Trade Waste Policy

Purpose. This policy sets out how CAQA ClearFlow Water accepts, approves, monitors and charges for trade waste discharged to its sewers so that the sewer network, the treatment plant, workers and the environment are protected.

1.Scope

This policy applies to every commercial and industrial customer that discharges anything other than domestic sewage to the sewer, including food businesses, laundries, workshops, medical facilities, food processors and abattoirs. Discharge without a current approval is a breach of this policy and of the customer's connection conditions.

2.Categories

Trade waste is classified as standard (low risk, such as food businesses with a grease arrestor), medium (such as laundries and vehicle washes) or high risk (food processing, abattoirs and any discharge with hazardous substances or volumes above 20 kilolitres a day). Standard approvals are issued under deemed conditions. Medium and high risk approvals must be assessed individually and will set discharge limits, pre-treatment, sampling and reporting conditions.

• Standard: deemed conditions, pre-treatment device, annual inspection
• Medium: assessed conditions, quarterly sampling
• High risk: individual agreement, monitoring point, monthly sampling and mass-based charges

3.Acceptance limits

Discharges must meet the acceptance limits for pH, temperature, suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, oil and grease, nutrients, metals and prohibited substances set out in the schedule to this policy. Prohibited substances, including flammable liquids, solvents, radioactive material and anything that generates toxic gases in the sewer, must not be discharged in any quantity.

4.Monitoring and inspection

Trade waste officers will inspect premises and sample discharges at the frequency set for the category. Customers must maintain pre-treatment devices, keep maintenance records and provide access for inspection. Results and inspections will be recorded in the Trade Waste Approvals Register.

5.Application and assessment process

Every application must be registered in the Trade Waste Approvals Register on the day it is received. Standard applications will be approved under deemed conditions within 20 business days once the pre-treatment device is confirmed. Medium and high risk applications must be inspected before approval, with expected pollutant loads calculated and conditions set for pre-treatment, monitoring point, sampling frequency and reporting. High risk approvals must be reviewed by the Customer and Trade Waste Manager and, where the load has the potential to affect the treatment plant, by the Wastewater Treatment Manager before issue.

6.Inspection and sampling method

Officers must check that pre-treatment devices are installed, accessible and maintained, that maintenance records are kept and that the discharge point matches the approval, and must photograph the device and monitoring point. Samples must be taken at the monitoring point in laboratory-supplied bottles with chain of custody, with pH and temperature measured on site, and delivered within holding times. Where a grab sample is not representative a 24-hour composite sampler must be used. Findings and results must be recorded in the register and a written summary given to the customer before the officer leaves.

• Grease arrestor: pumped out on schedule, baffles intact, no bypass
• Oil separator: coalescing plates clean, sludge level within limit
• Neutralisation and cooling: pH and temperature within limits
• Monitoring point: accessible, safe, correctly labelled

7.Non-compliance

A discharge outside approval conditions must be investigated. The business will apply a graduated response: advice and a rectification date, a formal notice, increased charges, and where the discharge endangers the network, workers or the treatment process, suspension of the approval. Incidents that reach the treatment plant or the environment must be recorded in the incident register.

8.Charges

Trade waste charges will be set in the annual pricing schedule approved by the economic regulator and will reflect the category, volume and pollutant load discharged.