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National
United States Regulations
40 CFR PART 403—GENERAL PRETREATMENT REGULATIONS FOR EXISTING AND NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION


PART 403—GENERAL PRETREATMENT REGULATIONS FOR EXISTING AND NEW SOURCES OF POLLUTION




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Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.

Source: 46 FR 9439, Jan. 28, 1981, unless otherwise noted.

§ 403.1 Purpose and applicability.
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(a) This part implements sections 204(b)(1)(C), 208(b)(2) (C)(iii), 301(b)(1)(A)(ii), 301(b)(2) (A)(ii), 301(h)(5) and 301(i)(2), 304 (e) and (g), 307, 308, 309, 402(b), 405, and 501(a) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95–217) or “The Act”. It establishes responsibilities of Federal, State, and local government, industry and the public to implement National Pretreatment Standards to control pollutants which pass through or interfere with treatment processes in Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) or which may contaminate sewage sludge.

(b) This regulation applies:

(1) To pollutants from non-domestic sources covered by Pretreatment Standards which are indirectly discharged into or transported by truck or rail or otherwise introduced into POTWs as defined below in §403.3;

(2) To POTWs which receive wastewater from sources subject to National Pretreatment Standards;

(3) To States which have or are applying for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) programs approved in accordance with section 402 of the Act; and

(4) To any new or existing source subject to Pretreatment Standards. National Pretreatment Standards do not apply to sources which Discharge to a sewer which is not connected to a POTW Treatment Plant.

[46 FR 9439, Jan. 28, 1981, as amended at 48 FR 2776, Jan. 21, 1983; 60 FR 33932, June 29, 1995]

§ 403.2 Objectives of general pretreatment regulations.
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By establishing the responsibilities of government and industry to implement National Pretreatment Standards this regulation fulfills three objectives:

(a) To prevent the introduction of pollutants into POTWs which will interfere with the operation of a POTW, including interference with its use or disposal of municipal sludge;

(b) To prevent the introduction of pollutants into POTWs which will pass through the treatment works or otherwise be incompatible with such works; and

(c) To improve opportunities to recycle and reclaim municipal and industrial wastewaters and sludges.

§ 403.3 Definitions.
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For the purposes of this part:

(a) Except as discussed below, the general definitions, abbreviations, and methods of analysis set forth in 40 CFR part 401 shall apply to this regulation.

(b) The term Act means Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the Clean Water Act, as amended, 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq.

(c) The term Approval Authority means the Director in an NPDES State with an approved State pretreatment program and the appropriate Regional Administrator in a non-NPDES State or NPDES State without an approved State pretreatment program.

(d) The term Approved POTW Pretreatment Program or Program or POTW Pretreatment Program means a program administered by a POTW that meets the criteria established in this regulation (§§403.8 and 403.9) and which has been approved by a Regional Administrator or State Director in accordance with §403.11 of this regulation.

(e) The term Best Management Practices or BMPs means schedules of activities, prohibitions of practices, maintenance procedures, and other management practices to implement the prohibitions listed in §403.5(a)(1) and (b). BMPs also include treatment requirements, operating procedures, and practices to control plant site runoff, spillage or leaks, sludge or waste disposal, or drainage from raw materials storage.

(f) The term Control Authority refers to:

(1) The POTW if the POTW's Pretreatment Program Submission has been approved in accordance with the requirements of §403.11; or

(2) The Approval Authority if the Submission has not been approved.

(g) The term Director means the chief administrative officer of a State or Interstate water pollution control agency with an NPDES permit program approved pursuant to section 402(b) of the Act and an approved State pretreatment program.

(h) The term Water Management Division Director means one of the Directors of the Water Management Divisions within the Regional offices of the Environmental Protection Agency or this person's delegated representative.

(i) The term Indirect Discharge or Discharge means the introduction of pollutants into a POTW from any non-domestic source regulated under section 307(b), (c) or (d) of the Act.

(j) The term Industrial User or User means a source of Indirect Discharge.

(k) The term Interference means a Discharge which, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, both:

(1) Inhibits or disrupts the POTW, its treatment processes or operations, or its sludge processes, use or disposal; and

(2) Therefore is a cause of a violation of any requirement of the POTW's NPDES permit (including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation) or of the prevention of sewage sludge use or disposal in compliance with the following statutory provisions and regulations or permits issued thereunder (or more stringent State or local regulations): Section 405 of the Clean Water Act, the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (including title II, more commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and including State regulations contained in any State sludge management plan prepared pursuant to subtitle D of the SWDA), the Clean Air Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act.

(l) The term National Pretreatment Standard, Pretreatment Standard, or Standard means any regulation containing pollutant discharge limits promulgated by the EPA in accordance with section 307 (b) and (c) of the Act, which applies to Industrial Users. This term includes prohibitive discharge limits established pursuant to §403.5.

(m)(1) The term New Source means any building, structure, facility or installation from which there is or may be a Discharge of pollutants, the construction of which commenced after the publication of proposed Pretreatment Standards under section 307(c) of the Act which will be applicable to such source if such Standards are thereafter promulgated in accordance with that section, provided that:

(i) The building, structure, facility or installation is constructed at a site at which no other source is located; or

(ii) The building, structure, facility or installation totally replaces the process or production equipment that causes the discharge of pollutants at an existing source; or

(iii) The production or wastewater generating processes of the building, structure, facility or installation are substantially independent of an existing source at the same site. In determining whether these are substantially independent, factors such as the extent to which the new facility is integrated with the existing plant, and the extent to which the new facility is engaged in the same general type of activity as the existing source should be considered.

(2) Construction on a site at which an existing source is located results in a modification rather than a New Source if the construction does not create a new building, structure, facility or installation meeting the criteria of paragraphs (m)(1)(ii) or (m)(1)(iii) of this section, but otherwise alters, replaces, or adds to existing process or production equipment.

(3) Construction of a new source as defined under this paragraph has commenced if the owner or operator has:

(i) Begun, or caused to begin as part of a continuous onsite construction program:

(A) Any placement, assembly, or installation of facilities or equipment; or

(B) Significant site preparation work including clearing, excavation, or removal of existing buildings, structures, or facilities which is necessary for the placement, assembly, or installation of new source facilities or equipment; or

(ii) Entered into a binding contractual obligation for the purchase of facilities or equipment which are intended to be used in its operation within a reasonable time. Options to purchase or contracts which can be terminated or modified without substantial loss, and contracts for feasibility, engineering, and design studies do not constitute a contractual obligation under this paragraph.

(n) The terms NPDES Permit or Permit means a permit issued to a POTW pursuant to section 402 of the Act.

(o) The term NPDES State means a State (as defined in 40 CFR 122.2) or Interstate water pollution control agency with an NPDES permit program approved pursuant to section 402(b) of the Act.

(p) The term Pass Through means a Discharge which exits the POTW into waters of the United States in quantities or concentrations which, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, is a cause of a violation of any requirement of the POTW's NPDES permit (including an increase in the magnitude or duration of a violation).

(q) The term Publicly Owned Treatment Works or POTW means a treatment works as defined by section 212 of the Act, which is owned by a State or municipality (as defined by section 502(4) of the Act). This definition includes any devices and systems used in the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature. It also includes sewers, pipes and other conveyances only if they convey wastewater to a POTW Treatment Plant. The term also means the municipality as defined in section 502(4) of the Act, which has jurisdiction over the Indirect Discharges to and the discharges from such a treatment works.

(r) The term POTW Treatment Plant means that portion of the POTW which is designed to provide treatment (including recycling and reclamation) of municipal sewage and industrial waste.

(s) The term Pretreatment means the reduction of the amount of pollutants, the elimination of pollutants, or the alteration of the nature of pollutant properties in wastewater prior to or in lieu of discharging or otherwise introducing such pollutants into a POTW. The reduction or alteration may be obtained by physical, chemical or biological processes, process changes or by other means, except as prohibited by §403.6(d). Appropriate pretreatment technology includes control equipment, such as equalization tanks or facilities, for protection against surges or slug loadings that might interfere with or otherwise be incompatible with the POTW. However, where wastewater from a regulated process is mixed in an equalization facility with unregulated wastewater or with wastewater from another regulated process, the effluent from the equalization facility must meet an adjusted pretreatment limit calculated in accordance with §403.6(e).

(t) The term Pretreatment requirements means any substantive or procedural requirement related to Pretreatment, other than a National Pretreatment Standard, imposed on an Industrial User.

(u) The term Regional Administrator means the appropriate EPA Regional Administrator.

(v) Significant Industrial User. (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (v)(2) and (v)(3) of this section, the term Significant Industrial User means:

(i) All Industrial Users subject to Categorical Pretreatment Standards under 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter N; and

(ii) Any other Industrial User that: discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater to the POTW (excluding sanitary, noncontact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewater); contributes a process wastestream which makes up 5 percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW Treatment plant; or is designated as such by the Control Authority on the basis that the Industrial User has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any Pretreatment Standard or requirement (in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6)).

(2) The Control Authority may determine that an Industrial User subject to categorical Pretreatment Standards under §403.6 and 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter N is a Non-Significant Categorical Industrial User rather than a Significant Industrial User on a finding that the Industrial User never discharges more than 100 gallons per day (gpd) of total categorical wastewater (excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewater, unless specifically included in the Pretreatment Standard) and the following conditions are met:

(i) The Industrial User, prior to the Control Authority's finding, has consistently complied with all applicable categorical Pretreatment Standards and Requirements;

(ii) The Industrial User annually submits the certification statement required in §403.12(q) together with any additional information necessary to support the certification statement; and

(iii) The Industrial User never discharges any untreated concentrated wastewater.

(3) Upon a finding that an Industrial User meeting the criteria in paragraph (v)(1)(ii) of this section has no reasonable potential for adversely affecting the POTW's operation or for violating any Pretreatment Standards or requirement, the Control Authority may at any time, on its own initiative or in response to a petition received from an Industrial User or POTW, and in accordance with 40 CFR 403.8(f)(6), determine that such Industrial User is not a Significant Industrial User.

(w) The term Submission means:

(1) A request by a POTW for approval of a Pretreatment Program to the EPA or a Director;

(2) A request by a POTW to the EPA or a Director for authority to revise the discharge limits in categorical Pretreatment Standards to reflect POTW pollutant removals; or

(3) A request to the EPA by an NPDES State for approval of its State pretreatment program.

[46 FR 9439, Jan. 28, 1981, as amended at 49 FR 5132, Feb. 10, 1984; 49 FR 28059, July 10, 1984; 51 FR 20430, June 4, 1986; 51 FR 23760, July 1, 1986; 52 FR 1600, Jan. 14, 1987; 53 FR 40610, Oct. 17, 1988; 55 FR 30129, July 24, 1990; 70 FR 60191, Oct. 14, 2005]

§ 403.4 State or local law.
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Nothing in this regulation is intended to affect any Pretreatment Requirements, including any standards or prohibitions, established by State or local law as long as the State or local requirements are not less stringent than any set forth in National Pretreatment Standards, or any other requirements or prohibitions established under the Act or this regulation. States with an NPDES permit program approved in accordance with section 402 (b) and (c) of the Act, or States requesting NPDES programs, are responsible for developing a State pretreatment program in accordance with §403.10 of this regulation.

§ 403.5 National pretreatment standards: Prohibited discharges.
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(a)(1) General prohibitions. A User may not introduce into a POTW any pollutant(s) which cause Pass Through or Interference. These general prohibitions and the specific prohibitions in paragraph (b) of this section apply to each User introducing pollutants into a POTW whether or not the User is subject to other National Pretreatment Standards or any national, State, or local Pretreatment Requirements.

(2) Affirmative Defenses. A User shall have an affirmative defense in any action brought against it alleging a violation of the general prohibitions established in paragraph (a)(1) of this section and the specific prohibitions in paragraphs (b)(3), (b)(4), (b)(5), (b)(6), and (b)(7) of this section where the User can demonstrate that:

(i) It did not know or have reason to know that its Discharge, alone or in conjunction with a discharge or discharges from other sources, would cause Pass Through or Interference; and

(ii)(A) A local limit designed to prevent Pass Through and/or Interference, as the case may be, was developed in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section for each pollutant in the User's Discharge that caused Pass Through or Interference, and the User was in compliance with each such local limit directly prior to and during the Pass Through or Interference; or

(B) If a local limit designed to prevent Pass Through and/or Interference, as the case may be, has not been developed in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section for the pollutant(s) that caused the Pass Through or Interference, the User's Discharge directly prior to and during the Pass Through or Interference did not change substantially in nature or constituents from the User's prior discharge activity when the POTW was regularly in compliance with the POTW's NPDES permit requirements and, in the case of Interference, applicable requirements for sewage sludge use or disposal.

(b) Specific prohibitions. In addition, the following pollutants shall not be introduced into a POTW:

(1) Pollutants which create a fire or explosion hazard in the POTW, including, but not limited to, wastestreams with a closed cup flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit or 60 degrees Centigrade using the test methods specified in 40 CFR 261.21;

(2) Pollutants which will cause corrosive structural damage to the POTW, but in no case Discharges with pH lower than 5.0, unless the works is specifically designed to accommodate such Discharges;

(3) Solid or viscous pollutants in amounts which will cause obstruction to the flow in the POTW resulting in Interference;

(4) Any pollutant, including oxygen demanding pollutants (BOD, etc.) released in a Discharge at a flow rate and/or pollutant concentration which will cause Interference with the POTW.

(5) Heat in amounts which will inhibit biological activity in the POTW resulting in Interference, but in no case heat in such quantities that the temperature at the POTW Treatment Plant exceeds 40 °C (104 °F) unless the Approval Authority, upon request of the POTW, approves alternate temperature limits.

(6) Petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oil, or products of mineral oil origin in amounts that will cause interference or pass through;

(7) Pollutants which result in the presence of toxic gases, vapors, or fumes within the POTW in a quantity that may cause acute worker health and safety problems;

(8) Any trucked or hauled pollutants, except at discharge points designated by the POTW.

(c) When specific limits must be developed by POTW. (1) Each POTW developing a POTW Pretreatment Program pursuant to §403.8 shall develop and enforce specific limits to implement the prohibitions listed in paragraphs (a)(1) and (b) of this section. Each POTW with an approved pretreatment program shall continue to develop these limits as necessary and effectively enforce such limits.

(2) All other POTW's shall, in cases where pollutants contributed by User(s) result in Interference or Pass-Through, and such violation is likely to recur, develop and enforce specific effluent limits for Industrial User(s), and all other users, as appropriate, which, together with appropriate changes in the POTW Treatment Plant's facilities or operation, are necessary to ensure renewed and continued compliance with the POTW's NPDES permit or sludge use or disposal practices.

(3) Specific effluent limits shall not be developed and enforced without individual notice to persons or groups who have requested such notice and an opportunity to respond.

(4) POTWs may develop Best Management Practices (BMPs) to implement paragraphs (c)(1) and (c)(2) of this section. Such BMPs shall be considered local limits and Pretreatment Standards for the purposes of this part and section 307(d) of the Act.

(d) Local limits. Where specific prohibitions or limits on pollutants or pollutant parameters are developed by a POTW in accordance with paragraph (c) above, such limits shall be deemed Pretreatment Standards for the purposes of section 307(d) of the Act.

(e) EPA enforcement actions under section 309(f) of the Clean Water Act.

If, within 30 days after notice of an Interference or Pass Through violation has been sent by EPA to the POTW, and to persons or groups who have requested such notice, the POTW fails to commence appropriate enforcement action to correct the violation, EPA may take appropriate enforcement action under the authority provided in section 309(f) of the Clean Water Act.

[46 FR 9439, Jan. 28, 1981, as amended at 51 FR 20430, June 4, 1986; 52 FR 1600, Jan. 14, 1987; 55 FR 30129, July 24, 1990; 60 FR 33932, June 29, 1995; 70 FR 60192, Oct. 14, 2005]

§ 403.6 National pretreatment standards: Categorical standards.
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National pretreatment standards specifying quantities or concentrations of pollutants or pollutant properties which may be discharged to a POTW by existing or new industrial users in specific industrial subcategories will be established as separate regulations under the appropriate subpart of 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter N. These standards, unless specifically noted otherwise, shall be in addition to all applicable pretreatment standards and requirements set forth in this part.

(a) Category Determination Request—(1) Application Deadline. Within 60 days after the effective date of a Pretreatment Standard for a subcategory under which an Industrial User may be included, the Industrial User or POTW may request that the Water Management Division Director or Director, as appropriate, provide written certification on whether the Industrial User falls within that particular subcategory. If an existing Industrial User adds or changes a process or operation which may be included in a subcategory, the existing Industrial User must request this certification prior to commencing discharge from the added or changed processes or operation. A New Source must request this certification prior to commencing discharge. Where a request for certification is submitted by a POTW, the POTW shall notify any affected Industrial User of such submission. The Industrial User may provide written comments on the POTW submission to the Water Management Division Director or Director, as appropriate, within 30 days of notification.

(2) Contents of Application. Each request shall contain a statement:

(i) Describing which subcategories might be applicable; and

(ii) Citing evidence and reasons why a particular subcategory is applicable and why others are not applicable. Any person signing the application statement submitted pursuant to this section shall make the following certification:


I certify under penalty of law that this document and all attachments were prepared under my direction or supervision in accordance with a system designed to assure that qualified personnel properly gather and evaluate the information submitted. Based on my inquiry of the person or persons who manage the system, or those persons directly responsible for gathering the information, the information submitted is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true, accurate, and complete. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.


(3) Deficient requests. The Water Management Division Director or Director will only act on written requests for determinations that contain all of the information required. Persons who have made incomplete submissions will be notified by the Water Management Division Director or Director that their requests are deficient and, unless the time period is extended, will be given 30 days to correct the deficiency. If the deficiency is not corrected within 30 days or within an extended period allowed by the Water Management Division Director or the Director, the request for a determination shall be denied.

(4) Final decision. (i) When the Water Management Division Director or Director receives a submittal he or she will, after determining that it contains all of the information required by paragraph (2) of this section, consider the submission, any additional evidence that may have been requested, and any other available information relevant to the request. The Water Management Division Director or Director will then make a written determination of the applicable subcategory and state the reasons for the determination.

(ii) Where the request is submitted to the Director, the Director shall forward the determination described in this paragraph to the Water Management Division Director who may make a final determination. The Water Management Division Director may waive receipt of these determinations. If the Water Management Division Director does not modify the Director's decision within 60 days after receipt thereof, or if the Water Management Division Director waives receipt of the determination, the Director's decision is final.

(iii) Where the request is submitted by the Industrial User or POTW to the Water Management Division Director or where the Water Management Division Director elects to modify the Director's decision, the Water Management Division Director's decision will be final.

(iv) The Water Management Division Director or Director, as appropriate, shall send a copy of the determination to the affected Industrial User and the POTW. Where the final determination is made by the Water Management Division Director, he or she shall send a copy of the determination to the Director.

(5) Requests for hearing and/or legal decision. Within 30 days following the date of receipt of notice of the final determination as provided for by paragraph (a)(4)(iv) of this section, the Requester may submit a petition to reconsider or contest the decision to the Regional Administrator who shall act on such petition expeditiously and state the reasons for his or her determination in writing.

(b) Deadline for compliance with categorical standards. Compliance by existing sources with categorical Pretreatment Standards shall be within 3 years of the date the Standard is effective unless a shorter compliance time is specified in the appropriate subpart of 40 CFR chapter I, subchapter N. Direct dischargers with NPDES Permits modified or reissued to provide a variance pursuant to section 301(i)(2) of the Act shall be required to meet compliance dates set in any applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard. Existing sources which become Industrial Users subsequent to promulgation of an applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard shall be considered existing Industrial Users except where such sources meet the definition of a New Source as defined in §403.3(m). New Sources shall install and have in operating condition, and shall “start-up” all pollution control equipment required to meet applicable Pretreatment Standards before beginning to Discharge. Within the shortest feasible time (not to exceed 90 days), New Sources must meet all applicable Pretreatment Standards.

(c)(1) Concentration and mass limits. Pollutant discharge limits in categorical Pretreatment Standards will be expressed either as concentration or mass limits. Wherever possible, where concentration limits are specified in standards, equivalent mass limits will be provided so that local, State or Federal authorities responsible for enforcement may use either concentration or mass limits. Limits in categorical Pretreatment Standards shall apply to the effluent of the process regulated by the Standard, or as otherwise specified by the standard.

(2) When the limits in a categorical Pretreatment Standard are expressed only in terms of mass of pollutant per unit of production, the Control Authority may convert the limits to equivalent limitations expressed either as mass of pollutant discharged per day or effluent concentration for purposes of calculating effluent limitations applicable to individual Industrial Users.

(3) A Control Authority calculating equivalent mass-per-day limitations under paragraph (c)(2) of this section shall calculate such limitations by multiplying the limits in the Standard by the Industrial User's average rate of production. This average rate of production shall be based not upon the designed production capacity but rather upon a reasonable measure of the Industrial User's actual long-term daily production, such as the average daily production during a representative year. For new sources, actual production shall be estimated using projected production.

(4) A Control Authority calculating equivalent concentration limitations under paragraph (c)(2) of this section shall calculate such limitations by dividing the mass limitations derived under paragraph (c)(3) of this section by the average daily flow rate of the Industrial User's regulated process wastewater. This average daily flow rate shall be based upon a reasonable measure of the Industrial User's actual long-term average flow rate, such as the average daily flow rate during the representative year.

(5) When the limits in a categorical Pretreatment Standard are expressed only in terms of pollutant concentrations, an Industrial User may request that the Control Authority convert the limits to equivalent mass limits. The determination to convert concentration limits to mass limits is within the discretion of the Control Authority. The Control Authority may establish equivalent mass limits only if the Industrial User meets all the following conditions in paragraph (c)(5)(i)(A) through (c)(5)(i)(E) of this section.

(i) To be eligible for equivalent mass limits, the Industrial User must:

(A) Employ, or demonstrate that it will employ, water conservation methods and technologies that substantially reduce water use during the term of its control mechanism;

(B) Currently use control and treatment technologies adequate to achieve compliance with the applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard, and not have used dilution as a substitute for treatment;

(C) Provide sufficient information to establish the facility's actual average daily flow rate for all wastestreams, based on data from a continuous effluent flow monitoring device, as well as the facility's long-term average production rate. Both the actual average daily flow rate and long-term average production rate must be representative of current operating conditions;

(D) Not have daily flow rates, production levels, or pollutant levels that vary so significantly that equivalent mass limits are not appropriate to control the Discharge; and

(E) Have consistently complied with all applicable categorical Pretreatment Standards during the period prior to the Industrial User's request for equivalent mass limits.

(ii) An Industrial User subject to equivalent mass limits must:

(A) Maintain and effectively operate control and treatment technologies adequate to achieve compliance with the equivalent mass limits;

(B) Continue to record the facility's flow rates through the use of a continuous effluent flow monitoring device;

(C) Continue to record the facility's production rates and notify the Control Authority whenever production rates are expected to vary by more than 20 percent from its baseline production rates determined in paragraph (c)(5)(i)(C) of this section. Upon notification of a revised production rate, the Control Authority must reassess the equivalent mass limit and revise the limit as necessary to reflect changed conditions at the facility; and

(D) Continue to employ the same or comparable water conservation methods and technologies as those implemented pursuant to paragraph (c)(5)(i)(A) of this section so long as it discharges under an equivalent mass limit.

(iii) A Control Authority which chooses to establish equivalent mass limits:

(A) Must calculate the equivalent mass limit by multiplying the actual average daily flow rate of the regulated process(es) of the Industrial User by the concentration-based daily maximum and monthly average Standard for the applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard and the appropriate unit conversion factor;

(B) Upon notification of a revised production rate, must reassess the equivalent mass limit and recalculate the limit as necessary to reflect changed conditions at the facility; and

(C) May retain the same equivalent mass limit in subsequent control mechanism terms if the Industrial User's actual average daily flow rate was reduced solely as a result of the implementation of water conservation methods and technologies, and the actual average daily flow rates used in the original calculation of the equivalent mass limit were not based on the use of dilution as a substitute for treatment pursuant to paragraph (d) of this section. The Industrial User must also be in compliance with §403.17 (regarding the prohibition of bypass).

(iv) The Control Authority may not express limits in terms of mass for pollutants such as pH, temperature, radiation, or other pollutants which cannot appropriately be expressed as mass.

(6) The Control Authority may convert the mass limits of the categorical Pretreatment Standards at 40 CFR parts 414, 419, and 455 to concentration limits for purposes of calculating limitations applicable to individual Industrial Users under the following conditions. When converting such limits to concentration limits, the Control Authority must use the concentrations listed in the applicable subparts of 40 CFR parts 414, 419, and 455 and document that dilution is not being substituted for treatment as prohibited by paragraph (d) of this section.

(7) Equivalent limitations calculated in accordance with paragraphs (c)(3), (c)(4), (c)(5) and (c)(6) of this section are deemed Pretreatment Standards for the purposes of section 307(d) of the Act and this part. The Control Authority must document how the equivalent limits were derived and make this information publicly available. Once incorporated into its control mechanism, the Industrial User must comply with the equivalent limitations in lieu of the promulgated categorical standards from which the equivalent limitations were derived.

(8) Many categorical Pretreatment Standards specify one limit for calculating maximum daily discharge limitations and a second limit for calculating maximum monthly average, or 4-day average, limitations. Where such Standards are being applied, the same production or flow figure shall be used in calculating both the average and the maximum equivalent limitation.

(9) Any Industrial User operating under a control mechanism incorporating equivalent mass or concentration limits calculated from a production based standard shall notify the Control Authority within two (2) business days after the User has a reasonable basis to know that the production level will significantly change within the next calendar month. Any User not notifying the Control Authority of such anticipated change will be required to meet the mass or concentration limits in its control mechanism that were based on the original estimate of the long term average production rate.

(d) Dilution prohibited as substitute for treatment. Except where expressly authorized to do so by an applicable Pretreatment Standard or Requirement, no Industrial User shall ever increase the use of process water, or in any other way attempt to dilute a Discharge as a partial or complete substitute for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with a Pretreatment Standard or Requirement. The Control Authority may impose mass limitations on Industrial Users which are using dilution to meet applicable Pretreatment Standards or Requirements, or in other cases where the imposition of mass limitations is appropriate.

(e) Combined wastestream formula. Where process effluent is mixed prior to treatment with wastewaters other than those generated by the regulated process, fixed alternative discharge limits may be derived by the Control Authority or by the Industrial User with the written concurrence of the Control Authority. These alternative limits shall be applied to the mixed effluent. When deriving alternative categorical limits, the Control Authority or Industrial User shall calculate both an alternative daily maximum value using the daily maximum value(s) specified in the appropriate categorical Pretreatment Standard(s) and an alternative consecutive sampling day average value using the monthly average value(s) specified in the appropriate categorical Pretreatment Standard(s). The Industrial User shall comply with the alternative daily maximum and monthly average limits fixed by the Control Authority until the Control Authority modifies the limits or approves an Industrial User modification request. Modification is authorized whenever there is a material or significant change in the values used in the calculation to fix alternative limits for the regulated pollutant. An Industrial User must immediately report any such material or significant change to the Control Authority. Where appropriate new alternative categorical limits shall be calculated within 30 days.

(1) Alternative limit calculation. For purposes of these formulas, the “average daily flow” means a reasonable measure of the average daily flow for a 30-day period. For new sources, flows shall be estimated using projected values. The alternative limit for a specified pollutant will be derived by the use of either of the following formulas:

(i) Alternative concentration limit.



where

CT=the alternative concentration limit for the combined wastestream.

Ci=the categorical Pretreatment Standard concentration limit for a pollutant in the regulated stream i.

Fi=the average daily flow (at least a 30-day average) of stream i to the extent that it is regulated for such pollutant.

FD=the average daily flow (at least a 30-day average) from: (a) Boiler blowdown streams, non-contact cooling streams, stormwater streams, and demineralizer backwash streams; provided, however, that where such streams contain a significant amount of a pollutant, and the combination of such streams, prior to treatment, with an Industrial User's regulated process wastestream(s) will result in a substantial reduction of that pollutant, the Control Authority, upon application of the Industrial User, may exercise its discretion to determine whether such stream(s) should be classified as diluted or unregulated. In its application to the Control Authority, the Industrial User must provide engineering, production, sampling and analysis and such other information so that the Control Authority can make its determination; or (b) sanitary wastestreams where such streams are not regulated by a Categorical Pretreatment Standard; or (c) from any process wastestreams which were or could have been entirely exempted from categorical Pretreatment Standards pursuant to paragraph 8 of the NRDC v. Costle Consent Decree (12 ERC 1833) for one or more of the following reasons (see appendix D of this part):

(1) The pollutants of concern are not detectable in the effluent from the Industrial User (paragraph (8)(a)(iii));

(2) The pollutants of concern are present only in trace amounts and are neither causing nor likely to cause toxic effects (paragraph (8)(a)(iii));

(3) The pollutants of concern are present in amounts too small to be effectively reduced by technologies known to the Administrator (paragraph (8)(a)(iii)); or

(4) The wastestream contains only pollutants which are compatible with the POTW (paragraph (8)(b)(i)).

FT=The average daily flow (at least a 30-day average) through the combined treatment facility (includes Fi, FD and unregulated streams).

N=The total number of regulated streams.


(ii) Alternative mass limit.



where

MT=the alternative mass limit for a pollutant in the combined wastestream.

Mi=the categorical Pretreatment Standard mass limit for a pollutant in the regulated stream i (the categorical pretreatment mass limit multiplied by the appropriate measure of production).

Fi=the average flow (at least a 30-day average) of stream i to the extent that it is regulated for such pollutant.

FD=the average daily flow (at least a 30-day average) from: (a) Boiler blowdown streams, non-contact cooling streams, stormwater streams, and demineralizer backwash streams; provided, however, that where such streams contain a significant amount of a pollutant, and the combination of such streams, prior to treatment, with an Industrial User's regulated process wastestream(s) will result in a substantial reduction of that pollutant, the Control Authority, upon application of the Industrial User, may exercise its discretion to determine whether such stream(s) should be classified as diluted or unregulated. In its application to the Control Authority, the Industrial User must provide engineering, production, sampling and analysis and such other information so that the Control Authority can make its determination; or (b) sanitary wastestreams where such streams are not regulated by a categorical Pretreatment Standard; or (c) from any process wastestreams which were or could have been entirely exempted from categorical Pretreatment Standards pursuant to paragraph 8 of the NRDC v. Costle Consent Decree (12 ERC 1833) for one or more of the following reasons (see appendix D of this part):

(1) The pollutants of concern are not detectable in the effluent from the Industrial User (paragraph (8)(a)(iii));

(2) The pollutants of concern are present only in trace amounts and are neither causing nor likely to cause toxic effects (paragraph (8)(a)(iii));

(3) The pollutants of concern are present in amounts too small to be effectively reduced by technologies known to the Administrator (paragraph (8)(a)(iii)); or

(4) The wastestream contains only pollutants which are compatible with the POTW (paragraph (8)(b)(i)).

FT=The average flow (at least a 30-day average) through the combined treatment facility (includes Fi, FD and unregulated streams).

N=The total number of regulated streams.


(2) Alternate limits below detection limit. An alternative pretreatment limit may not be used if the alternative limit is below the analytical detection limit for any of the regulated pollutants.

(3) Self-monitoring. Self-monitoring required to insure compliance with the alternative categorical limit shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements of §403.12(g).

(4) Choice of monitoring location. Where a treated regulated process wastestream is combined prior to treatment with wastewaters other than those generated by the regulated process, the Industrial User may monitor either the segregated process wastestream or the combined wastestream for the purpose of determining compliance with applicable Pretreatment Standards. If the Industrial User chooses to monitor the segregated process wastestream, it shall apply the applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard. If the User chooses to monitor the combined wastestream, it shall apply an alternative discharge limit calculated using the combined wastestream formula as provided in this section. The Industrial User may change monitoring points only after receiving approval from the Control Authority. The Control Authority shall ensure that any change in an Industrial User's monitoring point(s) will not allow the User to substitute dilution for adequate treatment to achieve compliance with applicable Standards.

[46 FR 9439, Jan. 28, 1981, as amended at 49 FR 21037, May 17, 1984; 49 FR 31224, Aug. 3, 1984; 51 FR 20430, June 4, 1986; 51 FR 23760, July 1, 1986; 53 FR 40610, Oct. 17, 1988; 55 FR 30129, July 24, 1990; 58 FR 18017, Apr. 7, 1993; 70 FR 60192, Oct. 14, 2005]

§ 403.7 Removal credits.
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(a) Introduction—(1) Definitions. For the purpose of this section:

(i) Removal means a reduction in the amount of a pollutant in the POTW's effluent or alteration of the nature of a pollutant during treatment at the POTW. The reduction or alteration can be obtained by physical, chemical or biological means and may be the result of specifically designed POTW capabilities or may be incidental to the operation of the treatment system. Removal as used in this subpart shall not mean dilution of a pollutant in the POTW.

(ii) Sludge Requirements shall mean the following statutory provisions and regulations or permits issued thereunder (or more stringent State or local regulations): Section 405 of the Clean Water Act; the Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (including title II more commonly referred to as the Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) and State regulations contained in any State sludge management plan prepared pursuant to subtitle D of SWDA); the Clean Air Act; the Toxic Substances Control Act; and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act.

(2) General. Any POTW receiving wastes from an Industrial User to which a categorical Pretreatment Standard(s) applies may, at its discretion and subject to the conditions of this section, grant removal credits to reflect removal by the POTW of pollutants specified in the categorical Pretreatment Standard(s). The POTW may grant a removal credit equal to or, at its discretion, less than its consistent removal rate. Upon being granted a removal credit, each affected Industrial User shall calculate its revised discharge limits in accordance with paragraph (a)(4) of this section. Removal credits may only be given for indicator or surrogate pollutants regulated in a categorical Pretreatment Standard if the categorical Pretreatment Standard so specifies.

(3) Conditions for authorization to give removal credits. A POTW is authorized to give removal credits only if the following conditions are met:

(i) Application. The POTW applies for, and receives, authorization from the Approval Authority to give a removal credit in accordance with the requirements and procedures specified in paragraph (e) of this section.

(ii) Consistent removal determination. The POTW demonstrates and continues to achieve consistent removal of the pollutant in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section.

(iii) POTW local pretreatment program. The POTW has an approved pretreatment program in accordance with and to the extent required by part 403; provided, however, a POTW which does not have an approved pretreatment program may, pending approval of such a program, conditionally give credits as provided in paragraph (d) of this section.

(iv) Sludge requirements. The granting of removal credits will not cause the POTW to violate the local, State and Federal Sludge Requirements which apply to the sludge management method chosen by the POTW. Alternatively, the POTW can demonstrate to the Approval Authority that even though it is not presently in compliance with applicable Sludge Requirements, it will be in compliance when the Industrial User(s) to whom the removal credit would apply is required to meet its categorical Pretreatment Standard(s) as modified by the removal credit. If granting removal credits forces a POTW to incur greater sludge management costs than would be incurred in the absence of granting removal credits, the additional sludge management costs will not be eligible for EPA grant assistance. Removal credits may be made available for the following pollutants.

(A) For any pollutant listed in appendix G section I of this part for the use or disposal practice employed by the POTW, when the requirements in 40 CFR part 503 for that practice are met.

(B) For any pollutant listed in appendix G section II of this part for the use or disposal practice employed by the POTW when the concentration for a pollutant listed in appendix G section II of this part in the sewage sludge that is used or disposed does not exceed the concentration for the pollutant in appendix G section II of this part.

(C) For any pollutant in sewage sludge when the POTW disposes all of its sewage sludge in a municipal solid waste landfill unit that meets the criteria in 40 CFR part 258.

(v) NPDES permit limitations. The granting of removal credits will not cause a violation of the POTW's permit limitations or conditions. Alternatively, the POTW can demonstrate to the Approval Authority that even though it is not presently in compliance with applicable limitations and conditions in its NPDES permit, it will be in compliance when the Industrial User(s) to whom the removal credit would apply is required to meet its categorical Pretreatment Standard(s), as modified by the removal credit provision.

(4) Calculation of revised discharge limits. Revised discharge limits for a specific pollutant shall be derived by use of the following formula:



where:

x=pollutant discharge limit specified in the applicable categorical Pretreatment Standard

r=removal credit for that pollutant as established under paragraph (b) of this section (percentage removal expressed as a proportion, i.e., a number between 0 and 1)

y=revised discharge limit for the specified pollutant (expressed in same units as x)


(b) Establishment of Removal Credits; Demonstration of Consistent Removal—(1) Definition of Consistent Removal. “Consistent Removal” shall mean the average of the lowest 50 percent of the removal measured according to paragraph (b)(2) of this section. All sample data obtained for the measured pollutant during the time period prescribed in paragraph (b)(2) of this section must be reported and used in computing Consistent Removal. If a substance is measurable in the influent but not in the effluent, the effluent level may be assumed to be the limit of measurement, and those data may be used by the POTW at its discretion and subject to approval by the Approval Authority. If the substance is not measurable in the influent, the date may not be used. Where the number of samples with concentrations equal to or above the limit of measurement is between 8 and 12, the average of the lowest 6 removals shall be used. If there are less than 8 samples with concentrations equal to or above the limit of measurement, the Approval Authority may approve alternate means fordemonstrating Consistent Removal. The term “measurement” refers to the ability of the analytical method or protocol to quantify as well as identify the presence of the substance in question. (continued)