packaging, Schlumberger, Suntron, National Oilwell, MECO, and KWI.

 

A new TPDES discharge permit for the NWWTP was issued by the TCEQ on July 7, 2009, which requires the City to conduct a major modification of the existing Pretreatment Program and submit to TCEQ for approval by July 7, 2010. The City has previously selected Freese Nichols, Inc. (FNI) to provide professional service for this major modification. The major modification includes:

 

  • Develop new technically based local limits per TCEQ requirement.
  • Modify the pretreatment program to incorporate the EPA and TCEQ Pretreatment Streamlining Rule.
  • Provide Streamlining Rule recommendations and include changes to the City Wastewater Ordinance.
  • Prepare new industrial pretreatment program standard operating procedures (SOPs).
  • Prepare a new industrial pretreatment program enforcement response plan (ERP).

 

The proposed changes to the Code of Ordinance are part of the pretreatment program major modification required by the TCEQ. The proposed changes to the Ordinance are:

 

 

1.  A progression from informal to formal enforcement provisions, fines

2.  Flexibility in the types of control mechanisms used

3.  Enhanced protection of local waterways through slug discharge control and best management practices

4.  Elimination of unnecessary monitoring through waivers

5.  Increased accountability for all users through reporting and certifications

 

During the workshop, the ordinance components will be explained as well as the changes that are being recommended.

 

Exhibits

 

N/A