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Regulations BACK to VIRTUAL TOUR The following fact sheet was prepared by the ECAR Center staff. Once prepared, each ECAR Center fact sheet undergoes a review process with the applicable state environmental agency(ies). You can check on the status of the review process here. Please read the disclaimer on the status page. While we have tried to present a summary of the essential information on this topic, you should be aware that other items, such as local regulations, may apply to you. What You Need to Know Floor drains, especially those built when designers and contractors were much less environmentally conscious than they are now, can be full of surprises. If you do not know what is happening at the other end of yours, you would be well advised to find out before an inspector does. Floor drains in many industrial facilities have been found to empty into surface waters, or into septic fields. In either case, the discharge of wastewater from the shop floor into this kind of system is almost certainly illegal. If the floor drain discharges into a city sewer system, it will need a permit, and will need to be periodically monitored. Floor drains can also leak, and have been known to cause serious and costly soil and groundwater contamination problems. This fact sheet will help you determine if the floor drains in your facility are properly connected and properly used. This fact sheet addresses regulatory issues and practices associated with floor drain systems. A floor drain system commonly includes a concrete trench, which runs down the center of a shop floor that may lead to underground pipes and/or tanks. Instead of a trench, some shops have single or multiple rectangular or round floor drains. Typically, the shops floor is slightly sloped to allow liquids to flow into the floor drain. A floor drain is a red flag for any inspector from an environmental protection agency. Their concerns are primarily:
It is very important to know where all your floor drains lead, and are aware of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) regulations that apply to your discharge activities. If you do not know where your drains lead, or if you using floor drains improperly, you could be contaminating nearby surface waters or drinking waters. Some floor drains lead into a sanitary sewer, where wastewater goes directly to a public wastewater treatment plant (POTW). Sometimes floor drains lead directly to an underground holding tank or discharge to a waterway or to the ground outside. MPCA’s water pollution control regulations apply to all of these activities. Any company that wants to discharge an industrial wastewater to waters of the state need to get a permit (NPDES permit) from MPCA. Examples of waters of the state include streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes, waterways, wells and springs. If your floor drains lead to any water of the state, you must have a discharge permit for this activity. Companies that discharge industrial wastewater directly to a POTW are also regulated. Often, the POTW regulates the discharge activities. If you are discharging to a POTW, you need to contact them and discuss your activities with them. You may be required to obtain a permit for the discharge. In addition, you may be required to treat the wastewater before discharging (e.g. oil/water separation, removing solids, chemicals, etc.) Note: It is illegal to discharge process wastewater outside your business into a septic tank or dry well. Managing Waste. If you follow MPCA’s Best Management Practices (BMPs) listed on Page 5 of its Managing Floor Drains Fact Sheet, you can manage the floor drain wastes as non-hazardous, a much less costly way to handle your wastes. If the BMPs are not carefully followed, you must either perform tests on the drain wastes to prove that it is non-hazardous or you must manage the drain contents as hazardous waste. Links to the Regulations and Forms. Use the following links to view the regulations and permit forms pertaining to floor drains. Federal Hazardous Waste regulations Part 261 - Identification and Listing of Hazardous Waste Federal Hazardous Waste regulations Part 262 - Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste Federal Rules for Class V Wells Federal Rules for Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells When an inspector comes to your facility, there are certain things he or she checks to see if you are in compliance with environmental regulations. It makes good sense for you to perform a "self-audit" and catch and correct problems before they result in penalties. Also, there are some compliance incentives associated with self-audits (see Audit Policy Page). Use the following list to audit your floor drain system.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) Most regulations tell you what you have to do to be in compliance, but they don’t explain how to do it. That’s where "best management practices" come into play. BMPs are proven methods that help you to get into compliance and stay there. The following BMPs are recommended for floor drains.
For more information, contact the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Regional Office closest to you:
If you have wastewater questions, call the MPCA Customer Assistance Center at 651-297-2274.
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