Purpose
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The
Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (District), in cooperation
with the Sacramento County Department of Water Resources, is responsible for
managing discharges to the sanitary sewer and storm drain system within the
metropolitan area of Disposal of pressure washing
wastewater should go to the sanitary sewer system following the conditions of a Letter Permit issued by the District where ground surface evaporation is
not feasible or where wastewater might enter a storm drain. |
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Pressure Washing Defined |
Any activity
which uses cleaning equipment and pressurized water (with or without
detergents or chemical additives) to clean various surfaces including, but
not limited to, transportation-related, structural, and food-related
cleaning. |
Who Needs A
Permit? |
Any business
that conducts mobile pressure-washing activities within |
Discharge Locations: Where can wastewater be
disposed? |
There are
several options for the proper disposal of pressure-washing wastewater: 1.
Transport to the District’s
designated hauled waste disposal locations. The District charges a fee for
discharging to septage stations. NOTE:
It is illegal to discharge hauled wastewater into a public sewer system at an
unauthorized location. 2.
Disposal to the sanitary sewer at the site of generation 3.
Disposal to the sanitary sewer at your place of business 4.
Disposal at a private treatment facility 5.
Allowing the wastewater to evaporate from the
ground surface, provided no pollutants will be left exposed to be washed into
the storm drain system by rainfall or irrigation. v
Do NOT
dispose of wastewater to the storm drain inlets or allow wastewater to flow
into the storm drain system from paved or ground surfaces. |
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What Does A Permit Cost? |
There is
currently No Cost for a Mobile
Pressure Washer Letter Permit.
However, if you collect wastewater in a vehicle and transport the
wastewater to the District’s designated hauled-waste disposal site for disposal,
then a $200 annual fee applies. |
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How to Identify a
Storm Drain Inlet vs. a Sewer Drain |
A storm
drain inlet is located outside along a curb or in a parking lot and is an
open grate into the ground. (Parking
lots are typically sloped to direct water into storm drain inlets; thus, it
is important that you actively prevent water from entering the inlets.) Sewer drains usually are
located inside a building and are
not open and exposed to rain. With the
permission of the business owner at the work site, sewers can be accessed outside through a sewer
cleanout, a small cover (metal or concrete) about 9 inches wide, typically
marked “sewer” or “S”. |
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What Is Allowed
Into The Sewer System Under A Letter Permit? |
Wastewater generated from the
following cleaning activities generally can be discharged directly to the
sewer: ·
Transportation-related
washwater Exterior
vehicle fleet washing Mobile auto
detailing Car, RV or
boat lot rinsing ·
Structural cleaning Sidewalks,
plazas, driveways Parking
garages, service stations Building exteriors and walls ·
Food service-related cleaning Restaurant
alleys, grocery dumpster areas Restaurant
cleaning: floor mats, exhaust filters, grease filters Lunch
wagon/food cart rinsing |
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What
Activities Require Pre-Approval Prior To Discharging Into The Sewer System? |
Wastewater
generated from the following activities must receive pre-approval from the
District prior to discharge into the sewer: ·
Engine/equipment degreasing ·
Acid cleaning of vehicles, equipment, structures or containers ·
Other activities not listed in the section above covering
allowable discharges |
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Pretreatment |
Pretreatment
prior to disposal to the sewer is recommended whenever possible. Pretreatment will be required to
neutralize wastewater with a pH lower than 5.0 or higher than 12.5, or to
remove: ·
General solids (sludge, grit, rocks, metal scraps) that
may clog the sewer ·
Petroleum (vehicle or machine cleaning) oils and greases ·
Flammable, hazardous (as defined in Title 22 of the
California Code of Regulations), or volatile solvents and/or degreasing
agents ·
Solids generated from paint removal or flaking If
pre-treatment is required, it is recommended that Sacramento County
Environmental Management Department, Hazardous Materials Division
(916-875-8550), be contacted to determine whether or not a tiered (treatment)
permit is required. |
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Who Can You Call For Further
Assistance? |
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