The Chicago Plumbing Code

§ 18-29-805

Waste Water Control.

§ 18-29-805.1 Preliminary treatment.

Whenever an industrial plant or other establishment discharges or proposes to discharge industrial wastes into any waters, sewer, drain, watercourse or natural outlet in the city of Chicago, such plant or establishment shall either:

  1. Reduce or modify the objectionable characteristics or constituents of such industrial wastes to meet the limits or requirements of Section § 18-29-805.2 and to prevent pollution; or
  2. Control the quantities and rates of discharge of such industrial wastes over a 24-hour day and a seven- day week to prevent surge discharges which may place an unreasonable burden upon the sewage works on the metropolitan water reclamation district.

§ 18-29-805.1.1 Approval.

The commissioner of sewers shall require the owner, operator or tenant of such industrial plant or establishment to provide adequate preliminary treatment or handling facilities to accomplish such a result. Before any permit for the construction of preliminary treatment or handling facilities is issued, plans, specifications and other pertinent data or information relating to such proposed treatment or handling facilities shall be submitted for the approval of said commissioner. No permit shall be issued and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced without the prior written approval of said commissioner; and no substantial alteration or addition to or in the sewer or drain or in the preliminary treatment or handling facilities shall be made without the prior written approval of said commissioner.

§ 18-29-805.2 Prohibited wastes.

No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the wastes or waters described in Sections § 18-29-805.2.1 and § 18-29-805.2.2 into any sewer, watercourse, natural outlet or waters within or partially within or adjoining the boundaries of the city of Chicago.

§ 18-29-805.2.1 Maximum concentration.

Maximum concentration acceptable for discharge into the sewage system of the city of Chicago shall be in accordance with that set forth by the metropolitan water reclamation district ordinance titled the sewage and waste control ordinance enacted September 18, 1969 and as amended from time to time.

§ 18-29-805.2.2 Types of discharge.

Any discharge of wastes or water into a sewer which terminates in or is a part of the sewage system of the city of Chicago must not contain the following:

  1. 1. Interfere with the biological process of a sewage treatment plant;

    2. Interfere with proper operation of the sewage works; or

    3. Cause obstruction to flow in sewers; or cause pollution as herein defined;

  2. Water or wastes containing more than 100 parts per million (833 pounds per million gallons; 378 kg. per 3,785,400 L) of fats, oils or greases if such water or wastes are in the opinion of the commissioner of sewers sufficient to:

Liquids, solids or gases which by reason of their nature or quantity are sufficient to cause fire or explosion or be injurious in any way to the structures making up the sewage works or to the operation of the sewage works;

Noxious or malodorous liquids, gases or substances which whether singly or by interactions with other wastes are sufficient to create a public nuisance or hazard to life sufficient to prevent entry into the sewers for their maintenance and repair;

� � �4.� � �Water or wastes containing toxic substances in quantities which are sufficient to pose a hazard to life or interfere with the biological processes of the sewage treatment works;

� � �5.� � �Garbage that has not been ground or comminuted to such a degree that all particles will be carried freely in suspension under conditions normally prevailing in public sewers with no particle greater than 1/2 inch (13 mm) in dimension;

� � �6.� � �Radioactive wastes unless they comply with the Atomic Energy Commission Act of 1954 (68 Stat. 919 as amended and Part 20 Subpart D � Waste Disposal, Section 20.303 of the regulations issued by the Atomic Energy Commission) or amendments thereto;

� � �7.� � �Solid or viscous wastes which cause obstruction to flow in sewers or other interference with the proper operation of the sewage system or sewage treatment works, such as grease, uncomminuted garbage, animal guts or tissues, paunch manure, bone, hair, hides, fleshings, entrails, feathers, sand, cinders, ashes, spent lime, stone or marble dust, metal, glass, straw, shavings, grass clippings, rags, spent grain, waste paper, wood, plastic, gas, tar, asphalt, residues, residues from refining processing of fuels or lubricating oil, gasoline, naptha and similar substances;

� � �8.� � �Liquids or vapors having a temperature higher than 150�F (65.7�C) at point of entrance into a public sewer;

� � �9.� � �Waters or waste containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the sewage treatment process employed or are amenable to treatment only to such degree that the water reclamation plants effluent cannot meet the requirement of other agencies having jurisdiction of discharge to the receiving waters;

� � �10.� � �Excessive discoloration (such as � but not limited to � dye waste and vegetable tanning solutions); or

� � �11.� � �Hg. concentration of mercury, Hg shall not exceed the standards set forth in the Illinois Pollution Control Board�s Mercury Regulation No. R70-5; adopted March 31, 1971.

§ 18-29-805.3� Discharges of clean waters.

� � �Wherever possible clean waters from air conditioning, cooling or condensing systems or from swimming pools or cleaning waters resulting from pretreatment of industrial wastes shall be discharged into a storm sewer, combined sewer or natural outlet approved by the commissioner of sewers.

§ 18-29-805.4� Manholes.

� � �Any person discharging industrial wastes into a sewer shall construct and maintain a suitable control manhole or manholes downstream from any such places of discharge to permit observation, measurement and sampling of such wastes by the department of sewers or by personnel of the metropolitan water reclamation district. Where no manhole has been constructed or can be constructed, as in the case of some existing industries, the control manhole shall be considered to be the nearest downstream manhole in the public sewer to the point at which the building sewer is connected.

§ 18-29-805.4.1 Use and permit.

The use of manholes shall be determined by the metropolitan water reclamation district and the department of sewers. The department of sewers will require a permit for the repair, adjustment, construction or cleaning of sewers or sewer structures.

§ 18-29-805.5 Gauging and sampling.

The commissioner of sewers shall have the right to enter and set up, on the owner�s property, such devices as may be necessary to conduct a gauging and sampling operation after first giving 10 days advance notice of his intention so to do. While performing said gauging and sampling, said commissioner, his representative or anyone performing said work in his behalf, shall observe and comply with all safety rules applicable to the premises, established by the said owner or occupant.

§ 18-29-805.5.1 Legal or financial obligation.

The commissioner of sewers is hereby authorize to make arrangement with the metropolitan water reclamation district without incurring any legal or financial obligation upon the city of Chicago, to undertake and conduct such gauging and sampling operations, in its behalf; and to provide the necessary devices and facilities as well as the personnel and also to make the analyses of samples of such wastes, as hereinafter provided, in its own laboratories and other facilities or equipment; provided, that no such arrangements with the District shall place any personnel of the District under the control of said commissioner or cause such personnel of the district to be treated as employees of the city of Chicago for any purposes whatsoever.

§ 18-29-805.6 Sampling methods.

In order to ascertain whether or not the sewage or waste of any kind discharged by any person into any waters or sewage system conforms to the criteria or water quality standards of the environment department of the building department of sewers will use any appropriate method or device which will lead to such a determination.

§ 18-29-805.7 Analyses.

All analyses to determine the strength and character of industrial wastes shall be made in accordance with the latest edition of��Standard Methods for Examination of Water and Waste Water� prepared and published jointly by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and Water Pollution Control Federation. Strength, character and quantity of wastes shall be based on any appropriate samples taken from the flow from all plant outlets discharging into a single public sewer.

§ 18-29-805.7.1 Preliminary treatment.

The building commissioner shall require the owner, operator or tenant of such industrial plant or other establishment to provide adequate preliminary treatment of handling facilities to accomplish such a result. Before any permit for the construction of preliminary treatment of handling facilities shall be issued, plans, specifications and other pertinent data or information relating to such proposed treatment or handling facilities shall be submitted by the industry for approval of said commissioner, and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced without the prior written approval of said commissioner and no substantial alteration or addition to or in the sewer or drain or in the preliminary treatment or handling facilities shall be made without the prior written approval of said commissioner.

§ 18-29-805.7.2 Written approval.

No permit shall be issued and no construction of such facilities shall be commenced without the prior written approval of the commissioner of sewers and no substantial alteration or addition to or in the sewer or drain or in the preliminary treatment or handling facilities shall be made without the prior written approval of said commissioner.