Discharge of hauled wastes.
Memphis Code of Ordinances § 13-24-51
in effectSec. 13-24-51. - Discharge of hauled wastes.
A. Requirements applicable to trucked or hauled wastes. The requirements of this chapter apply to pollutants from domestic and non-domestic sources, which are transported (e.g., by truck or rail) to the POTW. These requirements apply to such trucked or hauled pollutants to the same extent as pollutants discharged directly into the sewer system. Except for wastewater from residential household septic tank, food establishment grease, drive through car wash traps, and portable toilets, no user shall have wastewater hauled to the Memphis WWTP without receiving preapproval from the City of Memphis.
B. Requirements for generators and/or haulers of wastewater. The control authority may require any generator and/or hauler of wastewater, including but not limited to, those pertaining to holding tank wastes, industrial waste, sludge, septage, fats, oils and grease, or other sanitary sewage to:
1. Monitor, sample, and analyze the wastewater;
2. Provide a representative waste analysis of the waste prior to discharge;
3. Submit reports, including a waste tracking form, and such other information as requested by the control authority for every load or at such other frequency as the control authority deems appropriate; and/or
4. Undertake such additional requirements as deemed appropriate by the control authority to implement pretreatment requirements and to protect the POTW, human health, and the environment.
C. Designated discharge points and approvals. No person may discharge hauled wastewater of any type into the sewer system or WWTP except at a discharge point designated by the City of Memphis and with proper permit, approvals, and manifest. Alternate site locations must be approved or designated by the City of Memphis. Sewer systems treated by the POTW include all sewer systems located in Memphis, Germantown, certain systems located in Bartlett, Collierville, Lakeland, Millington, unincorporated Shelby County, and certain parts of Desoto County, Mississippi, including Southaven, Mississippi, and Horn Lake, Mississippi. Except for the Memphis designated point(s), wastewater may not be hauled into any sewer systems treated by the Memphis POTW.
D. Hauling license required and other requirements. Any person engaged in the hauling of wastewater to the Memphis WWTP must obtain any necessary approvals from the Shelby County Health Department. Licensed haulers shall be responsible for complying with all the terms and conditions contained in the license, in addition to Section R.5 of the Septic Cleaner Regulations of the Memphis and Shelby County Plumbing Code. Additionally, if the waste hauler intends to use the POTW disposal site, the hauler must obtain a disposal permit from the control authority and shall be responsible for complying with all the terms and conditions contained in the permit and the City of Memphis Sewer Use Ordinance. All trucks must be marked with the company name, phone number, waste hauler permit number, city, and state. The tank must also be marked with the company name and capacity of the tank in gallons.
E. Hauled waste tracking form required for every load. Waste haulers must provide a waste-tracking form for every load. This form shall include, at a minimum, the name and address of the industrial waste hauler, permit number, truck identification, names and addresses of sources of waste, and volume and characteristics of waste. The form shall identify the type of industry, known or suspected waste constituents, and a certification that none of the hauled wastes are RCRA hazardous wastes as defined in 40 C.F.R. Part 261 or State Rule 0400-12-01.
F. Absolute prohibition on hauling of hazardous waste to Memphis POTW. In no event shall any person arrange for or deliver to the POTW (including the collection system), by truck or rail, any pollutant or waste which would be a hazardous waste as defined in 40 C.F.R. Part 261 or State Rule 0400-12-01.
G. Letter of approval and manifest. Except as provided in subsection (H), below, or the City of Memphis otherwise provides in writing, no wastewater may be picked up and disposed at the POTW (including the collection system) unless the entity producing the waste has a letter of approval from the City of Memphis authorizing receipt of the particular wastestream, and each truck load or other load is accompanied with a properly completed manifest. Misrepresentation as to the waste delivered by a hauler may lead to civil and/or criminal enforcement. The generator of the waste must submit a written request to the City of Memphis containing all required information requesting approval to dispose of the waste and must receive the letter of approval prior to the pickup of the waste. The following are the requirements for the written request:
1. Must be on company letterhead and must be signed by an authorized representative of the user;
2. Must include the physical address or location of the facility;
3. Must include the address or physical location of the waste sump, pit, or catch basin;
4. Must include estimated volume or volumes of wastewater and/or sludge from each basin, sump, pit, basement, etc.;
5. Must include source of waste for each basin, sump, pit, basement, etc. (e.g., sanitary or septic waste, lift station sludge, sediment from industrial Pretreatment system, laundry waste, maintenance shop sludge, mop water, storm water, etc.);
6. Must include a certification statement of non-hazardous waste, "I certify that the waste to be disposed of would not be classified as hazardous waste as defined under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at 40 C.F.R. Part 261 and State Rule 0400-12-01;"
7. Must include a certification regarding inapplicability or compliance with categorical pretreatment Standards in accordance with one of the following two options:
a. "I certify that the waste is not subject to categorical pretreatment standards as set forth in 40 C.F.R. Chapter I, Subchapter N, Part 405 et seq." or
b. "I certify that the waste is from the following category [insert category], is subject to categorical pretreatment standards as set forth in 40 C.F.R. Chapter I, Subchapter N, Part 405 et seq., and that based upon the attached sampling information, the waste is in compliance with the applicable categorical pretreatment standard.
If option B applies, the letter must include the sampling information.
8. Must include the number of expected disposals or frequency of disposals from each basin, sump, or pit (e.g., a one-time event, one-disposal every three months for 12 months, one disposal per month for 12 months, etc., but not for any longer than 12 months); and
9. When required by the control authority, must include the laboratory report(s) of test results for a representative grab sample collected from each basin, sump, pit, basement, etc., with completed chain-of-custody document(s) attached, and must include any required field test results (e.g., pH) or such additional information as the control authority may require.
H. Wastestreams not requiring separate written approval. Notwithstanding subsection (G), above, the following wastestreams are not required to have a separate written approval for each particular wastestream unless otherwise required by the control authority on a case-by-case basis:
1. Wastewater from residential household septic tanks;
2. Food establishment grease removal equipment;
3. Drive-through car wash traps; and
4. Portable toilets.
I. Documents required during disposal and fee. A copy of the approval letter and properly completed manifest must accompany the permitted waste hauler during the disposal at the City of Memphis' designated discharge point. The disposal fee will be a charge based on a rate established by the division of public works in accordance with the gallon capacity of the truck.
J. Pollutant limits and other conditions. Maximum hauled waste pollutant limits and such other conditions as the control authority deems appropriate may be set by the control authority in a permit and/or letter of approval for determining whether a request to transport and dispose of waste to the designated discharge point is acceptable or not. No person shall violate the pollutant limits established by the control authority for hauled wastewater or otherwise be in violation of a waste hauler permits, disposal permit, letter of approval, or other user permit issued by the control authority.
K. pH Limits for hauled wastewater and volume.
1. All hauled wastewater must not violate a pH minimum limit of 5.5 standard units, i.e., having a pH lower than 5.5 standard units.
2. Notwithstanding section 13-24-43(B)(5), all hauled wastewater must not violate a pH maximum limit of 10.0 standard units.
3. Decanting or back flushing of the grease trap or its wastes for the purpose of reducing the volume to be hauled is prohibited.
L. Forfeiture of hauler waste privileges. Failure to renew and/or obtain a waste hauler permit or disposal permit or recurrence of late payment of disposal fees may result in the waste hauler not being allowed to use the City of Memphis' designated discharge point for disposal.
M. City reservation of rights. The City of Memphis, subject to its discretion, may prohibit the disposal and/or discharge of pollutants or wastes hauled or trucked to the POTW or any subcategories thereof.
(Ord. No. 5793, §§ 3, 5, 8-17-2021)
Source: City of Memphis, Code of Ordinances and Charter and Related Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tn/memphis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13PUSE_CH13-24PR_ART3DIPUSASE_S13-24-51DIHAWAFetched: 10/28/2026