The goals of the Alliance Industrial Pretreatment Program are to protect wastewater infrastructure, worker safety, and public and environmental health from potentially harmful discharges from industrial and commercial users. Program requirements apply to all non-domestic discharges to the wastewater system.

The Alliance’s Salmon Creek Regional Wastewater Management System is a critical part of the community’s public infrastructure, handling approximately 8 to 10 million gallons of wastewater per day from homes and businesses. The Pretreatment Program ensures that businesses meet regulatory requirements to prevent pollution from entering the wastewater system. The program is federally mandated by the Clean Water Act and is a requirement of the Salmon Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which is issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology to the Alliance. The goals of the program are to protect wastewater infrastructure, worker safety, and public and environmental health from potentially harmful discharges from industrial and commercial users. Program requirements apply to all non-domestic discharges to the wastewater system.

Please see the resources below for information about specific business requirements. For more information, please contact us by email or call 360-993-8833.

Industrial Pretreatment Program Delegation

The Alliance administers and enforces the Pretreatment Program in accordance with the Alliance Pretreatment Regulations, which set forth uniform requirements for all industrial and commercial discharges into the Alliance regional wastewater system. The Alliance Pretreatment Regulations are adopted as the local Sewer Use Ordinance by both the City of Battle Ground and Clark Regional Wastewater District, as the two agencies that provide wastewater service to customers in the Alliance service area. The Alliance, City and District work collaboratively via Interlocal Agreement to implement and enforce the program. District staff administer the program on behalf of the Alliance partner agencies, and work with businesses in both the District and City service areas to ensure compliance with these regulations.

The objectives of the Alliance Pretreatment Regulations are:

  • To protect the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) from potential harm, including Interference with the treatment process or infrastructure, or Pass Through of pollutants to the receiving environment; or otherwise causing the POTW to respond to a discharge based on a real or perceived public health or environmental threat
  • To protect POTW staff who may be affected by wastewater and biosolids in the course of their employment, and to protect the general public
  • To promote reuse and recycling of industrial wastewater by Industrial Users
  • To provide high-quality end products, such as reclaimed water and biosolids for beneficial use
  • To provide for fees for the equitable distribution of the cost of operation, maintenance, and improvement of the POTW, as economically feasible
  • To enable the Alliance to comply with all requirements of its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit conditions, and any other Federal or State laws it may be subject to

The Alliance is required to identify businesses that may be subject to the Pretreatment Regulations and to characterize any pollutants discharged to the wastewater system. This is accomplished by requiring all industrial and commercial customers to complete an Environmental Survey prior to discharging wastewater to the Alliance. The information provided on this form helps the Alliance determine what program requirements are applicable, based on the nature of the business and characterization of the proposed wastewater discharge. District staff review all surveys and will contact you if more information is needed to determine applicable program requirements.

The Alliance issues discharge authorizations to businesses for their wastewater discharge. Certain types of businesses are required by federal and state regulations to obtain a permit prior to wastewater discharge. These users will be required to complete an Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit application.

Please note that forms can be filled out online, but must be signed in hard copy and submitted by fax to 360-750-7570 or US Mail to the Discovery Clean Water Alliance, attention of the Industrial Pretreatment Program, 8000 NE 52nd Court, Vancouver, WA 98665.

Additional resources are provided below for specific types of businesses.

Restaurants and other facilities that serve food are required to control the fats, oils and grease (FOG) present in their wastewater discharge. FOG in the wastewater system sticks to the insides of pipes, restricting flow and causing clogs, which can lead to sewage backups into homes and businesses or overflows into streets and streams. Food service establishments are required to install grease removal devices that separate FOG from wastewater and prevent it from entering the wastewater system. These devices must be cleaned and maintained on a regular basis to ensure they are working properly.

Requirements for device sizing, cleaning and maintenance can be found in the Alliance Pretreatment Regulations. The Alliance also requires that food service establishments complete a Food Service Establishment (FSE) Survey. New food service establishments work with their local wastewater agency through the plan review process to ensure that the Alliance requirements are met. Grease removal devices are inspected at the time of their installation, and on an ongoing basis to ensure compliance with cleaning and maintenance standards.

For more information, please contact us by email or call 360-993-8833. For additional resources and to locate a service provider for your grease removal device, please visit the Preferred Pumper Program website at preferredpumper.org.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established federal guidelines to control wastewater discharges of mercury present in dental amalgam waste. Dental offices that place or remove amalgam must operate and maintain a dental amalgam separator and complete and submit a One-Time Compliance Report to the Alliance. For more information, please contact us by email or call 360-993-8833.

Forms

All forms must be signed and submitted via fax 360-750-7570 or US Mail to:

Discovery Clean Water Alliance
Attn: Industrial Pretreatment Program
8000 NE 52nd Court
Vancouver, WA 98665

Documents

Current Users

Access the Alliance Pretreatment Reporting System

Contact Us

pretreatment@crwwd.com

Kristen Thomas, Regulatory Compliance Manager
360-993-8833
kthomas@crwwd.com