Since 1985, The City of Loveland's Industrial Pretreatment Program has been helping businesses and residents protect the sewer system and water quality in the Big Thompson River.

Here's some information about what Pretreatment is and how it can help you.

Pretreatment Program Overview

The national pretreatment program is a collaboration between federal, state, and local environmental regulatory agencies to protect water quality.

The City of Loveland's Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) was approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on September 9, 1985.

Loveland's IPP is designed to: Protect the publicly-owned treatment works (POTW); and reduce amounts of toxic and conventional pollutants in wastewater discharged by commercial and industrial (non-domestic) sources into the POTW and the Big Thompson River.

IPP activities typically include: facility inspections, sampling, permit writing and administration, maintaining an industrial user survey, compliance, enforcement, and technical assistance. Typical businesses that are subject to inspection include auto repair/body shops, breweries, car washes, dental facilities, food service establishments, manufacturers, and metal finishers.

Chapter 13.10 of Loveland's Municipal Code sets forth requirements for users of the City’s sewer system. All users are responsible for complying with applicable Federal, State, County, and local regulations, including subtitles C and D of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

FAQs

Commercial and Industrial Pretreatment

Alcohol Beverage Manufacturing

Alcohol Beverage Manufacturers (ABMs) use various grain products and yeast and similar processes and equipment to produce alcohol. This sector, which includes breweries, wineries, distilleries, and meaderies, generates various quantities and types of liquid and solid wastes during the manufacturing process.

The wastes produced are high in organic material and suspended solids (much higher than regular domestic waste) and have pH values that can be less than 5.5 or greater than 11.5. Other wastes of concern include: ammonia nitrogen, nitrate/nitrite, phosphorous, certain metals, and sulfides. If not properly managed with Pretreatment, high-strength wastewater and solids discharged to the sanitary sewer system can adversely affect the City's collection system and Loveland's Water Reclamation Facility.

To gain a better understanding of Loveland's ABM operations and its potential impact on the wastewater collection system and Water Reclamation Facility, the Pretreatment Program requires facilities to report the following data on a quarterly basis:

• Monthly water usage
• Monthly wastewater discharge volume
• Monthly volume of solid waste disposed off-site

See the Alcohol Beverage Manufacturing Report Form
below to report this information.

Forms

Alcohol Beverage Manufacturing Survey
Alcohol Beverage Manufacturing Report Form
Alcohol Beverage Manufacturers Best Management Practices

Dental Facilities

In 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgated published technology-based Pretreatment standards for dental facilities to reduce mercury discharges into sewer systems. The requirements can be found in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 441.

Pretreatment staff will conduct periodic dental facility inspections to evaluate compliance with the requirements specified in 40 CFR Part 441 and the One-Time Compliance Report. Dental facilities are required to maintain applicable information for the amalgam separator and line cleaner on-site, as well as documentation (see: Dental Inspection and Maintenance Log) for inspection of the equipment and for amalgam waste disposal.

The City recommends dental facilities create a 3-ring binder to maintain information required by the dental regulation (40 CFR 441), including, but not limited to:

1. The One-Time Compliance Report (facilities are required to maintain a copy in either physical or electronic form)
2. The amalgam separator's operating manual
3. The Safety Data Sheet for the line cleaner
4. Inspection/maintenance logs for a minimum of three years
5. Disposal records for the waste amalgam container for a minimum of three years
6. Repairs made to the separator or replacement information

Forms

One-Time Compliance Report
Dental Inspections and Maintenance Log
ADA Best Management Practices Amalgam Waste

Food Service

Wastewater discharges containing fats, oil, and grease (FOG) cause blockages in the sanitary sewer collection line, lead to sewer backups, and create operational problems at Loveland’s Water Reclamation Facility. The City is required to prevent grease related problems and has information available to residential and commercial customers for FOG reduction strategies.

Grease Removal Devices

Food service establishments are required to install and maintain a grease removal device. Grease removal devices can include a grease trap or grease interceptor.

1. Grease Trap. A device usually found inside a facility that requires frequent cleaning (daily to monthly).
2. Grease Interceptor. A device typically located outside a facility and underground. This device is serviced by a waste hauler due to the large volume of waste grease. Due to the variety of food service establishments and interceptor sizes, cleaning frequency varies between facilities.

Maintenance

Proper operation and maintenance of a grease removal device is required by Loveland's Municipal Code.

To ensure a grease removal device is being properly maintained, the food service establishment should verify the FOG waste was totally removed and that interior components (piping, baffle, etc.) were not damaged during the cleaning process.

Cleaning records (e.g., cleaning log, manifest, invoice) must be provided to the Pretreatment Program within 30 days after the grease removal device is emptied. Records must also be kept on-site in the event an inspection is conducted.

The Pretreatment Program conducts periodic inspections to determine if an establishment is maintaining the grease removal device frequently enough so as not to create issues in Loveland's sanitary sewer system.

Forms

Food Service Establishment Application
Grease Removal Device Log
Interceptor Drawing WW8 (Grease)

Handouts

How to Prevent Fats, Oils and Grease from...
How to Prevent Sewer Back-ups and Blockage for Businesses
Keeping Fats, Oils and Grease Out of the Drain 
Think Before you Flush

FAQs

Pharmaceutical Disposal

On February 22, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a final Rule that prohibits the discharge of any pharmaceutical hazardous waste or Drug Enforcement Agency controlled substance into the sanitary sewer. (e.g., no disposal down the drain and no flushing). As of August 21, 2019 no healthcare facility shall discharge any pharmaceutical waste into the City's sanitary sewer system.

Healthcare facilities prohibited from discharging these wastes include, but are not limited to:

• Ambulance services
• Ambulatory surgical centers
• Chiropractors
• Dental providers
• Health clinics
• Hospitals
• Long-term care facilities
• Military medical logistic facilities
• Optical providers
• Pharmacies (including long-term care and mail order)
• Physicians’ offices
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Pharmaceutical retailers
• 3rd party logistics providers
• Veterinary clinics & hospitals
• Wholesale distributors of pharmaceuticals

If any commercial business or industry discharges hazardous waste into the City's sewer system, they must report this discharge as specified in Section 13.10.609 of Loveland's Municipal Code.

Resources

• Federal Register for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals 
• EPA - Information on Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals 

Hazardous Waste

Industrial users must notify the City of Loveland, EPA Region VIII Waste Management Division Director, and the Colorado Hazardous Waste Management authorities in writing of any discharge of a substance, which, if otherwise disposed of, would be a hazardous waste under 40 CFR 261.

An industrial user is any non-residential user that discharges non-domestic wastewater to the City of Loveland’s sanitary sewer system.

An industrial user is generally exempt from the requirements during a calendar month in which they discharge no more than 15 kilograms (33 pounds) of hazardous wastes, unless the wastes are acute hazardous wastes as specified in 40 CFR 261.30(d) and 261.33(e).

Hazardous Waste Disposal Options

Larimer County

Larimer County has a program in place to assist small businesses in disposing of hazardous waste they generate. The Business Hazardous Waste Assistance and Education Program (BHAPE) provides a safe and affordable disposal/recycling option for Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generators (CESQG) in Larimer County. This voluntary program is fee based and operated at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility located at the Larimer County Landfill.

Colorado

The State of Colorado's Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division Division’s can assist a business in complying with regulatory requirements associated with hazardous waste disposal. For more information, contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Generator Assistance Program.

FAQs

High Strength Sewer Surcharge

The City of Loveland’s Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) is primarily designed to treat domestic wastewater. Typical pollutants found in domestic wastewater are ammonia, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS).

The WRF also accepts wastewater from non-domestic (commercial/industrial) sources and can regulate their wastewater to comply with its wastewater discharge permit requirements. Certain commercial and industrial businesses discharge wastewater containing pollutants with higher concentrations, or in addition to, domestic contributions.

Surcharge

The High Strength Sewer Surcharge recovers costs for treating wastewater above domestic contributions. When a determination is made that a business falls under the High Strength Sewer Surcharge, the business is notified, provided an explanation of the surcharge fee, informed that the surcharge amount will be added to their monthly utility bill, and provided an opportunity to contest the charge.

The High Strength Sewer Surcharge ordinance is located in Loveland's Municipal Code and can be traced back to Ordinance 1536 (1976).

Treatment Devices

The City requires some businesses to install a treatment device (grease removal device, oil/sand interceptor, etc.) so that certain pollutants (e.g. sand, petroleum oil, fats, oil and grease) are removed from wastewater prior to discharge. At a minimum, this reduces sewer blockages, sewer overflows and City maintenance. The surcharge customer is billed for the cost of treating excessive BOD and TSS. Installing a treatment device does not remove a business's requirement to pay surcharge fees.

However, if a user feels the information Loveland used to calculate a surcharge rate is inaccurate, a review process can be initiated. This includes filing an application for review and wastewater analyses to determine actual wastewater strength. The surcharge will be adjusted to reflect the results of the test, either higher or lower.

FAQs

Residential Pretreatment

Fat Trapper

Use a Fat Trapper to keep fat, oil, and grease out of sewer lines. Fats, oils, and grease can plug the City's sewer lines and cause a sewer backup that can damage your home. Purchase a Fat Trapper at the Service Center, 920 South Boise Avenue or at the Utility Billing Office at 500 East Third Street. For questions, call 970-962-3000 or email us at pretreatment@cityofloveland.org.