Industrial Discharge Permit Classifications
Pursuant to State and Federal regulations and City of Santa Monica Municipal Code §5.20, certain commercial or industrial facilities that discharge to the City sewer or storm water collection systems, or which have the potential to impact the publicly owned treatment works (Hyperion Treatment Plant) or waters of the State, are required to be inspected by the City and to maintain an industrial Wastewater Permit. The subject permit fees are separate and apart from water and utility fees that are assessed to every resident and business in the City. The City assesses the annual industrial wastewater permit fees concurrently with the fees associated with the annual renewal of the City business license.
What this means for you:
- More convenience. One annual permit fee tied to the renewal of your business license provides for better service by the City and eliminates multiple billings for permit fees throughout the year.
- You will have one point of contact for your wastewater permit and business license.
- You will have more clarity on what fees are paid and why they are being assessed
For more information on the Industrial Wastewater Permit, contact the Water Resources Protection Program at (310) 458-8235.
Permit Classification Descriptions
Class 99 Permit
General Criteria
The primary purpose of this category is for administrative tracking. The subject facility is not likely to impact the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) or municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) due to type of operation or due to the type of Best Management Practices (BMPs) in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. This type of permit may be upgraded if conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) occurs. No regular inspections or reporting are required, other than status questionnaire at every permit renewal cycle. Unscheduled inspection and access to facility records upon request are on an as needed basis as determined by the Water Resources Protection Program (WRPP) inspector or the Director.
Specific Criteria
De minimis or low flow volume and low strength discharge. If a restaurant, typically does not have a grease interceptor/ trap pretreatment device, instead may rely on small in-kitchen waste oil bin, if any. Some examples include: yogurt shop, coffeehouse with no onsite kitchen for food preparation, existing dentist with documented low use of amalgam, and has in place operating specialized Best Management Practices (BMPs) and history of no violations for a minimum of three years under a higher category permit. Medical offices with at least three years of compliance under a higher category permit.
Class 1 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a generally low probability of adversely impacting the operations of the POTW or MS4 due to the type of operation or due to the type of BMPs in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. This type of permit may be upgraded if conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the specific permit conditions or Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) occurs. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City.
Specific Criteria
Low flow volume and or low strength discharge. If a restaurant, typically with 75 or fewer meals per service and or has 25 or fewer seats, and or has a maximum of one deep fry machine (i.e. single basket) and does not have a grease interceptor/ trap pretreatment device, instead may rely on small in-kitchen used oil bin. May have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of used cooking oil/ grease and or other wastes, if non-restaurant. Other examples include: small markets, veterinarian offices/pet hospital, air conditioning repair shops, small motel/hotels with fewer than 20 beds and no onsite kitchen or laundry, bars/nightclubs with no kitchen, temporary construction dewatering if volume is less than 5,000 gals/day and medical or out-patient surgery offices.
Class 2 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a low to medium probability of impacting the POTW or MS4 based on the type of operations being conducted onsite. This type of permit may be upgraded if conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the specific permit conditions or Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) occurs. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City for all Class 2 permits.
Specific Criteria
Low to medium flow volume and or discharge strength. If a restaurant, typically with 75-100 meals per lunch or dinner service, and or has 25-150 seats, and or has one or more fry machines (i.e. multi-basket). Will typically have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of used cooking oil/ grease and or other wastes, if non-restaurant. Other examples include: small bakeries, medium sized markets, medium sized motel or hotels with 21- 60 beds or a similar sized hotel with on-site kitchen and or onsite laundry, commercial coin-operated laundry mat, non-franchise or chain-type restaurants/sandwich shops with grills or fryers, bars/nightclubs with a kitchen, rug/upholstery cleaners, welding shops, silkscreen shops, auto supply/battery shops, temporary construction dewatering if volume is between 5,000-10,000 gals./day, and pet shops.
Class 3 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a medium probability of adversely impacting the POTW or the MS4 due to the type of operation or due to the type of BMPs in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. This type of permit may be upgraded if conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the specific permit conditions or SMMC occurs. Reclassification to a lower permit (i.e. to Category 2) may be considered by the Director or his designee based on facility inspection results, the presence of properly sized grease trap/interceptor and or other pre-treatment device or BMP’s, and the enforcement history of the subject facility. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City for all Category 3 permits.
Specific Criteria
Typically medium flow volume and or discharge strength. If a restaurant, typically serves more than 100- 250 meals per lunch or dinner service and/or has 150-200 seats, and/or has one or more fry machines (i.e. multi-basket), These facilities typically have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of used cooking oil and/or other wastes, if non-restaurant. Other examples of this category include: medium sized bakeries, franchise/ chain restaurants, large markets and/or markets with an onsite butcher department, kitchen and or delicatessen, motel or hotels with 61-150 beds or similar sized hotel with onsite kitchen and/or laundry, truck/car repair shops, auto dealerships or gas stations with up to three repair bays, private aircraft repair, rental car locations, mortuaries, medical or commercial dental labs, convalescence facilities/hospitals, facilities that utilize plastic pellets, car washes, light manufacturing, commercial film photofinishers, motion picture technical services, temporary construction dewatering, if volume is between 10,000-15,000 gals./day, and commercial catering.
Class 4 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a medium to high probability of adversely impacting the POTW or the MS4 due to the type of operation or due to the type of BMPs in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. This type of permit may be upgraded if conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the specific permit conditions or SMMC occurs. Reclassification to a lower permit (i.e. to Category 3) may be considered by the Director or his designee based on facility inspection results, the presence of properly sized grease trap/interceptor and or other pre-treatment device or BMP’s, and the enforcement history of the subject facility. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City for all Category 4 permits.
Specific Criteria
Typically medium to high flow volume and or discharge strength. If a restaurant, typically serves greater than 250 meals per lunch or dinner service and or has greater than 200 seats, and or has one or more fry machines (i.e. multi-basket). These facilities typically have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of used cooking oil/ grease and or other wastes, if non-restaurant. Other examples include: large or commercial bakeries, franchise/ chain restaurants, large markets and or markets with a kitchen, delicatessen and or onsite butcher area, hotels with greater than 150 beds or a similar sized hotel with onsite kitchen and or laundry, car/truck repair shops, auto dealerships or gas stations with greater than three repair bays, cement plants, temporary construction dewatering if volume is 15,000-80,000 gals./day, and commercial laundry/dry cleaning facilities.
Class 5 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a high probability of adversely impacting the POTW or the MS4 due to the type of operation or due to the type of BMPs in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. This type of permit may be upgraded to include additional provisions if the permitted conditions at the facility are modified, discharge conditions change, or a violation of the specific permit conditions or SMMC occurs. Reclassification to a lower permit (i.e. to Category 4) may be considered by the Director or his designee based on facility inspection results, the presence of properly sized grease trap/interceptor and or other pre-treatment device or BMPs, and the enforcement history of the subject facility. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City, and self-monitoring, and or other sampling and reporting requirements are typically required.
Specific Criteria
Typically high flow volume and or discharge strength. These facilities will often have operations or process specific pretreatment devices and other BMPs in place to recycle, reduce, treat or otherwise mitigate the volume and or strength of discharges. These facilities typically have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of site generated wastes or by-products. These facilities may be under the supervision of a City, State or Federal regulatory agency. Some examples include: Any facility that by existing definition is considered a "Significant Industrial User", sites under remediation with oversight by a City, State or Federal environmental regulatory department or agency, commercial meat/animal processing facilities, paint or pesticide formulation facilities, hospitals, colleges or businesses with chemistry, biology and or engineering labs, pharmaceutical formulation or testing facilities, temporary construction dewatering if volume is between 80,000 and 100,000 gals./day, and petroleum, oil/grease recycling facilities.
Class 6 Permit
General Criteria
This category has a very high probability of adversely impacting the POTW or the MS4 due to an upset event or the type of operation, or due to the type of BMPs in place that are designed specifically to mitigate discharges from the facility. Reclassification to a lower permit (i.e. to Category 5) may be considered by the Director or his designee based on facility inspection results, the presence of properly sized grease trap/interceptor and or other pre-treatment device or BMPs, and the enforcement history of the subject facility. Regular unscheduled inspection(s) will be conducted by the City, and self-monitoring, and or other sampling and reporting requirements are required.
Specific Criteria
Typically high flow volume and or discharge strength, or a facility that may constitute a special concern for health and safety or impacts to the POTW or MS4 in the event of an upset event. These facilities will often have operations or process specific pretreatment devices and other BMPs in place to recycle, reduce, treat or otherwise mitigate the volume and or strength of discharges. These facilities typically have a licensed recycling company under contract for disposition of site generated wastes or by-products. These facilities may be under the supervision of a City, State or Federal regulatory agency. Some examples include: Any facility that by existing definition is considered a "Significant Industrial User", sites under remediation (e.g. for chlorinated hydrocarbons, fuel oxygenates etc.) with oversight by a City, State or Federal environmental regulatory department or agency, commercial meat/ animal processing facilities, metal finishing/plating, paint or pesticide formulation facilities, hospitals, colleges or businesses with chemistry, biology and or engineering labs, pharmaceutical formulation or testing facilities, temporary construction dewatering if volume is greater than 100,000 gals./day, and petroleum, oil/grease recycling facilities.