Industrial Pretreatment Program

Industrial waste is a liquid or water-borne waste from industrial or commercial processes, except domestic sewage.

A publicly owned treatment works (POTW) is a term used in the United States for a sewage treatment plant owned, and usually operated, by a government agency. The City of Dubuque Water & Resource Recovery Center is a POTW. 

Permits apply to federally regulated industries (CIUs), dischargers exceeding 25,000 gpd (SIUs), and those impacting the sanitary sewer system. Unsure if the permit applies to you? Submit a wastewater user survey for evaluation. 

Not every industrial discharger is required to hold a permit; however, all dischargers must adhere to the regulations outlined in the City of Dubuque Ordinance 13-2D. 

Permits are exclusively issued to the following commercial and industrial facilities:

• Federally Regulated Industries (Categorical Industrial Users - CIU): These industries are subject to technology-based limitations on pollutant discharges into Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs). These limitations are established by the EPA per Section 307 of the Clean Water Act, specifically targeting certain industrial categories and their specified process wastewaters. For detailed information, refer to 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR Parts 405-471 on the EPA's website.
  
  
• Dischargers with Volumes Exceeding 25,000 Gallons Per Day (Significant Industrial Users - SIU): Entities exceeding this volume threshold in their process wastewater must obtain a permit. 
  
  
• Any Discharger with the Potential to Impact the Sanitary Sewer System Adversely: If your operations have the potential to negatively affect the functioning of the sanitary sewer system, you may also be subject to permit requirements.

If your business falls within any of these conditions, it is imperative that you either obtain a wastewater discharge permit or initiate the process by submitting a wastewater discharge permit application. Those uncertain about their status are encouraged to submit a wastewater user survey to the City of Dubuque Industrial Pretreatment Department for evaluation. 

"Significant industrial user” means an industrial user of the POTW that meets any one of the following conditions: 

1. Discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater excluding sanitary, noncontact cooling, and boiler blowdown wastewater;
2. Contributes a process waste stream that makes up 5 percent or more of the average dry weather hydraulic or organic capacity of the POTW; 
3. Is subject to Categorical Pretreatment Standards under 40 CFR 403.6 and 40 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter N; or  
4. Is designated by the department as a significant industrial user on the basis that the contributing industry, either singly or in combination with other contributing industries, has a reasonable potential for adversely affecting the operation of or effluent quality from the POTW or for violating any pretreatment standards or requirements.

First, complete the wastewater user survey and permit application. Then, once the permit application is submitted, a fee will be invoiced for processing the application. After receipt of the fee, the pretreatment department will begin its assessment of the application and will issue a draft permit. The pretreatment staff may perform an on-site evaluation of the physical address to verify reported information and determine needs. The final permit will be issued following a 30-day comment period. The process typically takes 1.5 to 5 months, depending on application completeness and industrial complexity.

For questions, contact Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator John Wiley at 563-589-4178.