Sanitary Sewer Program

Title:	Sanitary Sewer Program
Publication date:	9/20/2021
Effective date:	8/11/2011

BRIEF

Policy Summary

The Sanitary Sewer Program ensures that Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) remains in compliance with sewer discharge limits imposed by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) by:

Assisting dischargers by reviewing their potential discharge to see if it is eligible for sanitary-sewer disposal;
Maintaining sitewide, treatment unit, and other special discharge permits with EBMUD; and
Submitting periodic self-monitoring reports to EBMUD as required by each permit.

Who Should Read This Policy

All Berkeley Lab employees who intend to discharge potentially hazardous substances to the sanitary sewer system. This includes career employees, affiliates, subcontractors, visiting researchers, and all casual and participating visitors at the Lab.

To Read the Full Policy, Go To:

The POLICY tab on this wiki page

To Read the EHS Program Details, Go To:

ES&H Manual Chapter 55

Contact Information

Sanitary Sewer Program Subject Matter Expert
Environmental Services Group
EHS Division

Title:	Sanitary Sewer Program
Publication date:	9/20/2021
Effective date:	8/11/2011

POLICY

A. Purpose

The Sanitary Sewer Program ensures that Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) remains in compliance with sewer discharge limits imposed by the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) by:

Assisting dischargers by reviewing their potential discharge to see if it is eligible for sanitary-sewer disposal;
Maintaining sitewide, treatment unit, and other special discharge permits with EBMUD; and
Submitting periodic self-monitoring reports to EBMUD as required by each permit.

B. Persons Affected

All Berkeley Lab employees who intend to discharge potentially hazardous substances to the sanitary sewer system. This includes career employees, affiliates, subcontractors, visiting researchers, and all casual and participating visitors at the Lab.

C. Exceptions

None

D. Policy Statement

Berkeley Lab holds permits with local water districts that have established a permitting process mandating operating conditions that must be fulfilled for all wastewater discharged to their sanitary-sewer systems.
These wastewater discharge permits specify different discharge limits at the Berkeley Lab site boundary and on-site treatment units. (Work Process A).

E. Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibilities
East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) – the local wastewater treatment facility	Accepts and regulates sanitary-sewer discharges from Berkeley Lab.
Employees	Follow applicable water-district permits and ordinances; Must be fully aware of the environmental impact of their activities and comply with all requirements that govern those activities; Must take immediate action to stop unplanned releases to the sanitary sewer and report all instances of unplanned sanitary-sewer releases to the EHS Division; and Must not discharge paper towels to the sanitary sewer.
Environmental Services Group (ESG)	Prepares and maintains sanitary-sewer permits with EBMUD; Assists in determining whether a discharge is eligible for sanitary-sewer disposal; Prepares special discharge permits with EBMUD for disposing of stormwater to the sanitary sewer at construction sites; Makes presentations and participates in discussions regarding sanitary-sewer-permit compliance matters, with Berkeley Lab employees and EBMUD. Curtails or suspends any operations that are not in compliance with water-district permits and ordinances; Monitors laboratory discharges by sampling the sanitary sewer to verify compliance with applicable regulations and permits, and reports results to EBMUD; Investigates reports of unplanned sanitary-sewer releases and notifies water districts in a timely manner, as required; and Coordinates and represents Berkeley Lab activities during water district audits.
Principal Investigators and Supervisors	Ensure that water-district permits and ordinances are followed; Request assistance from the Waste Management Group (Generator Assistant) and the ESG for technical advice on questions relating to sanitary-sewer disposal; and Notify the EHS Division immediately of any accidental releases to the sanitary sewer.
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)	Regulates sanitary-sewer discharges to San Francisco Bay from Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW).
Waste Management Group	The Generator Assistant aids in determining whether the proposed discharge is a hazardous waste. If so, the discharge is not eligible for sanitary-sewer disposal.

F. Definitions/Acronyms

See the ES&H Manual Sanitary Sewer program for technical terms related to the details of this policy and its implementation.

Term	Definition
Environmental monitoring	The collection and analysis of sanitary sewer samples.
Hazardous waste	Waste specifically listed by the EPA as hazardous, or waste that exhibits any of the following characteristics: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity.
Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW)	A sewage treatment plant. The East Bay Municipal Utility District plant is the POTW that accepts sewage from Berkeley Lab. The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District plant is the POTW that accepts sewage from the JGI.

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

Discharge Analysis Reports are maintained by the ESG within the EHS Division.
EBMUD permits and special discharge permits are maintained by ESG.

H. Implementing Documents

Document number	Title	Type
07.09.005.001	Sanitary Sewer Program	Program
07.09.005.002	Work Process A, General Requirements	Process

I. Contact Information