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Council amends sewer pretreatment rule to charge by loading rather than only concentration
Summary
Ordinance C-1068 was approved on first reading after the council suspended rules; Acting Public Works Director Dennis Fuller said the amendment allows the city to calculate high-strength wastewater surcharges by loading (mass) instead of solely concentration, providing a fairer approach for certain businesses.
The City Council approved Ordinance C-1068 on first reading after suspending the rules, amending the city's sewer pretreatment regulation to permit surcharges for high-strength wastewater based on loading rather than only concentration.
Acting Public Works Director Dennis Fuller explained the change: "The amendment does not really change the ordinance, or the intent of the ordinance...The intent was to surcharge individual distributors into our system to offset additional costs at the treatment plant for treating high strength wastewater. This ordinance change only allows us the flexibility to charge high wastewater strength based on loading rather than concentration." Fuller said the table in the ordinance is presented as concentration for readability but the calculation can be performed on loading for fairness.
Council members asked whether the amendment would address concerns raised by two local businesses; Fuller said adoption enables staff to meet with the dischargers and explain the program but that businesses "are still gonna have to invest in pretreatment and a flow meter for the sewer." The council approved the ordinance on first reading.
