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Remember to Monitor Wastewater Discharge Volumes

Ensure your industrial discharge volumes are monitored on a regular basis to verify regulatory compliance.  If you are the holder of a Low Flow/Low Pollutant wastewater discharge permit with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), be sure to keep an eye on the average daily discharge volume to confirm that this permit remains applicable to your facility.

It is possible for the effluent volumes from laboratory operations to be minimal when operations begin and increase significantly over time.  In these cases, facilities are able to obtain Low Flow/Low Pollutant discharge permits with the MWRA due to falling below the 300 gallon per day discharge threshold when operations commence.  Then as operations grow and processes evolve, wastewater volumes can sneak up and exceed the threshold over time.

The certified wastewater operator that is checking the pH neutralization system on a daily basis should be aware of the need to keep an eye of the average daily discharge.  They should also be aware of the person to contact if they notice a trend toward exceeding this threshold.  If a certified wastewater operator is not checking the system due to qualifying for an exemption, be sure to assign this responsibility to someone else.

If you are not the person conducting the daily checks of the system, it is a good idea to spot check the logs at a consistent frequency.  This will validate the current effluent volumes and provide ease of mind that your facility is in compliance with permit requirements.

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