Industrial / Commercial
Stormwater Processing:
US
Laws and Regulations
Oil
in water discharges from industrial and other facilities are governed by a variety
of federal, state and local laws. The basic law covering discharges is the Clean
Water Act (CWA). Permits for discharge are required and any discharges other than
those allowed by permit are illegal.
Although
the Clean Water Act was enacted primarily to control discharges from sanitary
sewer and industrial plants, it also governs other discharges of water containing
petroleum and other hydrocarbons into water.
Most
states and localities require discharges to contain 15 ppm or less oil and grease,
based on a 24 hour composite sample. This requirement is based on the CWA requirement
for "no sheen". Oil and grease may include petroleum hydrocarbons as
well as animal and vegetable oils.
Storm
water discharges were covered under the CWA but not required to have permits under
the system until 1990. "Storm water discharges" refer to discharges
consisting entirely of rainwater runoff, snowmelt runoff, or surface runoff and
drainage. Waters that do not meet this definition are not covered by these regulations.
These rules specify that facilities with storm water discharges from "areas
containing raw materials, intermediate products, finished products, by-product,
or waste product located on site" will require a permit.
Stormwater
Processing Systems for Industrial Plants
MSR
Coalescing systems are often installed in underground concrete vaults, either
cast-in-place or precast to process stormwater from industrial and commercial
facilities.
MSR
will be glad to provide kits of equipment for installation in existing or new
cast-in-place systems and has arrangements with some concrete precast vault companies
to provide complete systems ready to install in the ground.
MSR
stormwater systems are guaranteed to produce effluent that will meet the requirements
for discharge for either 10 mg/l or 15 mg/l effluent quality as required.
Stormwater
Processing Systems for Commercial Facilities
Many
commercial facilities such as truck depots and large service stations require
stormwater processing equipment. MSR coalescing systems installed in concrete
vaults are often the most economical and reliable methods of controlling oil in
stormwater.
