Local Agency Pretreatment Program

A local agency is a public entity that owns or operates a municipal treatment works such as a wastewater treatment plant and its collection system. The objectives of a pretreatment program are to prevent the introduction of pollutants into a wastewater treatment plant which may interfere with the operation of the treatment works, interfere with the treatment works chosen method of sludge management, or pass through the treatment works.

Pretreatment programs can be implemented by a local sewerage authority that is designated as a delegated local agency (DLA). The Department coordinates with non-delegated local agencies (non-DLA) to issue significant indirect user permits and meet pretreatment requirements while delegated local agencies implement local pretreatment programs and issue local permits to their users.

The Bureau of Surface Water and Pretreatment Permitting is responsible for overseeing the administration of delegated local agency pretreatment programs and issuing SIU permits for discharges into treatment works of non-delegated local agencies.

Applicable Pretreatment Program Requirements for Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) are included in NJPDES Discharge to Surface Water (DSW) Permits issued by Bureau of Surface Water and Pretreatment Permitting.

Delegated Local Agency Pretreatment Program

EPA delegated the responsibility for the pretreatment program to the Department.  The Department has delegated the responsibility of the pretreatment program to 17 DLAs in the state of NJ. See the list of DLAs below. DLAs are responsible for implementing pretreatment programs which among other responsibilities includes issuing and administering permits to SIUs in their service area.

The Department oversees the implementation of pretreatment programs by delegated local agencies. Through regulatory audits and annual reporting by DLAs, information on the treatment plant operations, NJPDES permit compliance, and sludge quality are evaluated to determine the pretreatment program’s success.

DLAs have specific reporting requirements that are found in Part IV of their NJPDES DSW permit. The below guidance provides assistance to DLAs in complying with their reporting requirements.

Non-Delegated Local Agencies

The Department is responsible for implementing a pretreatment program in a non-delegated sewer service area. The Department issues NJPDES/SIU permits for discharges into publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) that are in a non-delegated area and do not have approved pretreatment programs. This function was delegated to New Jersey by the EPA as a component of the state’s pretreatment program. These permits take into consideration plant protection, local agency compliance with NJPDES permit(s), and sludge quality criteria.

The below guidance is directed toward publicly owned treatment works (POTW) personnel responsible for implementing industrial pretreatment program (IPP) requirements for a Non-Delegated Local Agency (non-DLA).

Discharge to Surface Water permits that have been issued to each non-DLA have requirements (found in Part IV) that the non-DLA must adhere to. Among these requirements is a non-DLA Annual Pretreatment Program Report.

Additional Pretreatment Program Guidance