Sector control programs.
North Las Vegas Municipal Code § 13.28.30
in effect13.28.30 - Sector control programs.
A. General Requirements.
1. Authority. The city may establish specific sector control programs for industrial users to control specific pollutants as necessary to meet the objectives of this chapter. Pollutants subject to these sector control programs shall generally be controlled using best management practices (BMPs).
2. Facility Identification and Compliance. The city shall implement procedures to identify industrial users for inclusion into applicable sector control programs. Once identified and included into one or more sector control program, the facility shall be required to comply with the applicable sector control program requirements.
3. Notification to the City by the Industrial User and Management Review. The city shall review new construction and existing facilities undergoing any physical change, change in ownership, change in operations, or other change that could change the nature, properties, or volume of wastewater discharge, to ensure that current sector control program requirements are incorporated and implemented.
The industrial user shall inform the city prior to:
a. Sale or transfer of ownership of the business; or
b. Change in the trade name under which the business is operated; or
c. Change in the nature of the services provided that affect the potential to discharge sector control program pollutants; or
d. Remodeling of the facility that may result in an increase in flow or pollutant loading or that otherwise requires the facility to submit plans or specifications for approval through a building or zoning department, or any other formal approval process of a city, county or other jurisdiction.
4. Inspections.
a. The city may conduct inspections of any facility with or without notice for the purpose of determining applicability and/or compliance with sector control program requirements.
b. If any inspection reveals non-compliance with any provision of a sector control program requirement, corrective action shall be required pursuant to the applicable sector control program.
c. Inspection results will be provided in writing to the facility upon request.
5. Closure. The city may require closure of plumbing, treatment devices, storage components, containments, or other such physical structures that are no longer required for their intended purpose. Closure may include the removal of equipment, the filling in and/or cementing, capping, plugging, etc.
6. Enforcement and Compliance.
a. These requirements form a part of this chapter. Enforcement of this regulation is governed by the express terms in this chapter.
b. Any extraordinary costs incurred by the city due to interference, damage, pass through, or maintenance necessary in the treatment and/or collection system shall be paid by the industrial user to the city. The direct costs of all labor, equipment and materials incurred in rectifying the interference or damage, including reasonable attorney's fees, shall be billed directly to the owner or the industrial user by the city, and such costs shall become part of the total charges due and owing to the city and shall constitute a lien on the industrial user until paid in full.
B. Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) Best Management Practices.
1. Applicability: These best management practices (BMPs) establish requirements for any facility the director determines that has the potential to discharge floatable or settleable material. The requirements established in this BMP shall apply to facilities where preparation, manufacturing, processing of food or washing/sanitizing of dishes or equipment occurs. Included food establishments may include, but are not limited to, restaurants, cafes, fast food outlets, pizza outlets, delicatessens, sandwich shops, coffee shops, schools, nursing homes and other facilities that prepare, service or otherwise make foodstuff available for consumption.
2. These facilities shall install and maintain a gravity grease interceptor (GGI) within ninety (90) days of being notified of such requirement.
3. No food service establishment covered by subsection B.1., above, shall discharge or cause to be discharged any wastewater containing free or floating oil and grease, or any discharge containing animal fat or grease by-product in excess of two hundred and fifty (250) milligrams per liter. Unless otherwise approved by the director, a food service establishment shall install and properly operate and maintain a gravity grease interceptor, implement all required BMPs and not violate a general or specific prohibition as specified in Section 13.28.04 of this chapter.
4. A GGI that was legally and properly installed at an industrial user's facility prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be acceptable as an alternative if such device is effective in removing floatable and settleable material and is designed and installed is such a manner that it can be inspected and properly maintained. If the director determines at any time that such GGI is incapable of adequately retaining the floatable and settleable material or if it was installed in such a manner that it cannot be inspected and properly maintained, the industrial user shall install a GGI that complies with all city codes within ninety (90) days after being notified of such requirement.
5. Variance.
a. A variance as to the requirements may be granted by the director for good cause. The facility has the burden of proof of demonstrating through data and other information why a variance should be granted. In no case shall a variance result in violation of any pretreatment standard or requirement specified in this chapter and applicable to the discharge. The granting of any variance shall be at the sole discretion of the director and may be revoked at their discretion.
b. If a variance is granted, the facility shall institute best management practices and other mitigation measures as specified by the director. These BMPs may include, but not be limited to:
i. Allow the installation of a hydromechanical grease interceptor (HMGI), or continue to allow the use of an HMGI in lieu of installing a GGI, where the HMGI is shown to be effective. If a HMGI is not shown to be effective, the director may require the industrial user to install a GGI.
ii. All sinks and drains which are connected to the sanitary sewer shall be equipped with a fixed or removable mesh or screen which shall catch garbage and food debris and prevent it from entering the sewer system.
iii. Food grinders are prohibited unless the industrial user installs and properly operates a solids separator prior to discharge to the POTW.
iv. Biological treatment or enzyme treatment shall not be used unless approved by the director. Use of enzymes or other chemical or biological treatment or product that emulsifies or acts to emulsify FOG is prohibited.
v. An employee training program shall be instituted on a periodic basis and for all new employees on FOG waste management.
vi. Provide quarterly cleaning of its private service line to prevent the buildup of oil, grease and solids or as otherwise specified by the director.
vii. Submit records of the private service line cleaning as specified by the director.
viii. Pay the costs incurred by the city or other jurisdiction for accelerated sewer line cleaning on the sewer line providing service between the facility and the POTW, costs to the city for treating the excess strength waste and any costs for sampling and analysis.
6. General Control Requirements.
a. A GGI shall be required for the proper handling of liquid wastes which may be harmful to, or cause obstruction in the wastewater collection system or cause or contribute to pass through or interference.
b. It shall be the responsibility of the industrial user and/or owner of the property to contact the city for the purpose of obtaining necessary permits for the installation of a grease removal device or any modifications to the facility's plumbing. Written approval from the city must be obtained prior to installation of the interceptor. The time of review and approval of such permits shall in no way relieve the industrial user from the responsibility of producing a discharge acceptable to the city under the provisions of this chapter.
c. The design and sizing of GGIs shall be in accordance with applicable city building codes. The GGI shall be designed, sized, installed, maintained and operated so as to accomplish the intended purpose of intercepting pollutants from the industrial user's wastewater and preventing the discharge of such pollutants to the city's wastewater collection system, including pollutants that result in toxic, noxious or malodorous conditions that create a public nuisance or unsafe working conditions, which endanger life or the environment.
d. Upon change of ownership of any existing facility which would be required to have an interceptor under this chapter, the applicant for sanitary sewer service shall have the burden to demonstrate that a properly sized and functioning GGI is installed.
e. All sinks which are connected to a GGI shall be equipped with a fixed or removable mesh or screen which shall catch garbage and food debris and prevent it from entering the GGI. Food grinders are prohibited unless the industrial user installs and properly operates a solids separator prior to the GGI.
f. The industrial user must ensure interceptors are easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of FOG.
g. The industrial user must maintain interceptors at their expense and keep in efficient operating condition at all times by the regular removal of accumulated FOG.
h. Each industrial user that is required to use and maintain a GGI shall keep a record of every time the GGI is pumped, cleaned or repaired. This record shall include the date, the name of the company that pumped or cleaned the GGI and the amount of waste that was removed. Such records shall be made available to the director upon request. The removed contents from any GGI shall be handled by a person licensed to haul such waste and shall be disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.
7. Required Maintenance.
a. GGIs shall be maintained by regularly scheduled cleaning so that they will properly operate as intended to efficiently intercept the fats, oil and grease from the facility's wastewater and prevent the discharge of said materials into the city's wastewater collection system. A GGI shall be serviced at a minimum of every ninety (90) days, whenever the combined thickness of the floating greases and settled solids is greater than twenty-five percent (25%) of the hydraulic working capacity of the GGI, if an effluent concentration exceeds two hundred and fifty (250) mg/L, or if toxic, noxious, malodorous conditions create a public nuisance or unsafe working conditions which endanger health.
b. The city may require more frequent cleaning than that prescribed in paragraph 6.a. above. A variance from the requirement in paragraph 6.a. may be obtained if the industrial user can demonstrate through analytical data that less frequent cleaning is sufficient.
c. Maintenance of grease interceptors shall be done in a workman-like manner only by a business/professional normally engaged in the servicing of such plumbing fixtures.
d. In the event a GGI is not properly maintained by the industrial user, owner, lessee, or other authorized representative of the facility, the city may authorize such maintenance work be performed on behalf of the industrial user. The costs of such maintenance shall be billed directly to the tenant/owner and shall become part of the charges due and owing to the city.
e. Biological treatment or enzyme treatment shall not be a substitute for the servicing of a GGI. Use of enzymes or other chemical or biological treatment or product that emulsifies or acts to emulsify FOG is prohibited.
f. The industrial user must document each pump-out with a waste manifest or trip ticket and kept by the industrial user on site for at least three years.
g. The industrial user must take reasonable steps to assure that all waste is properly disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local regulations (i.e. through a statement certifying proper disposal by the hauler included on the waste manifest or trip ticket for each load).
C. Sand/Oil Separator Requirements.
1. These best management practices (BMPs) establish requirements for any facility that has the potential to discharge petroleum oil, mineral oil, cutting oils, non-food grease and solids. All facilities subject to these BMPs must comply with the requirements which include both the requirement for installation and proper operation and maintenance of a separator and other reporting requirements.
2. A sand/oil separator that was legally and properly installed at an industrial user's facility prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be acceptable as an alternative if such device is effective in removing floatable and settleable material and is designed and installed is such a manner that it can be inspected and properly maintained. If the director determines at any time that such sand/oil separator is incapable of adequately retaining the floatable and settleable material or if it was installed in such a manner that it cannot be inspected and properly maintained, the industrial user shall install a sand/oil separator that complies with all city codes within ninety (90) days after being notified of such requirement.
3. Implementation: These sand/oil separator requirements may be implemented by letter, order or permit.
4. General Control Requirements.
a. A sand/oil separator shall be required for the proper handling of liquid wastes which may be harmful to, or cause obstruction in the wastewater collection system or cause or contribute to pass through or interference.
b. It shall be the responsibility of the industrial user and owner of the property, business or industry or an authorized representative of the industrial user to contact the city for the purpose of obtaining a plan review. The plan review shall determine the need, size, location, and other requirements of the interceptor required to control discharges into the POTW. Written approval from the city must be obtained prior to installation of the separator and meet all applicable building codes. The review of such plans and operating procedures shall in no way relieve the industrial user from the responsibility of modifying such facilities as necessary to produce a discharge acceptable to the city under the provisions of this chapter.
c. Upon change of ownership of any existing facility which would be required to have a separator under this chapter, the applicant for sanitary sewer service shall have the burden to demonstrate that a properly sized and functioning sand/oil separator is installed.
d. Toilets, urinals and similar fixtures shall not waste through a sand/oil separator. Such fixtures shall be plumbed directly into the building sewer and waste system.
e. The industrial user shall ensure the sand/oil separator are easily accessible for inspection, cleaning, and removal of sand, oils and other accumulated wastes.
f. The industrial user shall maintain separators at their expense and keep in efficient operating condition at all times by the regular removal of waste materials.
5. Required Maintenance.
a. Sand/oil separators shall be maintained by regularly scheduled cleaning so that they will properly operate as intended to efficiently intercept the sand and oil from the industrial user's wastewater and prevent the discharge of said materials into the city's wastewater collection system. A sand/oil separator shall be serviced at a minimum once per twelve (12) months or more frequently as necessary. The industrial user should periodically check the separator for the accumulation of pollutants or solids to avoid exceeding the capacity of the separator.
b. The city may require more frequent cleaning. A variance from this requirement may be obtained when the industrial user can demonstrate with analytical data that less frequent cleaning is sufficient.
c. Maintenance of sand/oil separators shall be done in a workman-like manner only by a business/professional normally engaged in the servicing of such plumbing fixtures.
d. In the event a separator is not properly maintained by the industrial user, owner, or lessee, the city may authorize such maintenance work be performed on behalf of the facility. The costs of such maintenance shall be billed directly to the customer and shall become part of the charges due and owed to the city.
e. The industrial user must document each pump-out with a waste manifest or trip ticket and keep on site for at least three years.
f. The industrial user must take reasonable steps to assure that all waste is properly disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local regulations (i.e. through a statement certifying proper disposal by the hauler included on the waste manifest or trip ticket for each load).
g. Each industrial user that is required to use and maintain a sand/oil separator shall keep a record of every time the sand/oil separator is pumped or cleaned or repaired. This record shall include the date, the name of the company that pumped or cleaned the sand/oil separator and the amount of waste that was removed. Such records shall be made available to the director upon request. The removed contents from any sand/oil separator shall be handled by a person licensed to haul such waste and shall be disposed of in accordance with federal, state and local regulations.
(Ord. No. 2771, § 1, 10-5-2016)
Source: City of North Las Vegas, Nevada, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nv/north_las_vegas/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT13PUSE_CH13.28REINUSINPRPR_13.28.30SECOPRFetched: 11/1/2026