ABOUT US

The Industrial Waste Management Division (IWMD) administers the EPA approved Pretreatment Program in accordance with the City's Industrial Waste Control Ordinance. The Program regulates, monitors, and controls the discharges of industrial users (IUs) into the City's publicly owned treatment works (POTW). The Program’s objectives include the health and safety of the public and protection of the POTW by controlling toxic pollutants from passing through the POTW to receiving waters and into recovered biosolids.
The program is managed through numerous functional elements including:

Inventory: Ensure a complete, up-to-date, and accurate inventory of all IUs in the City.

Permitting: Issue permits establishing discharge limitations and identifying responsibilities and obligations of industrial dischargers.

Inspection, Sampling, and Monitoring: Ensure IU compliance with permit conditions and discharge standards. Collect samples for laboratory analysis. Process self-monitoring reports for compliance.

Enforcement: Administer the approved Enforcement Response Plan to ensure IU compliance with discharge standards. Follow progressive administrative actions from Notice of Violation up to Revocation of Permit and Court actions. (IWMD is a member of Los Angeles District Attorney's Environmental Crimes Strike Force.)

Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Control Program: Minimize FOG related sanitary sewer overflows by educating, permitting, and monitoring food service establishments in the City.

Local Limits: Develop and update technically-based industrial wastewater discharge standards based on regulatory requirements and other constraints on the POTW.

Treatment Plan Response: Investigate, identify, and control the industrial sources of pollutants that cause plant upsets.

Contract Cities: Oversee the pretreatment programs of 27 contract agencies, including eight contract cities.

Information Systems Development: Coordinate with the Information Control Systems Division to ensure development, upgrade, and maintenance of computer software and hardware to meet the needs of the Division and its customers.

Reporting: Prepare Pretreatment Program compliance status reports for submittal to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and U.S. EPA.

Revenue and Billing: Determine industrial waste fees and rate structure. Oversee billing operations to ensure adequate, fair, and equitable cost recovery.

Private Sewage Disposal Systems (PSDS): Enforce connection of PSDS to the City sewers when available.

Septage Disposal Control Program: Monitor and control waste haulers that discharge septage to the City’s POTW at designated disposal stations.