Industrial User Discharge Permits

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified 126 priority pollutants that are either prohibited or strictly limited in discharges to the sewerage system due to their toxicity. Some of the frequently encountered priority pollutants are arsenic, benzenes, chloroform, cyanide, phenols and pesticides, as well as heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver and zinc.

The Public Utilities’ Industrial Wastewater Control Program issues discharge permits, performs inspections, conducts wastewater monitoring and enforces sewer discharge standards at businesses and industries throughout the Metropolitan Sewerage System service area. The program also performs water use audits and samples the discharging wastewater to obtain additional data that is used to establish sewer billing rates for industrial and commercial dischargers.

Some of the types of local industries that are regulated to prevent contaminants from entering the sewerage system include:

• Aerospace manufacturing.
• Metal finishing and metal forming.
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Hospitals and medical centers.
• Large food manufacturers.
• Commercial and industrial laundries.
• Car washes.
• A variety of laboratories.

The charts below show the new rates for Industrial Wastewater Control Program fees. Rates are scheduled to increase on July 1, 2022, and every July 1 through 2025. For additional information on the new fees, please the Program Allocation Study and user guide.

• Industrial Waste Control Program Cost Allocation Study and Model User Guide.

Permit Fees                 25% on 7/1/22        50% on 7/1/23     75% on 7/1/24     100% on 7/1/25

Trucked Waste Fees                25% on 7/1/22        50% on 7/1/23          75% on 7/1/24        100% on 7/1/25

Trucked Waste Discharge (Load) Fees Per 1000 Gallons

Effective Date:                                    1/1/22                     1/1/23                     1/1/24                       1/1/25