SEQUIM — The city wants to know a little more about what is flowing into the sewer lines from local commercial and industrial properties to ensure it’s ready to handle the discharge.
To help find out, city officials will soon distribute a survey to owners of commercial and industrial properties in the city detailing what each customer is sending to the city Water Reclamation Facility.
Sequim Public Works Director Paul Haines said the survey — being prepared this month and next — isn’t intended for enforcement.
He said the city, as a provider of wastewater treatment services, simply needs to know the quality of the water it will be asked to treat.
That’s a lot easier when you know what’s in it, he said.
Haines said by “refining what we know about the industries and commercial properties and what they discharge, we’ll know better if our plant can handle it.”
If it can’t, he said, there will be two options: either work with the company to reduce the pollutants at the source or make changes to the wastewater plant.
Haines provided an example, saying someone who plates metals would likely have high levels of discharged metals.
“We need to know so we can treat it at the plant or reduce it at the source,” he said.
Wastewater reuse
The program is particularly important given the city’s dedication to reusing wastewater.
Haines noted that the solids released from the treatment plant are used on agricultural land.
“We don’t want to lose that ability,” he said.
Another reason for the survey is that the city wants to ensure it’s operating in full compliance with its state and federal permits.
The collection, treatment and reuse of wastewater in the city are regulated by the city’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and Reclaimed Water Permit, which is issued by the state Department of Ecology and consistent with federal regulations.
To meet the requirements of the permit, the city likely will write an update to its current sewer use ordinance.
In addition to new restrictions for toxic pollutants, the updated ordinance is expected to strengthen limits on the amount of fats, oils and greases that can be discharged by restaurants and other food-service establishments.
City officials said they anticipate all commercial/industrial dischargers from both inside and outside city limits will be subject to the new restrictions.
The city hopes to have the new program in place by May.
For more information, contact Pete Tjemsland, city utilities manager, at 360-683-4908 or ptem@sequimwa.gov.
________
Reporter Mark St.J. Couhig can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at mcouhig@peninsuladailynews.com.
