The Pretreatment Program is committed to working collaboratively with citizens, the business community, and other Town staff to protect the environment and our public utilities through building positive relationships while meeting local, state, and federal environmental regulations.

In 1982, the Cary Town Council adopted a Sewer Use Ordinance (SUO). The SUO sets forth uniform requirements for users of the wastewater collection and treatment system of the Town of Cary. In 1984, the Town acquired an approved Industrial Pretreatment Program from the NC Division of Water Quality.

Since 1982, modifications and updates have been made to the SUO to allow for changes in federal and state regulations as well as the adoption of the Town's Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG) Control Program.

Details

The SUO enables the Town to comply with permits and all state and federal laws, including the Clean Water Act and the General Pretreatment Regulations. Objectives of the SUO include:

• To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the wastewater system, which will interfere with the operation of the system or contaminate biosolids
• To prevent the introduction of pollutants that will cause pass through to the waters of the state or will otherwise be incompatible with the wastewater treatment system
• To promote reuse and recycling of industrial wastewater and residual solids from the municipal wastewater system
• To protect municipal personnel who may be affected by untreated wastewater, biosolids and treated wastewater, as well as protect the general public
• To provide for equitable distribution of acquisition, operation, maintenance and improvement of the municipal wastewater system
• To ensure that the Town complies with its wastewater discharge permits, non-discharge permits, biosolids use and disposal requirements, and any other state or federal law to which the Town is subject.

The Town’s Pretreatment Division oversees the Town’s SUO and is primarily focused on commercial and industrial wastewater customers who may contribute wastewaters that could have significant impact on the wastewater treatment system. The pretreatment program also provides public education for residential wastewater customers.

Pretreatment Program Information/Links

Town of Cary Industrial Wastewater Survey - Short Form (PDF)
NC Division of Water Resources – Pretreatment Section
40 CFR 403 Federal Pretreatment Regulations

NEW — EPA Rule for Dental Offices: On June 14, 2017 the U.S. EPA published Dental Effluent Guidelines to reduce discharges of mercury from dental offices to publicly-owned wastewater systems. New dental facilities subject to the rule must achieve all of the following:

1. Remove dental amalgam solids from process wastewater using an ISO 11143 separator or equivalent. Existing facilities must achieve by July 14, 2020.
2. Implement Best Management Practices including not discharging waste amalgam and not using cleaners with pH lower than 6 or greater than 8. Existing facilities must achieve by July 14, 2020.
3. Submit a One-Time Compliance Report. Existing facilities must achieve by October 12, 2020. Existing facilities are defined as operational prior to June 14, 2017.

EPA Dental Discharge Fact Sheet

Contact

Donald Johnson
Utility Pretreatment Program Supervisor
Utilities Department
(919) 319-4564
don.johnson@carync.gov

Utility Pretreatment Technicians
(919) 462-2072