Consent 1.J.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 09/11/2017
- TITLE
- Second Reading of Ordinance Amending Billings Montana City Code (BMCC) Article 26-600, Industrial Waste Discharge
- PRESENTED BY:
- David Mumford
- Department:
- Public Works
Presentation:
No
PROBLEM/ISSUE STATEMENT
The City’s industrial pretreatment program is published in the City Code (BMCC), Article 26-600 and was first adopted by the City Council in 1985. Since that initial adoption it has been modified several times. The last significant modification was approved in 2013. This program controls substances discharged into the City’s sanitary sewer system by the City’s commercial and industrial customers. The proposed modifications are necessary for the City’s program to continue to meet USEPA standards. The USEPA has reviewed and approved the modifications following a 30 day public notice and comment period. City Council held a public hearing and approved the ordinance on first reading on June 12, 2017. Some of the modifications to the ordinance include:
• Modification of the local limits for pollutants. These are limits which are more inclusive or restrictive than the national pretreatment standards and are calculated based on the City’s collection and treatment system. The pollutants BTEX, Methylene Chlordie, and Tetrachloroethene were removed from the first reading due to non-detection of these pollutants.
• Updating and modifying the ordinance in keeping with the USEPA streamlining rule for pretreatment. This rule was designed to reduce the regulatory burden on both the pretreatment users of the sanitary system and the City of Billings.
• Clarifies the City's control authority to implement the pretreatment regulations in the service area.
• Modification of the local limits for pollutants. These are limits which are more inclusive or restrictive than the national pretreatment standards and are calculated based on the City’s collection and treatment system. The pollutants BTEX, Methylene Chlordie, and Tetrachloroethene were removed from the first reading due to non-detection of these pollutants.
• Updating and modifying the ordinance in keeping with the USEPA streamlining rule for pretreatment. This rule was designed to reduce the regulatory burden on both the pretreatment users of the sanitary system and the City of Billings.
• Clarifies the City's control authority to implement the pretreatment regulations in the service area.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYZED
City Council may:
• Approve the ordinance modifying and updating Article 26-600 of the BMCC on the second reading to be in compliance with current USEPA standards and requirements for pretreatment; or,
• Not approve the ordinance. If the ordinance is not approved, the pretreatment program will not be updated to current USEPA standards and will not allow certain Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) to discharge into the City’s wastewater collection system in the future.
• Approve the ordinance modifying and updating Article 26-600 of the BMCC on the second reading to be in compliance with current USEPA standards and requirements for pretreatment; or,
• Not approve the ordinance. If the ordinance is not approved, the pretreatment program will not be updated to current USEPA standards and will not allow certain Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) to discharge into the City’s wastewater collection system in the future.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no direct budget/financial impact from this action.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the second reading of the ordinance that amends City Code Article 26-600, Industrial Waste Discharge.