•     Contact Us
•     Pretreatment Program
•     Regulations
•     Permit Information
•     Grease Interceptor for Restaurants
•     Clarifiers for Vehicle Service Facilities
•     Best Environmental Management Practices
•     Homeowners/Residential Information
•     Frequently Asked Questions
•     Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program

Our Pretreatment Program Specialist samples the industrial wastewater of a County business

John Presleigh,  Director of Public Works Don Hill, Assistant Director of Public Works Amy Gross, Environmental Programs Coordinator Dan Chua, Pretreatment Program Specialist Nicholas Dybdahl, Pretreatment Program Specialist

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For federal regulations, please visit the Code of Federal Regulations site at:

 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_00/40cfr403_00.html

For local regulations, please visit the following link:

Santa Cruz County Sanitation District Code

The following are required to have a permit with the County of Santa Cruz Sanitation Districts (Santa Cruz, Freedom, and Davenport):

• Categorical Users as defined in 40CFR Part 403 (typical categorical users in Santa Cruz County include metal finishers, circuit board manufacturers, and plastics industries that are discharging wastewater).
• Industrial Users that discharge more than 25,000 gallons of sewage per day, i.e., large medical facilities, or those that are treating an industrial wastewater prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer.
• Remediation Sites that are pumping groundwater and treating it to remove pollutants, then discharging to the sanitary sewer.
• Photo Processors treating silver-contaminated water and discharging to the sanitary sewer.

*Click on the industry type above for an example permit.  Please note that the permits provided are merely examples.  There may be different requirements based on site conditions and analytical data.

The first step to obtaining a permit is to submit a Wastewater Survey.  Based on the information obtained in the survey and a site visit, your business may be required to submit a Baseline Monitoring Report, which will require analyzing wastewater for certain contaminants.  To obtain and complete a survey, please download one of the following:

Photo Processor Wastewater Survey

Machine Shop Wastewater Survey

Automotive Shop Wastewater Survey

General Light Industry (other) Wastewater Survey

 Change of Ownership:

Wastewater permits are non-transferable.  If your business has recently undergone a change of ownership or relocation, you must re-apply for a wastewater permit by submitting a Wastewater Survey.   Indicate on the survey that the reason for submittal is a change of ownership.

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All food facilities in the County of Santa Cruz are required to have grease interceptors or traps to remove grease from their sewer lines before it reaches public sewer mains.  There may be smaller interior traps or larger exterior interceptors required, depending on the amount of grease a facility produces. 

 Please see County Design Criteria  figures SS16-SS18 for grease interceptor/trap requirements.

For New Food Service Facilities:

Environmental Compliance staff will assist you to determine the appropriately sized grease device and the frequency for which a facility must clean its grease interceptor or trap.  A new grease interceptor must be approved prior to operation.  Please call (831) 477-3907 to schedule a site visit for approval.

Grease traps and interceptors must be cleaned to work effectively.  Generally, an exterior interceptor must be pumped out 2-4 times a year.  Environmental Compliance staff will set your pump schedule and may determine a more frequent pumping schedule if there is evidence of excessive grease.  It is recommended that interior traps be cleaned once a week, and must be entirely pumped out at least twice a year.  There are several grease haulers that service Santa Cruz County.  For cleaning instructions and a list of the pumpers known to work in the area, please refer to Best Management Practices for Restaurants

Once a grease trap or interceptor has been serviced, you must send the manifest or invoice to the Environmental Compliance Unit via fax at (831) 462-3973.  This is proof that you are maintaining your trap/interceptor and means that your facility may not need to be inspected more than once every two years.  Please keep your manifests and invoices to have available during an inspection in case there has been a discrepancy.

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All commercial car wash wastewater must be collected, treated, and then discharged to the sanitary sewer.  Environmental Compliance staff require a minimum 1500-gallon clarifier to treat car wash wastewater.  However, a larger size may be required depending on the number of cars being washed.  Clarifiers must be completely pumped out at least once a year, sometimes more frequently if there is evidence of excessive oil and solids.  It is recommended that a company installing a new car wash facility consider purchasing an automated unit that recycles rinse water.  For instructions on maintaining a clarifier and a list of pumpers known to work in the area, please refer to Best Environmental Management Practices for Vehicle Service Facilities.

Please see County Design Criteria figures SS19-SS20 for clarifier requirements.

Do you want to save time and money and convey a good message to your customers?  Making a few simple changes in the way you manage your business can do just that, attracting new customers and instilling loyalty in existing customers.  Many of the residents of Santa Cruz County consider protecting the beautiful environment and community in which we live a top priority. 

Whether your business is two blocks or 20 miles from the water, it has two connections to the Monterey Bay.  Indoor drains such as sinks, toilets, and most floor drains convey wastewater through the sanitary sewer system to a treatment plant where the water is treated before it is discharged into the bay.  Outside your business, rainwater, wash water from buildings, road surfaces, vehicles, and equipment pick up oil, grease, cleaning compounds, pesticides, paint, garbage and other pollutants.  Storm drains carry these pollutants through the storm drain system directly into local creeks and the bay. They are not filtered or treated in any way.

Environmental Compliance staff have compiled business-specific ways to prevent pollution of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  Many of the practices are required.  Practices that are not required could result in a cost and time savings for your business.  Click on the appropriate best management practice below for details.

Restaurants Restaurants (Spanish) Vehicle Service Facilities Printers Dry Cleaners Medical Facilities Return to Top of Page

Photo Processors Machine Shops Surfboard Shapers Dentists Paint Contractors Responsible Car Washing

Best Environmental Management Practice Workshop Demonstration- Hydrophobic Mop

You own and pay for your sewer.  Take good care of it.

Whether your home is two blocks or 20 miles from the water, it has two connections to the Monterey Bay.  Indoor drains such as sinks, toilets, and most floor drains convey wastewater through the sanitary sewer system to a treatment plant where the water is treated before it is discharged into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.  Outside your home, rainwater, wash water from buildings, road surfaces, vehicles, and equipment pick up oil, grease, cleaning compounds, pesticides, paint, garbage and other pollutants.  Storm drains carry theses pollutants through the storm drain system directly into local creeks and the bay.  They are not filtered or treated in any way.

By paying your sewer service charges, you are paying for maintenance and improvement of your sewer and for proper treatment of wastewater before it is released to the ocean.  Anything you put down the household drain must make its way through a series of pipes and pumps to the treatment plant and then out to the ocean outfall.  Take proper care to ensure that what you put down your drain won’t result in additional maintenance costs, sanitary sewer spills, or even significant reconstruction costs for damages.

Click on the link below to find out what you can and cannot put down the drain.  Please be sure to follow these guidelines to avoid costly increases in sewer service charges or a sewage spill.

 Drain Etiquette

¡Etiqueta de Mantener el Desague!

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Can I pour paint down the sink?  No.  Excess paint can be taken to a household hazardous waste facility at the Buena Vista landfill.  You can wash paint brushes that were used on latex or water-based paints.  See our fact sheet on paint waste disposal Facts about Paint.

How do I report illegal dumping or a sewer overflow?  Call our 24-hour dispatch at (831) 477-3907.

What’s the difference between a sewer drain and a storm drain?  A sewer drain is covered and protected from rainwater.  Your sinks, baths, and other household appliances are connected to the sewer system.  All water entering the sewer is pumped to a treatment plant that will remove pollutants before discharging the treated water to the ocean.  Storm drains are generally open grates in the street that collect rainwater and any other runoff.  This water goes directly to the ocean without treatment.  Only rain should go down these drains!

When my pipes are backed up, whom should I call?  Call your local plumber.  Sewer lines on your property are your responsibility to maintain.  However, if the problem is a backup in the public sewer line in the street, call our 24-hour dispatch at (831) 477-3907.

What should I do with my waste cooking grease?  Place the grease in a coffee tin or other container with a lid, freeze it, and then throw the whole container in the trash. 

Can I push food into my sink garbage disposal?  It is better to compost food waste.  If that isn’t possible, throw food waste in the trash.  Sending large amounts of solids down your sink could clog up your pipes or sewer lines in the street and cause sanitary sewer overflows.

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The Monterey Bay Area Green Business program is a successful partnership of environmental agencies, utilities and nonprofit organizations that assist, recognize and promote businesses and government agencies that volunteer to operate in a more environmentally responsible way. To be certified "green," participants must be in compliance with all regulations and meet program standards for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste. We offer motivated businesses and agencies an easy-to-use framework for improving environmental performance.

To learn more about becoming a certified business, visit the website at www.montereybaygreenbusiness.org

Two Restaurants that received Green Business certification: Michael's on Main and Shadowbrook Restaurant

  For a complete list of Certified Green Businesses, visit www.montereybaygreenbusiness.org .

  Helpful Environmental Links:  www.ecocruz.org

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Revised 3/2011 e