Restricted use of the public sewers.
Cape Coral Code of Ordinances § 19-8.2
in effect§ 19-8.2 - Restricted use of the public sewers.
(a) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any unpolluted waters such as stormwater, groundwater, roof runoff, subsurface drainage or cooling water to any sewer.
(b) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any of the following described waters or wastes to any public sewers:
(1) Any gasoline, benzene, naphtha, fuel oil or other flammable or explosive liquid, solid or gas.
(2) Any waters containing toxic or poisonous solids, liquids or gases in sufficient quantity, either singly or by interaction with other wastes, to injure or interfere with any waste treatment process, constitute a hazard to humans or animals, create a public nuisance or create any hazard in the receiving waters of the wastewater treatment plant.
(3) Any waters or wastes having a pH lower than 5.5 or greater than 9.0, or having any other corrosive property capable of causing damage or hazard to structures, equipment, and personnel of the wastewater works.
(4) Solid or viscous substances in quantities or of a size capable of causing obstruction to the flow in sewers, or other interference with the proper operation of the wastewater facilities such as, but not limited to, ashes, bones, cinders, sand, mud, straw, shavings, metal, glass, rags, feathers, tar, plastics, wood, unground garbage, whole blood, paunch manure, hair and fleshings, entrails and paper dishes, cups, milk containers and the like, either whole or ground by garbage grinders.
(c) The following described substances, materials, waters or waste shall be limited in discharges to municipal systems to concentrations or quantities which will not harm either the sewers, wastewater treatment process or equipment, will not have an adverse effect on the receiving stream or will not otherwise endanger lives, limb, public property or constitute a nuisance. The city may set limitations lower than the limitations established in the regulations below if in its opinion the more severe limitations are necessary to meet the above objectives. In forming its opinion as to the acceptability, the city will give consideration to such factors as the quantity of subject waste in relation to flows and velocities in the sewers, materials of construction of the sewers, the wastewater treatment process employed, capacity of the wastewater treatment plant, degree of treatability of the waste in the wastewater treatment plant, and other pertinent factors. The limitations or restrictions on materials or characteristics of waste or wastewater discharged to the sanitary sewer which shall not be violated without approval of the city are as follows:
(1) Wastewater having a temperature higher than 150°F (65°C) or will cause the temperature at the influent to a treatment plant to exceed 104°F (40°C);
(2) Wastewater containing more than 25 milligrams per liter of petroleum oil, nonbiodegradable cutting oils or product of mineral oil origin;
(3) Wastewater containing more than 100 milligrams per liter of oils, fat or grease;
(4) Any garbage that has not been properly shredded. Garbage grinders may be connected to sanitary sewers from homes, hotels, institutions, restaurants, hospitals, catering establishments or similar places where garbage originates from the preparation of food in kitchens for the purpose of consumption on the premises or when served by caterers;
(5) a.
Any wastewaters having an excess of:
| (Limits in Parts per Million or Milligrams per Liter)
Silver | 0.10
Barium | 5.0
Tin | 1.0
Iron | 2.0
Phenol | 0.2
Arsenic | 0.05
Boron | 1.0
Manganese | 1.0
Lead | 0.1
Mercury | 0.005
Nickel | 0.4
Zinc | 1.0
Copper | 0.1
Cadmium | 0.02
Total Chrome | 1.8
Selenium | 0.02
Chlorides | 250
b. Any substance or combination thereof that reduces the BOD by 10% will be considered as a toxic material. In addition, the limits for the following are:
Antimony | 0.0
Beryllium | 0.0
Bismuth | 0.0
Cobalt | 0.0
Cyanide | 0.0
Molybdenum | 0.0
Rhenium | 0.0
Tellurium | 0.0
Uranyl ion | 0.0
Strontium | 0.0
Herbicides | 0.0
Fungicides | 0.0
Pesticides | 0.0
(6) Any waters or wastes containing odor-producing substances exceeding limits which may be established by the city;
(7) Any radioactive wastes or isotopes of a half-life or concentrations as may exceed limits established in compliance with applicable state or federal regulations;
(8) Quantities of flow, concentrations, or both which constitute a "slug", as defined in § 19-1;
(9) Waters or wastes containing substances which are not amenable to treatment or reduction by the wastewater treatment processes employed, or are amenable to treatment only to a degree that the wastewater treatment plant effluent cannot meet the requirements of other agencies having jurisdiction over discharge to the receiving waters;
(10) Any water or wastes which, by interaction with other water or wastes in the public sewer system, release obnoxious gases, form solids which interfere with the collection system or create a condition deleterious to structures and treatment processes; and
(11) Wastewater containing constituents in concentrations which are in excess of the concentrations set for normal wastewater (250 mg/l BOD5 and TSS, 30 mg/l TKN, 15 mg/l phosphorus.)
(d) (1)
If any waters or wastes are discharged or are proposed to be discharged to the public sewers, which waters contain the substances or possess the characteristics enumerated above and which in the judgment of the city's Utilities Director, may have a deleterious effect upon the wastewater facilities, processes, equipment or receiving waters, or which otherwise create a hazard to life or constitute a public nuisance, the city may:
a. Reject the wastes;
b. Require pretreatment to an acceptable condition for discharge to the public sewers;
c. Require control over the quantities and rates of discharge; and
d. Require surcharge payment to cover added cost of handling and treating the waters.
(2) When considering the above alternatives, the city's Utilities Director shall give consideration to the economic impact of each alternative on the discharger. If pretreatment or equalization of waste flows is permitted, the design and installation of the plants and equipment shall be subject to the review and approval of the city.
(e) (1)
Interceptors and separators.
a. Interceptors or separators shall be provided when, in the opinion of the Utilities Department official, they are necessary for the proper handling of waste containing ingredients harmful to the building drainage system, public sewer or sewage treatment plant or processes.
b. The size, type and location of each interceptor or separator shall be approved by the Utilities Department. Under all circumstances the minimum requirements of the F.A.C. Chapter 10D-9 shall be required.
c. No waste other than those requiring treatment or separation shall be discharged into any separator except such as approved by the Utilities Department.
(2) Permit required. It shall be unlawful to install or operate an interceptor or separator without first obtaining a permit from the Utilities Department. All new and existing establishments which require or utilize an interceptor or separator must submit a maintenance schedule and obtain a permit. This permit is non-transferable and shall be displayed at the establishment permitted. Upon change of ownership of the establishment the new owner(s) must apply for a new non-transferable permit.
(3) Inspections and maintenance. The Utilities Department shall have the authority to inspect at a reasonable time, all establishments utilizing interceptors or separators which are connected to the city sewer system to insure that the establishments have installed and are properly maintaining their interceptor on all waste lines. If maintenance is determined to be inadequate upon an initial inspection the owner will be given written notice to immediately have the interceptor serviced. Failure to comply with the written notice within ten days of its receipt will constitute a violation of this chapter. A determination that maintenance is inadequate upon a second inspection shall constitute an immediate violation of this article. Violation will cause immediate revocation of permits and discontinued service.
(4) Grease interceptors. A grease interceptor shall be installed in the waste line leading from sinks, drains or other fixtures in the following establishments: restaurants, hotel kitchens or bars, factory cafeterias or restaurants, clubs or other uses where grease can be introduced into the drainage system in quantities that can effect line stoppage or hinder sewage disposal. Drains from toilets and lavatories shall not be connected to the grease interceptor.
(5) Oil separators. An oil separator shall be installed in the drainage system or section of the system where, in the opinion of the Utilities Department, a hazard exists or where oils or other flammables can be introduced or admitted into the drainage system by accident or otherwise.
(6) Sand interceptors. Sand and similar interceptors for heavy solids shall have a water seal of not less than two inches.
(7) Venting interceptors. Interceptors shall be so designed that they will not become air bound if closed covers are used. Each interceptor shall be properly vented.
(8) Accessibility of interceptors. Each interceptor shall be so installed as to provide ready accessibility to the cover and means for servicing and maintaining the interceptor in working and operating condition. The use of ladders or the removal of bulky equipment in order to service interceptors shall constitute a violation of accessibility.
(9) Water connection. Water connection for cooling or operating an interceptor shall be such that backflow cannot occur.
(10) Laundries. Commercial laundries shall be equipped with an interceptor having a removable wire basket or similar device which shall prevent passage into the drainage system of solids one-half inch or larger in size.
(11) Bottling plants. Bottling plants shall discharge their process wastes into an interceptor which will provide for the separation of broken glass or other solids, before discharging liquid waste into drainage system.
(12) Slaughter houses. Slaughtering room drains shall be equipped with separators which shall prevent the discharge into the drainage system of feathers, entrails and other materials likely to clog the drainage system.
(13) Food/garbage grinders. Food/ garbage grinders will not be permitted for use by commercial customers.
(14) Abandoned interceptors or separators. When an interceptor is to be abandoned the contents shall be completely pumped out, the bottom broken to permit drainage and the interceptor filled with clean sand or other suitable material.
(15) Permit fees. A one time, non refundable application fee of $20 shall be paid at the time of application for the permit. The fee for reinstallation of a revoked permit shall be $30.
(f) Where pretreatment or flow-equalizing facilities are provided or required for any waters or wastes; they shall be maintained continuously in satisfactory and effective operation by the owner at his or her expense.
(g) Any industry discharging to the city sewer system more than 10,000 gallons per day or any discharger so designated as a potential problem discharger by the city's Utilities Department shall comply with the following.
(1) In order to provide for accurate sampling and measurement of industrial wastes, each designated discharger shall provide and maintain, on each of its industrial waste outlet sewers, a large manhole or sampling chamber to be located outside or near its plant boundary line. If inside the plant fence, there shall be a gate near the sampling chamber with a key furnished to the city. There shall be ample room provided in each sampling chamber to enable convenient inspection and sampling by the city or its agent.
(2) Each sampling chamber shall contain a Parshall flume, accurate weir or similar device, with a recording and totalizing register for measurement of the liquid quantity; or the metered water supply to the industrial plant may be used as the liquid quantity where it is substantiated that the metered water supply and waste quantities are approximately the same, or where a measurable adjustment can be made in the metered supply to determine the liquid quantity. The measuring, totalizing, recording devices are to be supplied, installed and maintained by the owner.
(3) Samples shall be taken every hour, properly refrigerated and composited in proportion to the flow for a representative 24 hour sample. The sampling shall be repeated on as many days as necessary to insure representative quantities for the entire reporting period. Industrial plants with wide fluctuations in quantities of wastes, will require an automatic sampler paced automatically by the flow-measuring device. Minimum requirements for representative quantities shall include reevaluation during each quarterly period. The determination of representative quantities shall include not less than three consecutive days of 24 hour composite samplings taken during periods of normal operation, together with acceptable flow measurements. The frequency of sampling, sampling chamber, metering device, sampling methods and analysis of samples shall be subject, at any time, to inspection and verification by the city. Sampling and measuring facilities shall be such as to provide safe access for authorized personnel of the city for making the inspection and verification. Plans for sampling chambers, with their location shown on a site plan shall be submitted to the city.
(4) The owner of each facility discharging industrial wastes shall submit monthly to the city, on forms supplied by the city, a certified statement of the quantities of its wastes discharged into the sewers and wastewater works of the city or into any sewer connected therewith. Copies of pertinent water bills shall be submitted with the above statement. The documents shall be filed with the city not later than the tenth day of the following month. A separate statement shall be filed for each industrial plant. The total quantities of wastes to be measured and certified by the owner shall be:
a. Liquid in gallons;
b. Five day BOD in pounds;
c. Suspended solids in pounds, on a dry solids basis;
d. Total phosphorus in pounds;
e. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen in pounds; and
f. COD in pounds.
(h) No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged any sanitary wastewater into the storm sewer system without exception.
(i) Cooling and/or condensing water may be discharged to the storm sewer system only if a NPDES permit is obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency and authorized by FDEP.
(j) The industrial users may be required to provide information needed to determine compliance with this chapter. These requirements will include:
(1) Wastewater discharge peak rate and volume over a specified time period;
(2) Chemical analyses of wastewaters;
(3) Information on raw materials, processes, and products affecting wastewater volume and quality;
(4) Quantity and disposition of specific liquid, sludge, oil, solvent or other materials important to sewer use control;
(5) A plot plan of sewers of the user's property showing sewer and pretreatment facility location;
(6) Details of wastewater pretreatment facilities; and
(7) Details of systems to prevent and control the losses of materials through spills to the municipal sewer.
(k) No statement contained in this chapter shall be construed as preventing any special agreement or arrangement between the city and any industrial concern whereby an industrial waste of unusual strength or character may be accepted by the city for treatment. However, there shall be no agreements made that would violate any state or federal pretreatment standard.
(l) All measurements, tests and analyses of the characteristics of waters and wastes to which reference is made in this chapter shall be determined in accordance with the latest edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, published by the American Public Health Association. Sampling methods, location, times, durations and frequencies are to be determined on an individual basis subject to approval by the city.
(Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 63-89, 10-10-1989) (Ord. 97-86, § 1, 1-26-1987; Ord. 44-11, 8-22-2011)
Source: City of Cape Coral, Florida, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Land Development Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/cape_coral/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH19WASEUT_ARTIGEPR_S19-8.2REUSPUSEFetched: 11/4/2026