The City of Grass Valley Public Works Department operates the City’s wastewater To read the City’s new Discharge Permit: treatment plant that provides sewer service www.cityofgrassvalley.com to 12,100 residents and 1,700 businesses To read the City’s current Industrial (including industries). Pretreatment Program Ordinance: www.cityofgrassvalley.com then to On average, the City discharges 2,100,000 Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 gallons per day of treated wastewater effluent to Wolf Creek. To read about Federal pretreatment program requirements: The City’s wastewater treatment system www.epa.gov/epahome/cfr40 then to consists of many processes. 40 CFR Part 403

All wastewater first To read about new water quality standards: goes through the www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb5 (Water Quality Wastewater from homes and businesses travels in primary treatment Goals) the City’s sewer system to the wastewater treat- process, which involves www.swrcb.ca.gov/ (State Implementation ment plant (WWTP). After treatment, the effluent screening and settling out large Policy) is discharged to Wolf Creek via a cascade aerator particles. www.swrcb.ca.gov/ (California Toxics Rule) (shown below). The effluent must meet water quality standards that protect public health and Wastewater then To read about National Pollution Discharge the environment. moves on to the Elimination System (NPDES) permits secondary treatment http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/ process, in which organic 101pape.pdf matter is removed by allowing bacteria to To learn more about wastewater treatment break down the plants: www.wef.org/wefstudents/ pollutants. gowithflow/index.htm

The City also puts the wastewater through Want to Participate? advanced treatment (filtration) to further The City has formed a Pretreatment Sewer remove particulate Advisory Committee to assist and enhance matter. The treated wastewater is then outreach to businesses. For additional disinfected with UV to remove the remaining information on the City of Grass Valley’s bacteria before it is discharged to Wolf Pretreatment Program, please contact the Creek. Public Works Department at (530) 274-4350 or [email protected]. Grass Valley’s effluent discharge to Wolf Creek via a cascade aerator. The City’s permit to discharge effluent to Wolf Pretreatment Program Objectives 9 Sampling the City’s sewer system to find out Creek now includes many new State and Federal 9 To protect the City’s sewer system, wastewater how much pollution is coming from homes requirements to provide better protection of treatment plant, and wastewater workers from and how much is coming from businesses. public health and the environment. potential adverse impacts resulting from untreated commercial and industrial 9 Developing “local limits” that establish the One of these requirements is that the City wastewater. amount of certain pollutants that businesses upgrade its pretreatment program (Municipal can discharge, and still have the City’s Code, Chapter 13.20) controlling the amounts of 9 To prevent regulated pollutants from effluent comply with water quality standards. pollutants in discharges to the City’s sewer system businesses and industries passing through the from commercial and industrial businesses. City’s wastewater treatment plant and into Wolf 9 Surveying all businesses to determine which Creek. ones will be required to get a permit from the Pollutant discharges from businesses can be City to discharge sewage to the City’s sewer reduced by changing business practices that system. cause pollution and/or by on-site treatment (pretreatment) prior to discharge to the City’s 9 Evaluating possible improvements to the sewer system. City’s WWTP.

For some pollutants, pretreatment at the source is 9 Holding workshops to inform the public about a more cost-effective and equitable way for the what the City is doing, and why, and what the Pretreatment Program Activities City’s wastewater effluent discharge to Wolf Creek pretreatment program will cost. to meet State and Federal requirements (and to 9 Identify businesses that must be regulated to improve water quality) than to make costly comply with the new State and Federal 9 Updating the City’s Municipal Code to comply improvements to the wastewater treatment plant. requirements. with Federal requirements.

Pollution prevention can have other positive 9 Determine the amount of pollutants that effects: regulated businesses can safely discharge to the sewer system. 9 Reduce disposal costs. 9 9 Give customers what they want: “green” Issue permits to commercial and industrial products and “environmental-friendly” businesses, as needed. business. 9 Sample and inspect businesses on an on-going 9 Reduce future liability associated with the basis. disposal of solid wastes. 9 Evaluate compliance with pretreatment requirements.

9 Take enforcement actions, as warranted.

Wolf Creek downstream of Grass Valley’s Wastewater Treatment Plant effluent discharge.