The Tributary Tribune serves the cities of

San José, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Cupertino

Sanitary District, West Valley Sanitation District

(including Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno,

Saratoga), County Sanitation Districts 2-3,

Sunol & Burbank Sanitary Districts

www.sanjoseca.gov/esd

Improving Industrial User PerformanceF A L L 2 0 0 5

Duringthefirsthalfof2005,theCityofSanJose’sPretreatmentProgrammonitoredover337companiesinthePlant’stributaryarea.Ofthese,172weresignificantindustri-alusers(SIUs).WhilemostSIUswerefoundtobeconsistentlyincompliancewiththeirdischargerequirements,inspectorsarestillnotingafewcommonproblemareas.Thesearedescribedbelow:pH monitoring All pH-monitoring equipment (including the meter, recorder, and chart paper) must be calibrated, and operating in sync at all timeswhenyourfacilityisoperatingor discharg-ing.EnsurethatyourpHprobesarecleanedandmaintainedonaregularschedule.AdditionalgoodbusinesspracticesincludeperiodicreviewoftheoperatingmanualsforyourpH-metersandchartrecorders,andprovidingupdatedtrainingtoyouremployees.24-hour Notification of Violation Verbalnotificationmustbegiventoyourinspectorwithin24 hours of every dis-chargeviolation.Itisagoodrecordkeepingpracticetodocumentallsuchphoneconversations.Afollow-upwrittenreportmustbesubmittedwithin5calendardaysofthedischargeviolation.Youarerequiredtokeeprecordsofalldocumentationsubmittedforaminimumof3years.However,itisgoodpracticetokeeprecordsfor5yearsforinvestigationpurposes.30-day resample All discharge violations detected by self-monitoring require you to resample and sub-mitthenewresults,completewithSMRcoversheet,within30daysofbecomingawareoftheviolation.Non-Standard Waste Streams Ifyouhaveanon-standardwastestream,anddependingonhowthiswastestreamwasgenerated,itmayneedtobetreatedasadilutionstreamforpurposesofcalculat-ingyourdischargelimits.Forexample,groundwaterusedinproductionareasmaynotbedischargedtothesanitarysewersystemwithoutpriorassessmentbyyourinspector.Thesewastestreamsmayneedtobetreatedoraccountedforasdilutionstreams. All waste streams dischargedtothesanitarysewer(includingmopwater)mustbeaccountedforinyourpermitapplicationsandself-monitoringreports.Slug Control Plans Ifyouroperationhasthepotentialfora“slug”discharge(anon-routinewastewa-ter discharge, such as a spill or irregular, high-strength batch discharge) and you are required to develop a slug control plan, ensure that your plan meets the requirements detailedin40CFRPart403.8(f)(2)(v).AllSIUsshouldreviewtheirexistingHazardousMaterialManagementPlans(HMMP)orrelatedspill-responseprocedurestoverifythatexistingproceduressatisfytherequirementsofaslugcontrolplan.Self-Monitoring Reports SubmityourSMRson time.Thisisoneofthemostcommonviolationsinspectorscomeacross.Workwithyourlaboratoryandstafftoensurethattheyunderstanddead-linesandduedates. Letusknowwhatwecandotohelpyouachieve100%compliancebycontactingusat (408) 945-3000.

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IftheSelfMonitoringReport(SMR)requirementinyourwastewaterdischargepermitrequirestestingwastewaterforpollutants,besureyourlaboratoryisbothcertifiedtoanalyzewastewaterandis using an approved method for testing.Solidwastemethodsarenot approved for verifying compli-ancewithfederalorlocalwastewa-terdischargelimits.Ifyourlabora-toryisusingasolidwastemethodforanalysis,itwillinvalidateyoursample results and put your facility inviolationofpermitconditions.California Accreditation TheStateofCaliforniacertifieslaboratories,bothforwhattheycantestfor(e.g.,metals,vola-tileorganics,etc.),andforwhatmaterialtheycananalyze(drinkingwater,wastewater,solidwaste,etc.).Californialaboratoriescerti-fiedforsolidwasteanalysesarealsocertifiedtoanalyzewastewater.However,forpurposesofcompliancewith

yourSMRrequirement,theymustbebothcertifiedtoanalyzewastewateranduseanapprovedwastewatermethod.Forexample,alabreportforcopperthatcites

6010Basthemethodofanalysisis not acceptable because this is asolidwastemethod.ThesamelabcantestforcopperusingEPAmethod200.7,providedtheyarecertifiedforwastewatermethods.Asanotherexample,alabtestingforTTOcomponentsthatusesmethod8260isnot acceptable becausethisisasolidwastemethod.Instead,EPAwastewatertest methods such as 624 and 625shouldbeused.EPA Approved Testing Methods Title40oftheCode of Federal Regulations,(40CFR),part136.3providesacompletelistofwaste-

waterpollutantsandapprovedtestmethods.Youcanseethislistbygoingto:www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/40cfr136_03.html

How Surface Cleaning Affects Creeks and the Bay ManypermittedIndustrialUsersalreadyknowtheimportanceofkeepingpollutedwastewateroutofthesanitarysewersystem,butsomemaynotbeawareoftheimportanceofkeepingwastewateroutofthestormsewersystem.BelowareafewexamplesofhowpollutantscanenterourstormdrainsandharmourcreeksandBay,followedbyafewsimplemeasuresyoucantaketohelpprotectthem.Pollutantslikeoilandpesticidescanstayonexteriorsur-facesuntilrain,excesssprinklerwater,orcareless surface cleaningwashthepolluteduntreatedwaterdirectlyintoourcreeksandBay.Evensoapywater(biodegradablesoapincluded)ishighlytoxictotheplantsandanimalsthatliveinourcreeks.Hire Trained Surface Cleaners Someprofessionalsurfacecleaningcompanies(steamcleaners,powerwashers,etc.)traintheirstaffonproperoutdoorcleaningpractices,includinghowtoproperlycollectanddisposeofpollutedwashwater.TheBayAreaStorm-waterManagementAgenciesAssociation(BASMAA)conductsapollutionpreventiontrainingprogramforsurfacecleaners and maintains an updated list of businesses that have been trained in these best management practices (BMPs). Toseeifyoursurfacecleanerisonthislist,goto:www.basma.org/recognition andclick“VerifyTraining.”Ifyouhaveastandingrelationshipwithamobilecleanerthatisnotonthelist,pleaseencouragethemtotakethetraining.Thetraining course is FREE,brief,andofferedonlineaswellasthroughlocalstormwateragencies.Insist on Only Trained Workers Individualsgettrained,notbusinesses.Itdoeslittlegoodifthecontractorlostthepersontheytrainedorusesuntrainedsub-contractors.For your own protection,askthatworkerstrainedinsurfacecleaningBMPsbesenttoyoursite.Train Your Own Employees Whetheryouremployeesactuallydothesurfacecleaningormanagetheworkdonebyacontractor,itisimportanttotrainthemonbestmanagementpractices.Ultimately,youareliableforanyunauthorizeddischargestothestormdrain.Hiringathirdpartycleanerdoesnotabsolveyouofthisresponsibility.BASMAA TRAINING To sign up for the FREE BASMAAtraining,goto:www.basmaa.org/recognitionandclick“GetBASMAATraining.”YoucanalsodownloadthePDFfile“PollutionfromSurfaceCleaningFolder”,whichhastipsonpropercleaninganddisposalmethods. FormoreinformationontheBASMAASurfaceCleanerprogram,call(510)-622-2326 or e-mail info@basmaa.org.

Proper Lab Analysis Documentation

Please NOTe

samples collected for in-house testing

(to monitor day-to-day treatment

system operations) do not have to be

analyzed using approved wastewater

test methods, even if you are asked to

submit these results to your inspector.

This includes samples collected for

other purposes (research, production

QC/Qa, etc.)

Spotlight on . . . Headway Technology HeadwayTechnology,aMilpitasbasedcompany,producesthin-filmheadsthatreadandwritedatatoharddiskdrives.Overthepastfewyears,thecompanyhasenjoyed a steady increase in production and currently has planstoexpandtheirMilpitasfacility. Smart business sense has prompted the company to look for opportunities to offset the operational costs that oftengohandinhandwithincreasedproductionandfacilityexpansion. Onesuchopportunityinvolvedexaminingtheirfacilityforwaystoreducewateruse.Headwayusedacomputer-izedmodeltotrackwaterusefromover30flowmeterstodeterminewhichprocessusedthemostwater. Themodelidentifiedthatthehighestwaterdemandcamefromcoolingtoweroperationsandtheprocessusedtoproduceultra-pureordeionized(DI)water. Headwayresearchedequipmentandprocesschangesthatwouldallowforreducedwateruse.Afterlookingatseveral options the company decided to invest in the VRTXsystemandtheHEROsystem. TheVRTXsystemisapatentedindustrialwatertreat-ment system designed to improve the performance of coolingwatersystemsbyincreasingcyclesofconcentra-tion(from2-3to8orhigher)anddecreasingblowdownfrequency.Inotherwords,thesamewatercanberecy-cledandrecirculatedthroughcoolingtowersmoretimesbeforeitneedstobedischargedtothesanitarysewer.Headwayinstalledthistechnologyonthreeofitscoolingtowers,whichresultedinanestimatedwatersavingsof19,077gpd. TheHEROsystemisapatentedreverseosmosis(RO)membranetechnologymeanttoimprovetheef-ficiencyofDIwaterproduction.Priortoinstallingthetechnology,theROsystemproducedDIwaterata75%efficiencyrate,meaningthatonly75outofevery100gal-lonstreatedwasreusableDIwater. AftertheHEROsystemwasinstalledtheROsystemperformedata90%efficiencyrateresultinginanesti-matedwatersavingsof8,654gpd.

Anabridgedversionofthe40CFR136.3listhasbeenincludedwiththisnewsletter(seetableinsert).Thistablelistsonlypollutantscommonlyfoundinindustrialuserpermitsandisbasedonthemostcurrentversionof40CFR136.3.Usethistabletocheckifyourlaboratoryisusinganapprovedwastewatertestingmethod.Thetableinsertac-knowledgesfourdifferenttestingmethods,butcommercialwastewaterlabsinCaliforniatypicallyuseonlytwo: 1)USEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyapprovedmethods, 2)StandardMethodsfortheExaminationofWaterandWastewater(StandardMethods). IfyourlaboratoryusesStandardMethods,pleasenoteonyourlabreporttheeditionused.Thisisbecause40CFR136.3referencesspecificeditionsasbeingapproved,andusuallynotthelatestedition.Alternate Testing Methods 40CFR136.4discussestheapplicationprocessyourlaboratorymustfollowtorequestuseofanalternatetestmethod.ThePlant,forexample,frequentlyusesEPAmethod200.8toanalyzewastewaterformetals.Method200.8isnotonthe40CFR136.3list,buttheRegionalWaterBoardhasauthorizedthePlantlaboratorytousethisalternatetestmethod. IfyouhaveanyquestionsaboutSMRlabreports,contactyourSourceControlinspectorat(408) 945-3000.

The Bottom Line Headwayrealizedanestimatedtotalwater savings of 27,731 gpdandreceived$54,128infinancialrebatesthroughtheWaterEfficientTechnologiesprogrambyimplementingprojectsthatreducedwastewaterdischargetotheSanJose/SantaClaraWaterPollutionControlPlant. Headwaycontinuestosearchforefficienciesandre-centlyparticipatedinafreewaterusesurveysponsoredbytheSantaClaraValleyWaterDistrict(SCVWD).Thesurveyrecommendedinstallingseveralwaterefficientfix-turesandconnectingthecoolingtowerstotheSouthBayWaterRecycling(SBWR)pipeline,somethingHeadwayhasbeenconsidering. ThankstoGaryWinslowandhisstaffatHeadwayTechnologiesfortheirwaterconservationefforts! FormoreinformationonWETfinancialincentivescon-tact Geoff Blair at (408) 277-3828, or visit www.slowthe-flow.com FREE water use surveys are being offered through theSCVWD.FormoreinformationcontactAnnGuyofEnergySolutionsat(510) 482-4420x233.

www.sanjoseca.gov/esd PresortedStandard

U.S.PostagePAID

San José, CAPermitNo.502

Watershed Protection DivisionCity of San José

Environmental Services Department

170 W. San Carlos StreetSan José, CA 95113Phone 408-945-3000

Fax 408-277-5775

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, City of San José Environmental Services De-partment materials can be made available upon request in alterna-tive formats, such as Braille, large print, audio-tape or computer disk. Requests may be made by calling (408) 945-3000 (Voice) or (800) 735-2929 (CRS).

Printed on recycled paper.

To receive FREE “NoDumping!FlowstoBay”storm drain stencils call the Santa Clara Valley UrbanRunoffPollutionPreventionProgramat(800) 794-2482.

Stencil Your Storm Drains~ Locate and label all storm drain inlets at your business site. ~

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