The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has identified 126 priority pollutants that are either prohibited or strictly limited in discharges to the sewerage system due to their toxicity. Some of the frequently encountered priority pollutants are arsenic, benzenes, chloroform, cyanide, phenols and pesticides, as well as heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver and zinc.

The Public Utilities’ Industrial Wastewater Control Program issues discharge permits, performs inspections, conducts wastewater monitoring and enforces sewer discharge standards at businesses and industries throughout the Metropolitan Sewerage System service area. The program also performs water use audits and samples the discharging wastewater to obtain additional data that is used to establish sewer billing rates for industrial and commercial dischargers.

Some of the types of local industries that are regulated to prevent contaminants from entering the sewerage system include:

• Aerospace manufacturing.
• Metal finishing and metal forming.
• Pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Hospitals and medical centers.
• Large food manufacturers.
• Commercial and industrial laundries.
• Car washes.
• A variety of laboratories.

Legal Authority

• City of San Diego Municipal Code 64.0400-64.0411
• City of San Diego Municipal Code 64.0500-64.0520 (Related to Industrial Wastewater Control)
• National Pretreatment Program | US EPA

Related Links

• City of San Diego Stormwater Department
• County of San Diego Hazardous Waste Management
• County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program