Working for Clean Water
_An Information Program for Advisory Groups
Industrial
Pretreatment
Instructor Guide
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This prOgrO)fl was prepared by
The Pennsylvania State University
Institute of State 6 Regional Affairs
Middletown, PA 17057
Dr. Charles A. bole
Project Director
Dr. E. Drannon Buskirk, Jr.
Project Co—Director
Prof. Lorna Chr. Stoltafus
Editor
This guide was prepared by
John B. Nesbitt
Charles A. Cole
Typists
Jan Russ, Tess Startoni,
Ann Kirech, Janie Fuller
Advisory Teczn for the Project
David Elkinton, State of West
Virginia
Steve Frishman, private citizen
Michele Frame, private citizen
John Hammond, private citizen
Joan Jurancich, State of California
Richard Hetherington, EPA
Region 10
Rosemary Henderson, EPA Region 6
George Hoessel, EPA Region 3
George Neiss, EPA Region 5
Ray Pfortner, EPA Region 2
Paul Pinault, EPA Region 1
Earlene Wilson, EPA Region 7
Dan Burrows, EPA Headquarters
Ben Gryctko, EPA Headquarters
Robert Hardaker, EPA Headquarters
Charles Kauffman, EPA Headquarters
Steve Maier, EPA Headquarters
EPA Project Officer
Barry -0. Jordan
Office of Water Programs
Operations
Student Assistants
Fran Costanzi, Kathy DeBatt,
Michael Lapano, Mike Mould s
Terry Switzer
Graphics support was provided by
the Office of Public Awareness,
Environmental Protection Agency.
This information program was
financed with federal funds from
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency under Cooperative Agreement
No. CT900980 01. The information
program has been reviewed by the
Environmental Protection Agency
and approved for publication.
Approval does not signify that the
contents necessarily reflect the
views and policies of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency, nor does
mention of trade names or commercial
products constitute endorsement of
recommendation for use.
This project is dedicated to the
memory of Susan A. Cole.
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Industrial Pretreatment
Many municipalities have publicly—owned treatment works (J’OTW) that
treat both municipal and industrial wastes. Recent legislation
about to be implemented by the EPA will require these municipali-
ties to develop and implement a pretreatment program for their
industrial users. This program will ensure that pollutants will
not enter the collection system or the treatment plant that will:
• Interfere with the functioning of the POTW
• Pass through the POTW and cause it to violate its NPDES permit, or
• Contaminate the sludge so that it cannot be disposed by the usual
procedure.
At the end of this session the participant should be able to:
• List the three options available to industry for treating
industrial wastewater
• Describe the objectives of a pretreatment program
• Understand the meaning of prohibited discharge and categorical
effluent standards
• Discuss the EPA requirements for the development of an approvable
pretreatment program.
Required Materials
DSet of slides with cassette tape for audiovisual presentation,
“Industrial Pretreatment”
OSlide projector, cassette,tape player, and screen
DSet of transparencies with overhead projector or flip charts with
easel for guided discussion
DCopy of handbook, “Industrial Pretreatment,” for each participant
DCopies of handouts on Toxic Pollutants, and Industries with
Categorical Standards (optional).
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Important Notes
1. This guide is applicable only if joint treatment exists or it is
a distinct possibility for the community. (Check with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency or state regulatory agency to see if
a pretreatment program would be required for this facility.)
2. The citizen handbooks and instructor guides on the overview
of facility planning, municipal wastewater processes, land treat-
ment, and innovative and alternative technologies should precede
this topic.
3. The instructor should develop a list of the categories of
industries in the community prior to the presentation. The
existing wastewater treatment plants, zoning board, Chamber of
Commerce, and consultants are useful sources of the information.
4. The instructor may want to have the consulting engineer for
the municipal agency and an industrial representative present
at the presentation.
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Suggested Activities
Introductory Comments . . 5 minutes
Audiovisual Presentation 10 minutes
Guided Discussion . . . . 40 minutes
ClosingRemarks.......... 5minutes
TOTAL TIME 60 minutes
Introductory Comments (5 minutes)
1. Open with a statement about the Importance of industry to the See handbook “Indue-
community, and how its pollutants can make waste treatment more trial Pretreatment”
difficult. However, with proper pretreatment by the Industry, for advantages of
these wastes often can be treated together with the municipal pretreatment.
wastewater to the benefit of both parties.
An advantage of joint treatment is that municipal waste nutrients
can be used in the processing of Industrial wastes. A disadvan-
tage is that industrial toxic materials may pass through the treat-
ment systems to end up in the sludge from the municipal facilities.
2. Indicate that this topic is being discussed because joint List objectives on
treatment either exists or is possible in the future for this transparency or flip
agency. Briefly discuss the objectives for this presentation. chart.
Audiovisual Presentation (10 minutes)
1. The slide—tape program will discuss the treatment options Script is in Appen—
available to industry for its wastes, the standards set for pre— dix in case of equip—
treatment when the joint treatment option is chosen, and the ment malfunction.
pretreatment regulations that must be developed by the managing
agency.
2. Point out items that particularly pertain to the local
situation.
Guided Discussion (40 minutes)
1. Ask the group to recall the three options available to an Use slides 15, 16,
industry for treatment of wastes. Review them and state that and 17 of slide-tape
this discussion will focus on indirect discharge with pre— program.
treatment.
List on chalkboard:
Direct discharge
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Indirect discharge
Indirect discharge with pretreatment
Use Chart 1 on 2. Discuss briefly pretreatment effluent standards in terms c
Prohibited Die— prohibited discharges and categorical effluent standards to b(
charges. set by the EPA. Note that prohibited wastes include:
• Materials that may create a fire or explosive hazard
• Corrosive—type materials and ho discharges with
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• Local legal authority must be evaluated and established.
•Procedures to ensure compliance with the program must be
developed
‘Resources to carry out the program must be obtained
•An organizational structure must be developed
‘An Industrial Waste Survey must be conducted
‘A detailed description of the pretreatment program must be
submitted to the proper regulatory authority for review
‘If desired, the authority to revise categorical standards
must be obtained
•A determination of Fundamentally Different Factors must be
made.
7. Review one of the three examples of organizational struc-
tures that appears to fit the needs of the community. Discuss
this arrangement in terms of the potential for setting it up
with the local community. A sheet of paper may be used to
blank out parts of the diagram during the explanations.
Closing Remarks (5 minutes)
1. Answer any remaining questions.
2. Emphasize that a pretreatment program is the community’s
responsibility.
3. Develop a list of ways to encourage industry to cooperate in
the development of an industrial pretreatment program.
U8e one of the organ-
izational etructureB
for small 3 mediwn 3
and large treatment
agencies in the
Appendix.
List on chalkboard
or flip chart.
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Selected Resources
Local Pretreatment Program Requirements and Guidance . Springfield
VA: Environmental Technology Consultants, Inc., September 1979.
135 pp.
This document served as the basis for the preparation of
the handbook. It represents Environmental Technology
Consultants’ viewpoints and interpretation of the require-
ments to be met by POTWs in developing an approved local
pretreatment program. It is the most up—to—date document
on the subject. It contains more detailed information on
each of the subjects discussed in the handbook. It can
be obtained from Environmental Technology Consultants, Inc.
at The Executive Plaza, Suite 502, 6501 Loisdale Court,
Springfield, VA 22150.
Federal Guidelines, State and Local Pretreatment Programs . MCD—4
Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Water Program Operations, 1977. Vols. I, II, III. 661 pp.
This document contains the most detailed information available
on pretreatment programs. However, it is being revised and m
not be available. Volume I describes the programs. Volume
II provides information on pollutant removal, pass through
of wastes, and interference for the POTW. Volume III containc
information on the 34 industries for which categorical stan-
dards are to be developed.
Pretreatment of Industrial Wastes, Joint Municipal and Industrial
Seminar . Seminar Handout, Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Environmental Research Information Center, l97
488 pp.
This comprehensive handout is designed principally for
publicly—owned treatment plant operators and industry.
It presents a detailed review of the development and
management of the pretreatment program, user charge
systems, and monitoring and reporting. Specific ex-
amples and case histories are included to illustrate the
principles. It is available from the Regional EPA
Pretreatment Program Coordinators.
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Appendix
A. Charts for use by the instructor in the suggested activities.
These charts may be used to make transparencies or may
be copied orto chalkboards.
1. Prohibited Discharges
2. Toxic Pollutants in NRDC Consent Decree
3. Industrial Groups with Categorical Standards
4. Pretreatment Program Requirements
B. Handouts for use by the instructor in the guided discussions.
Copies will need to be made for each participant.
1. 65 Toxic Pollutants Listed in NRDC Consent Decree
2. Industries for which Categorical Standards are to be
Established
C. Organizational diagrams for use by the instructor in the guided
discussion. These diagrams may be used to make transparencies and
slides or the contents may be copied onto flip charts.
1. Typical Organization of a Small POTW System
2. Typical Organization of a Medium—Size POTW System
3. Typical Organization of a Large POTW System
D. Copy of the script for the slide—tape program, “Industrial
Pretreatment.”
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Prohibited Discharges
Explosive or fire-prone substances
Corrosive materials
Solid or viscous pollutants
Concentrated or large volumes
Heated effluent
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Toxic Pollutants in NRDC
Consent Decree
Asbestos
Benzene
Cadmium and compounds
Cyanides
Lead and compounds
Chlorinated organic compounds
Other substances
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0
Industrial Groups with
Categorical Standards
Metals Organic chemicals
Electroplating Inorganic chemicals
Glass Pulp and paper
Leather Food processing
Other groups Adhesives and paint
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Pretreatment Program
Requirements
Local legal authority
Organizational structure
Compliance procedures
Implementation resources
Industrial waste survey
Program description
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65 TOXIC POLLUTANTS LISTED IN NRDC CONSENT DECREE
Acenapthene Endrin and metabolites
Acrolein Ethylbenzene
Acrylonitrile Fluoranthene —-
Aldrin/Dieldrin Haloethers
Antimony and compounds Halomethanes
Arsenic and compounds Heptachior and metabolites
Asbestos Hexachiorobutadiene
Benzene Hexachiorocyc lopentadiene
Benzidine Hexachlorocyclohexane
Beryllium and compounds Isophorone
Cadmium and compounds Lead and compounds
Carbon tetrachioride Mercury and compounds
Chiordane Napthalene
Chlorinated benzenes Nickel and compounds
Chlorinated ethanes Nitrobenzene
Chioralkyl ethers Nitrophenols
Chlorinated naphthalene Nitrosamines
Chlorinated phenols Pentachlorophenol
Chloroform Phenol
2—chiorophenol Phthalate esters
Chromium and compounds Polychiorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Copper and compounds Polynuclear aromatic
Cyanides hydrocarbons
DDT and metabolities Selenium and compounds
Dichlorobenzenes Silver and compounds
Dichlorobenzidine 2,3,7 , 8, —Tetrachlorodibenzo—
Dichioroethylenes p—dioxin (TCDD)
2, 4—dichlorophenol Tetrachioroethylene
Dichioropropane & Thallium and compounds
Dichioropropene Toluene
2, 4—dimethylphenol Toxaphene
Dinitrotoluene Trichloroethylene
Diphenyihydrazine Vinyl chloride
Endosulf an and metabolites Zinc and compounds
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INDUSTRIES FOR WHICH CATEGORICAL STANDARDS ARE
TO BE ESTABLISHED
Adhesives
Leather Tanning and Finishing
Soaps and Detergents
Aluminum Forming
Battery Manufacturing
Coil Coating
Copper Forming
Electroplating
Foundries
Iron and Steel
Nonferrous Metals
Photographic Supplies
Plastics Processing
Porcelain Enamel
Gum and Wood Chemicals
Paint and Ink
Printing and Publishing
Pulp and Paper
Textile Mills
Timber
Coal Mining
Ore Mining
Petroleum Refining
Steam Electric
Organic Chemicals
Pesticides
Pharmaceuticals
Plastic and Synthetic Materials
Rubber
Laundries
Mechanical Products
Electrical and Electronic Components
Explosives Manufacturing
Inorganic Chemicals
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8
L
COM MISS lONER
OF PUBLIC WORKS
Ov.rall cc pens.biIIIy
for Industriol wa Is j
——- -I
I
I
I
I
I
I
CONTRACT LABORATORY
SERVICES FOR
SPECIALIZED ANALYSES
IF REQUIRED
TYPICAL ORGANIZATION OF A SMALL POTW SYSTEM
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MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL
ATTORNEY GOVERNMENT
1 COMMISSIONER L
I OF PUBLIC WORKS — 1
I I
DIRECTOROF CONSULTING
POLLUTION ENGINEER
— — CONTROL IF REQUIRED
OvevoII reSpon ibitiIy (Coniroci)
by undusl,iol wO I
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
OF POLLUTION CONTROL — — —
Admrn. Iers dusIriøI • 1
wosle progrom
J jTLA8 T 1
i----
TYPICAL ORGANIZATION OF A MEDIUM-SIZE POTW SYSTEM
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GENEIAL L
COUNSEL
F LEGAL
STAFF
IBJNI C 1PM.
GOVEUNIIINT OR
BOARD OF
COMISSIONUS
DIRECTOR OF
POLLUTION
CONTROL
a’
TYPICAL ORGANIZATION OF A LARGE POTW SYSTEM
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Audiovisual Script
INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT
Slide Description
1. Words: Start cassette on this slide
Narrative
2. Picture: Industry with Title
Overlay
Music
3. Picture: Industry
4. Picture: Industry
5. Picture: Industrial Waste
Discharge Scene
6. Picture: Outfall
Is there an industry in your municipality?
Does this industry discharge into the
sanitary sewer? Does it discharge toxic
materials in its waste? Does industry
pay its fair share of the wastewater
treatment costs? These are all very
important questions for a citizen
advisory group.
Industry is part of the lifestyle of
America.
Industrial waste is a by—product of
industry.
These industrial wastes require special
attention by communities. Industrial
wastes are difficult to deal with because
of the nature of the waste and sensitivity
of both the environment and waste treat-
ment processes to their strong or toxic
nature.
7. Words:
Words:
8. Nature
Nature of Wastes
toxic at low levels
combined effects
unknown effects
of Wastes (continued)
vary widely in strength
vary widely in concentration
Toxic problems occur from the nature of
materials -in the waste. some are toxic
at very low levels. Sometimes, when two
or more toxic materials are combined,
their total effects are more dramatic
than either material alone. There are
also those effects which as of yet have
not been determined. Finally, we are
finding many previously unrecognized
materials actually cause cancer when
people are exposed to them over long
periods of time.
Industrial waste streams can vary widely
in both strength and in concentration.
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9. Picture: Plant with weekend Their variations are from hour to hour,
shutdown day to day and season to season. For
example, some plants shut down each
weekend and produce no waste when they
are shut down.
10. Picture: Plant with seasonal Others, are seasonal, for instance
shutdown the vegetable and fruit canning in-
dustry. Industry needs the flexibility
but it makes waste treatment difficult.
11. Picture: Outfall with a ? Because of this unpredictability, a
on it. large factor—of—safety or conservatism
is needed in dealing with the industrial
wastes, especially those containing
known toxic materials.
12. Picture: 4 parts The environment, including the people
living in it, and the waste treatment
people stream plant are sensitive systems. Industry
is also a sensitive system. We need
waste industry
industry. But industry must balance
water plan
its waste treatment costs, labor, raw
materials, market, and so forth, with
its ability to stay in business. There
are many issues that must be addressed
in this balancing.
13. Picture: Typical The people must determine how they can
community accommodate their health, the environ-
ment, and the industry.
14. Graphic: Industrial Waste Industry has three major options for
Options treating the wastewater coming from
manufacturing processes:
15. Repeat Slide 2, highlight 1. Treat the wastewaters in their
Option #1 own facilities, and discharge
them directly into the receiving
waters.
16. Repeat Slide 2, highlight 2. Discharge the wastes directly
Option #2 to a publicly—owned treatment
works that can treat both
industrial and municipal
wastewaters, or
17. Repeat Slide 2, highlight 3. Pretreat the wastes to remove pollu—
Option #3 tants that are not compatible with
the publicly—owned treatment works
and then discharge them to the
publicly—owned treatment works
for final treatment.
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18. Words: Incompatible Pollutants
• Upset treatment
process
• Interfere with sludge
disposal
• Impair water quality
The main disadvantage of joint treatment
is that some pollutants in the industrial
wastewater may be incompatible with the
publicly—owned waste treatment plant.
Such incompatible pollutants tend to:
— upset treatment processes
— interfere with sludge disposal or
— impair water quality.
19. Graphic:
WWTP, overlay of words
“Upset Treatment
Processes”
(Animated visual)
The pollutant may interfere with the
functioning of one or more of the treat-
ment processes. For example, cyanide is
toxic to the microorganisms in biological
treatment, and excessive amounts of
organic matter or suspended solids can
overload the plant.
20. Picture: Sludge disposal on land,
overlay of words
“Interfere with Sludge
Disposal”
21. Picture: Polluted stream, overlay
of words,
“Impair Water Quality”
The pollutant as a part of the sludge
can make the sludge so toxic that it
cannot be disposed on land. The metal
cadmium may cause such a problem.
Or, the pollutant may pass through the
treatment plant without interfering with
the treatment processes or sludge disposal,
but cause the water quality standards in
the receiving waters to be violated.
Chlorides are an example of such a
pollutant.
22. Words: EPA Pretreatment Require-
ments
• Establish pretreatment
effluent standards
• Require specific munici-
palities to develop
general pretreatment
requirements
23. Words: Pretreatment Effluent
Standards
• Prohibited Discharges
Categorical Standards
In order to prevent abuse of our publicly-
owned treatment plants, Congress enacted
legislation reqiring EPA to see that
pretreatment programs are established.
The EPA is:
— establishing pretreatment effluent
standards for industrial wastes, and
— requiring specific municipalities to
develop general pretreatment regulations.
Two types of national pretreatment effluent
standards for pollutants are being
developed: “Prohibited Discharge Stan-
dards” and “Categorical Standards.”
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24. Graphic: Prohibited Discharges
The prohibited discharges apply to all
non—domestic discharges. Pollutants
include those that may have a deleterious
effect on the treatment plant or
receiving waters. They include:
— Materials that may cause fire or
explosion
— Corrosive materials
— Solid or viscous pollutants
— Heat discharges that will inhibit
biological activity, and
— Discharges that will cause violations
of permit requirements.
25. Words:
Categorical Standards
Apply to materials that:
occur in receiving waters
and drinking water
lead to health hazards
have toxic effects
Categorical discharge standards apply
to specific categories of industrial
wastes. These standards apply to
materials that could occur in receiving
waters and drinking water, could lead
to health hazards and could have toxic
effects.
26. Picture: Washington, DC
In 1976 and 1979, in settlement of a
suit with the National Resources
Defense Council, EPA agreed to concentrate
attention on potentially toxic substances
using currently available standards.
27. Graphic:
Examples of Some Toxic
Materials
Asbestos
Cadmium
Lead
DDT
This Natural Resources Defense Council
decree listed 65 toxic pollutants in 34
industrial categories. These pollutants
included such toxic materials as asbestos,
cadmium, lead and DDT. Other pollutants
and industries will undoubtedly be added
in the future.
Although your assisted agency will have
little input into setting the categorical
standards for toxic pollutants, its input
into the establishment of local regulations
is major.
28. Graphic: Public
Categorical
Standards
Local
Regulation
Environmental
Groups
Ass is ted
Local
Agency
V
Industry
1’
Advisory Group
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29. Picture: Industry
30. Picture: Industrial Scene
31. Words: Parts of Pretreatment
Regulations
• Local legal authority
• Resources
• Organizational structure
Industrial Waste Survey
Program Approval
32. Repeat Slide 15, highlight
Local legal authority
Industrial pretreatment regulations
control incompatible discharges; require
local enforcement; allow adjustment of
standards, and apply whether or not
there is federal funding.
The following requirements are essential
in order to have your pretreatment
program approved by EPA.
• Local legal authority
Resources.
• Organizational structure
• Industrial waste survey
Program Approval
The publicly—owned treatment works must
operate under local legal authority to
apply the various legislative requirements.
33. Word Slide:
Statutes
Ordinances
Contracts
Agreements
It may take the form of statutes,
ordinances, contracts, or agreements.
34. Picture: Slide Townsh1 Building
35. Picture: Industrial Waste
Ordinance
36. Repeat Slide 15, highlight
Resources
37. Graphic: Pie chart of user
charges
It must be binding upon industrial users,
enforceable under contract law or police
powers and at a minimum must assure
compliance with the pretreatment
regulations.
Although legal authority can take many
forms, the most co on is the Industrial
Waste Ordinance.
Model ordinances are available and they
should be examined, along with ordinances
from other agencies before adopting one.
The guidance and assistance of legal
council will be needed in writing and
enacting an ordinance.
The assisted agency should have sufficient
resources to operate the pretreatment
program. This includes both funds and
personnel.
Funds generally will be obtained from
user charges paid by all users of the
sewerage system and based on a formula
designed to charge each user his fair
share of the cost of operation.
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The number of personnel required will
vary from two to 100, depending upon
the size of the sewage system.
38. Repeat Slide 15, highlight The size and comple d.ty of the organiza—
Organizational Structure tional structure required to administer
and operate a pretreatment program
depends largely- on the size of the
- sewage system.
3 . Diagram: Typical Organization of In a small system a loosely defined
A Small POTW System structure with some part—time involvement
and contract services for administration
and laboratory services may be sufficient
to handle the expected workload.
40. Diagram: Typical Organization In a medium sized system, the work will
of a Medium—Size POTW be less demanding and usually can be
done within the usual organizational
structure with a minimum of specialized
personnel.
41. Diagram: Typical Organization A large system will have a well defined
of a Large POTW System organizational structure utilizing
personnel with specialized training and
qualifications. These people usually will
operate out of an Industrial Waste Division
and will have no responsibilities other
than industrial wastes.
42. Repeat Slide 15, highlight Before a pretreatment program can be
Industrial Waste Strvey approved, the grantee must conduct an
industrial waste survey.
43. Words: Industrial Waste Survey In this survey the assisted agency should:
Highlight 1st item Identify the principal users of the
Identify principal users publically owned treatment works.
Gather information about
process, waste, control
procedures, and pretreat-
ment operations
Notify users of appli-
cable pretreatment
standards
Establish good public involvement
44. Repeat slide 42, highlight 2nd item Gather information about the industrial
processes producing wastes, the quantity
and characteristics of the waste produced,
in—plant control procedures, and pre-
treatment operations.
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45. Repeat Slide, highlight 3rd item Notify th€. industrial users of all
applicable pretreatment standards
and develop procedures for notifying
Industrial Users of new standards.
46. Repeat Slide, highlight 4th item Establish good public involvement
programs with industry, commercial
concerns, and the public.
47. Picture: Public meeting This public involvement program should
be initiated as soon as possible and
48. Picture: Public meeting maintained at all times as it stimulates
industrial cooperation and provides addi-
tional input for the entire waste program.
49. Picture: Public meeting There are many public concerns with
joint treatment of industrial and munici-
pal wastes.
50. Picture: Industry with workers The main concerns include safety and
leaving front gate health.
51. Diagram: Depicting industrial Real or only assumed health risks create
health hazard emotional conflicts over pretreatment of
industrial wastes.
52. Picture: Industry with $ overlay The pretreatment program, besides insuring
health and safety of the public, insures
that industry pays its fair share of costs.
In other words, industry is a partner that
must provide an effluent to the public
treatment works that will not interfere
with the wastewater or sludge disposal
processes.
53. Picture: Man with hardhat in front Joint treatment benefits are not limited
of industry shaking hands to industry since the town as a whole
with a mayor or a citizen may often benefit by reduced overall
treatment costs.
54. Repeat Slide 15, highlight After the pretreatment regulations have
• Program Approval been developed, they must be submitted
to tile proper regulatory agency for
approval. ihe documents submitted must
contain enough information to demonstrate
the publicly—owned treatment work’s ability
to carry Out the pretreatment program.
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55. Picture: Advisory Group
56. Picture: Advisory Group
57. Words: Pretreatment Program Issues
• Roles of governments
• Safety factors
• Regulatory effectiveness
Administrative and
Financial Commitments
58. Graphic: Three governmental
units pulling together
on a pretreatment
program rope
59. Picture: Idyllic nature scene
60. Picture: Idyllic nature scene
61. Picture: Idyllic nature scene
The advisory group can help implement a
satisfactory toxics control program.
Implementation takes cooperation between
industry and the agency , but at the same
time the environment and the public safety
must be protected.
Fear or misinformation often causes the
public to react negatively to a joint/
municipal treatment facility. On the
other hand an informed advisory group
and public may prevent discharge of
harmful or troublesome materials to
the publicly owned treatment works.
As representatives of the community, the
advisory group has a special stake in an
effective pretreatment program. Several
important issues include the relative
roles of government, safety factors in
waste treatment, an effective regulatory
agency, and long—term administrative and
financial commitments.
It is appropriate for the advisory group
to ask: What are the limits and flexi-
bility of local programs? What powers
are reserved by state and federal governments?
and what are the advantages of governmental
combinations?
The advisory groups should point out the
need for factors—of—safety to be built
into the local regulations. Thes are
necessary due to the limits of under-
standing ecological systems, and the
variability of industrial wastes.
The advisory groups should ascertain if
the management agency can react quickly
to pretreatment problems.
The advisory group should also make the
regulatory agency face up to the respon-
sibilities of dealing with violators,
perhaps even by closing down industries
that employ local people.
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62. Graphic: Finally the advisory groups can help
$ and manpower being agencies address the long—term commitment
stretched very thin , to administrative and financial respon—
with prominent question sibilities such as: public and industrial
mark capital investment, monitoring of
ecological and treatment systems, and
plant operations.
63. Picture: Person sitting at desk Advisory groups can help agencies identify
the administrative and staff resources
that are needed.
64. Picture: Advisory group The advisory group can help make sure
that government, industry, and public
cooperate to manage toxic wastes through
industrial pretreatment.
65. Credit slide Music.
U S GOVERNM T PRINTING OFFICRi iPSO 34L—oe2/11i
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Working for Clean Water is a program designed to help
advisory groups improve decision making in water quality planning.
It aims at helping people focus on essential issues and questions,
by providing trained instructors and materials suitable for persons
with non—technical backgrounds. These materials include a citizen
handbook on important principles and considerations about topics
in water quality planning, an audiovisual presentation , and in-
structor guide for elaborating points, providing additional infor-
mation, and engaging in problem—solving exercises.
a.
This program consists of 18 informational units on various
aspects of water quality planning:
Role of Advisory Groups Innovative and alternative
Technologies
Public Participation
Industrial Pretreatment
Nonpoint Source Pollution:
Agriculture, Forestry, and Land Treatment
Mining
Water Conservation and
Urban Seorsiwacer Runoff Reuse
Groundwater Contamination . Multiple Use
Facility Planning in the . Envirocunental Assessment
Construction Grants Program
Cost—Effectiveness Analysis
Municipal Wastewater
Processes: Overview Wastewater Facilities
Operation and Maintenance
Municipal Waseewater
Processes: Details Financial Management
Small Systems
The units are not designed to make technical experts out of citizens
and local officials. Each unit contains essential facts, key ques-
tions, advice on how to deal. with the issues, and clearly—written
technical backgrounds. In short, each unit provides the information
that citizen advisors need to better fulfill their role.
This program is available through public participation coordinators
at the regional offices of the United States Environmental Protection
Agency.
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