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Regulatory Compliance
Goals of the Pretreatment Program
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the wastewater treatment plant that will interfere with treatment operations
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into those plants that will pass through the treatment process and be incompatible with the environment
- Improve the feasibility of reclaiming the municipal and industrial wastewater, and biosolids (sludge) for land application
- Provide for the fair and reasonably equitable distribution of all costs associated with operation of wastewater collection and treatment systems
Frederick County Business Sewer Users
New, relocating or expanding businesses which are connected or planning to connect to the Frederick County sewer system are required under the Frederick County’s Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment Ordinance to provide specific information by completing an Industrial Waste Survey.
Commercial Sewer Users
Commercial sewer users with only hand washing and toilet facilities need to complete Section I and II of the Industrial Waste Survey and sign the Certification Statement. Sections II through VII may not apply to all applicants and should be completed only if so directed.
Any commercial sewer user discharging wastewater other than hand washing and toilet flushing may need to submit the following documents in addition to the Industrial Waste Survey:
- Authorized Signatory Form (only required to delegate signatory authority to others)
- Spill Management Plan
Additional information concerning the Industrial Pretreatment Program can be found in the Pretreatment FAQ.
Septic & Sludge Disposal
All septage haulers and those private domestic treatment facilities desiring to dispose of wastes at the Ballenger-McKinney Wastewater Treatment Plant must have a valid Liquid Waste Disposal Permit issued by the Pretreatment Program.
Current Disposal Rates
Below are the current disposal rates per ton that go in to effect on July 19, 2011.
| Disposal Options | Rates / Ton |
|---|---|
| Septage | $18.00 |
| Holding Tank | $9.75 |
| Grease | $24.00 |
| Sludge | $9.75 |
| Chemical Toilet | $9.75 |
For further assistance please contact the Pretreatment Office at 301-600-2511.
Dental Amalgam
Amalgam contains mercury. Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that bioaccumulates in fish and shellfish and ultimately affects human health and the environment.
New Federal Rule
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has set a national standard that will reduce the discharge of mercury containing dental amalgam from dental practices to sewer plants. The standard includes mandatory use of amalgam separators or similar devices, and Best Management Practices (BMP's) endorsed by the American Dental Association (ADA). Compliance with this rule is phased in over 3 years.
Dental Practice Responsibilities
Depending on your specific practice, different requirements and deadlines must be achieved.
See what requirements pertain to your dental practice.
One-Time Compliance Report
Instructions on completing the One-Time Compliance Report
Additional Resources
Original Federal Register notice for 40 CFR Part 441
Additional guidelines and a short fact sheet
Should you have questions, please contact Cory Brandt, Industrial Waste Specialist, at 301-600-2511 or CBrandt@FrederickCountyMD.gov.
Fats, Oils & Grease (FOG)
- Grease blockages in sewer lines are common causes of overflows and basement backups.
- Grease is a byproduct of cooking and comes from meat fats, oils, shortening, butter, margarine, food scraps, sauces, and dairy products.
- Correcting a blockage is expensive. If it occurs on your property, it will be the owner’s responsibility to contact a plumber to have it cleared.
- Sewage overflows can result in serious harm to the environment.
Help Prevent Blockages & Backups by Disposing of Grease Properly
Do not pour grease, fats, and oils from cooking down the drain.
- Collect the grease in a metal can (soup cans work great).
- Once the grease has cooled and solidified, place it in the trash for disposal.
Common Myths about Grease
Garbage disposals do nothing to protect your drain lines from accumulating grease.
- Dishwashing detergents do not protect your lines from grease buildup. While it is true that they initially break up grease, they eventually lose this ability and grease will begin to accumulate in sewer lines.
- Chasing grease down the drain with hot water only causes the grease to buildup elsewhere.
Video
Frederick County Government Public Service Announcement - Cooking Grease
Water Samples
In 1995, the Division of Water and Sewer Utilities' Department of Regulatory Compliance began to collect water quality samples from Lake Linganore for use in making water treatment plant operational decisions and to assist with proactively identifying potential issues with the sanitary sewer lines that surround the lake.
Since 2009, the County’s Lake Linganore Water Treatment Plant has been idle and is currently only to be used in an emergency backup capacity. However, the City of Frederick currently uses Linganore Creek as a water supply. The stored volume of water behind the dam in Lake Linganore provides limited reserve capacity for their needs.
Sample Locations
Samples are collected from 6 sites around the lake. A map showing those locations can be found online.
The beaches were chosen as sample locations solely because of their ease of access to the lake. (Note: The Division of Water and Sewer Utilities does not have regulatory authority to monitor bathing beaches.)
Monitoring Samples
Information related to the Division of Water and Sewer Utilities' monitoring efforts is found below:
- Frederick County DUSWM/Health Department LLA E. coli Town Hall Meeting Presentation – August 29, 2012
- Division of Water and Sewer Utilities Lake Linganore Monitoring Data 1995 through 2003
- Division of Water and Sewer Utilities Lake Linganore Monitoring Data 2003 through 2020
- Division of Water and Sewer Utilities Lake Linganore Monitoring Data 2021 through Present (data will be updated quarterly)
- Current Monitoring Data
Should you have questions, please contact 301-600-1825.
Additional Resources
Responsibilities
The Department of Regulatory Compliance, as a part the Division of Water and Sewer Utilities (DWSU):
Plans and coordinates the enforcement of state and local regulations regarding the compliance, monitoring and prevention of contamination and pollution of the public water supply and environment.
Environmental Laboratory
The Environmental Laboratory is a Maryland State-certified water quality laboratory. The laboratory supports operations staff by performing over 20,000 analyses used for both compliance and process control.
Pretreatment Program
The Pretreatment Program provides for the regulation of wastewater discharges into the sanitary sewer system. The department administers the program in accordance with the Frederick County Industrial Waste Ordinance 12-33-628. The purpose of the program is to prevent the introduction of pollutants into the wastewater collection and treatment system. This is important to prevent interference with the treatment process, avoid damage to the equipment, or harm to workers, the public and the environment.
Permits
The Department also handles liquid waste disposal permits.