Industrial Pretreatment
The community relies on the MWMC model ordinance to reduce the amount of pollution in industrial wastewater before it flows into the public sewer system or reaches the regional treatment facility on River Avenue in Eugene. Eugene and Springfield manage individual Pretreatment Programs, but work closely together.
The goals of the Industrial Pretreatment Program are to:
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into our treatment plant that will interfere with treatment operations or damage sewer or treatment facilities;
- Prevent the introduction of pollutants into our treatment plant that cannot be treated and will pass through the plant and into the local (water) environment;
- Protect the public's health and the environment from risks of pollution; and
- Protect worker safety.
Significant Industrial Users (SIUs) of the wastewater system must maintain discharge permits under the individual city programs. SIUs are defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Pretreatment Program is overseen by the State of Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. These dischargers are required to control the quality of their discharge by installing systems to pretreat their wastewater. Pretreatment systems remove certain pollutants and toxins.
The City programs also address Pollution Management Practices for certain industry groups like photoprocessors, food service establishments and dental offices.
