Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Program

The Salt Lake City Corporation’s (City) pretreatment program oversees industrial wastewater discharged into the City’s sanitary sewer system (i.e., publicly owned treatment works; POTW).  Industrial wastewater treatment, to reduce or eliminate conventional and toxic pollutants, prior to discharge into to the POTW is required and regulated under the Clean Water Act, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 40 Part 403, “General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution,” Utah Administrative Code R317-8-8, and Salt Lake City Ordinance Chapters 17.32, 17.36, 17.52, 17.68 and 17.69.

All sewer users connected to the sanitary sewer system are prohibited from introducing the following into the POTW:

• Pollutants that may interfere with the POTW or contaminate sewer sludges (i.e., biosolids)
• Pollutants that pass-through the POTW, inadequately treated, into receiving waters or the atmosphere, or are otherwise incompatible with the POTW processes
• Pollutants that cause harm to POTW personnel or the general public

Commercial and industrial facilities are responsible to ensure their wastewater discharge meets all regulatory standards and requirements.  In accordance with the Clean Water Act, 40 CFR 403) the Utah Administrative Code and City standards, businesses are required to submit a Commercial and Industrial User Questionnaire (CIUQ). The CIUQ shall be completed by any industry or manufacturing facility, food production or food service establishment, medical or dental office, truck or car wash, or other business that discharges, or has the potential to discharge, non-domestic wastewater (e.g., wastewater generated from manufacturing or production, washing or cleaning, rinsing, etc.) into the sanitary sewer system.  Facilities that store and / or handle hazardous or toxic materials / waste also shall submit a CIUQ.

Industries or facilities with specific manufacturing processes, wastewater pollutants or waste streams, are required to meet wastewater discharge water quality parameters (i.e., discharge limits) and other requirements.  These facilities must obtain a wastewater discharge permit prior to the discharge wastewater into the POTW.  Industrial sewer users should contact the pretreatment program to obtain and submit a wastewater discharge permit application.

Our pretreatment program is ready to answer any questions you have requiring discharges into the sanitary sewer system.  The pretreatment program can be reached at:

Contact: Terrence Price – Water Reclamation Facility Regulatory Compliance Manager
Email: terrence.price@slcgov.com
Phone: 801-799-4041

Mailing Address:
Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Facility
ATTN: Terry Price
2020 North Redwood Road
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116

The following links provide additional details related to City Code or other specific wastewater discharge regulations or other helpful sewer related information. 

• City Code – Wastewater Pretreatment Ordinance
• Dental Facilities – SLC One-Time Dental Amalgam Compliance Form 
• Prohibited Sewer Discharge
• Limits
  • Local Limits Evaluation Report, October 2016 (PDF)
  • Wastewater Discharge Limits
• Grease
  • Grease Trap Sizing worksheet (PDF)
  • Grease Interceptor Sizing worksheet (PDF)
• Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals Sewer Ban
  • SLC Pharmaceutical Notice
  • EPA Pharmaceutical Sewer Ban Fact Sheet
  • EPA Final Rule: Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals and Amendment to the P075 Listing for Nicotine
• EPA National Pretreatment Program