Code of Massachusetts Regulations
314 CMR - DIVISION OF WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
Title 314 CMR 12.00 - Operation And Maintenance And Pretreatment Standards For Wastewater Treatment Works And Indirect Dischargers
Section 12.04 - Maintenance of Treatment Works and Sewer Systems

Universal Citation: 314 MA Code of Regs 314.12

Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024

(1) All persons operating wastewater treatment facilities shall prepare, adopt and keep current an operation and maintenance manual. The operation and maintenance manual shall be submitted to the Department for review and approval. The manual will be presumed approved if the Department does not issue a written approval, conditional approval, denial or request for further information within 90 days after submittal. The submittal and issuance dates are the dates that the manual and the Department's approval, conditional approval, denial or information request are postmarked. The manual shall be implemented as approved. The operation and maintenance manual shall contain all information needed by the operator of the treatment works to properly operate and maintain said treatment works in accordance with the requirements of 314 CMR 12.00, and shall include at a minimum the following items:

(a) Introduction;

(b) Permits and Standards;

(c) Description, Operation and Control of Wastewater Treatment Facilities;

(d) Description, Operation and Control of Sludge Handling Facilities;

(e) Description, Operation, Control and Testing of the Chemical Addition and Monitoring System;

(f) Personnel;

(g) Sampling and Laboratory Analysis;

(h) Records and Reporting;

(i) Maintenance;

(j) Emergency Operating and Response Program;

(k) Safety;

(l) Utilities and Energy Requirements;

(m) Infiltration and Inflow Removal;

(n) Emergency Notification Procedures for overflows or bypasses in accordance with 314 CMR 12.03(8).

(2) All sewer system authorities shall develop and implement an ongoing plan to control infiltration and inflow (I/I) to the sewer system, which shall be submitted upon request of the Department for review and approval. The plan shall describe the preventative maintenance program that identifies and mitigates infiltration/inflow entering the sewer system in order to prevent all unauthorized discharges of wastewater, including, but not limited to, sanitary sewer overflows and by-passes due to excessive infiltration/inflow. The plan shall include:

(a) An ongoing program to identify and eliminate sources of infiltration and inflow. The program shall include the necessary funding level and the source(s) of funding to implement the program.

(b) An inflow identification and control program that focuses on the disconnection and redirection of public and private sources of illegal inflow. Priority shall be given to removal of public and private inflow sources that are upstream from, and potentially contribute to, known areas of sewer system backups and/or overflows.

(c) A phased evaluation of the sewer system, consistent with the Department's Guidelines for Performing Infiltration/Inflow Analysis and Sewer Systems Evaluation Survey, to determine its existing condition, the presence and quantity of infiltration and inflow into the system, and locations and risks of wet weather sanitary sewer overflows or by-passes in the sewer system. The Infiltration/Inflow Analysis may assess a range of design storms, but shall specifically assess the risk of sewer system overflows for a five year, 24 hour storm event. The sewer system authority shall proceed with the evaluation in accordance with the following scope and schedule, unless otherwise required by the Department pursuant to an enforcement order:
1.On or before December 31, 2017, complete an Infiltration/Inflow Analysis of the sewer system, and submit a report to the Department for review and approval describing the work completed, the findings from the sewer metering program and Infiltration/Inflow Analysis, and a recommended plan and schedule to proceed with a Sewer System Evaluation Survey in areas of the sewer system determined to have excessive infiltration or inflow.

2.Complete and report on the Sewer System Evaluation Survey in accordance with terms and schedules set forth in the approved Infiltration/Inflow Analysis report. The results of each Sewer System Evaluation Survey shall be included in a report, submitted to the Department for review and approval, which identifies excessive infiltration and inflow, recommends actions to address excessive infiltration and inflow sources, and a schedule for such actions.

3.Where the sewer system authority has completed the plans identified in 314 CMR 12.04(2)(c)1. and 2. and is in the process of implementing the recommended actions identified in the Sewer System Evaluation Survey, those plans, along with an update as to what recommendations have been completed, and what remains to be completed, including a schedule for completion, may be submitted on or before December 31, 2017 to the Department for review and approval in lieu the requirements of 314 CMR 12.04(2)(c)1. and 2.

4.The plans identified in 314 CMR 12.04(2)(c)1., 2., and 3. will be presumed approved if the Department does not issue a written approval, conditional approval, denial or request for further information within 120 days after submittal. The submittal and issuance dates are the dates that the plans, the Department's approval, conditional approval, denial or information request are postmarked. The Department may require modification of a presumptively approved submission as needed to address violations of any applicable law, regulation or permit.

(d) For those sewer system authorities with NPDES discharge permits for combined sewer overflows, and for all sewer systems tributary to such sewer systems, and for other sewer systems which the Department specifically determines are at risk of wet weather sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs), the infiltration and inflow plan shall also include a program to address impacts from new sewer connections and extensions to the sewer system. All sewer system authorities shall include provisions in their I/I plan for mitigating impacts from any new connections or extensions where proposed flows exceed 15,000 gallons per day. Such mitigation shall require that four gallons of infiltration and/or inflow be removed for each gallon of new flow to be generated by the new sewer connection or extension, unless otherwise approved by the Department. The sewer system authority or the Department may require a higher removal rate per gallon of new flow in sensitive areas such as where overflows have the potential to impact drinking water supplies or nitrogen sensitive areas.

(3) All wastewater treatment facilities shall be provided with adequate operating personnel to ensure proper operation and the required degree of treatment at all times.

(4) In order to assure proper operation and maintenance, the Department may determine and require a minimum number of shifts and personnel per shift for any wastewater treatment facility considering the size, complexity and safety requirements of the particular facility. Any person operating wastewater treatment facilities shall prepare and submit to the Department a staffing plan for review and approval. The Department may utilize the Northeast Guide For Estimating Staffing at Publicly and Privately Owned Wastewater Treatment Plants, prepared by New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission and dated November 2008, along with any other relevant information, as a guide for determining the appropriate staffing level a wastewater treatment facilities with a design flow of 0.25 million gallons per day or higher. The plan will be presumed approved if the Department does not issue a written approval, conditional approval, denial or request for further information within 90 days after submittal. The submittal and issuance dates are the dates that the manual and the Department's approval, conditional approval, denial or information request are postmarked. The plan shall be implemented as approved. Said staffing plan shall contain a description of the number, certifications, and qualifications of personnel needed to ensure proper and continuous operation of the facility, and shall address the following items:

(a) Number of operational days per week;

(b) Number of operational hours per week;

(c) Number of shifts per day;

(d) Required personnel per shift;

(e) Saturday, Sunday and Holiday staff coverage; and

(f) Emergency operating personnel.

The staffing plan shall be updated every two years. If the owner of the wastewater treatment facility intends to contract for operation of the facility, such owner remains ultimately responsible for the proper operation and maintenance of the facility. The proposed contract and a list of all other facilities, including the names of all certified and non certified personnel employed at each wastewater treatment facility for which the proposed contract operator is responsible, shall be submitted to the Department prior to execution of the contract for review and approval. The contract shall be deemed approved if the Department does not issue a written approval, conditional approval, denial or request for further information within 90 days after submittal of the contract and list. The submittal and issuance dates are the dates that the contract and list, and the Department's approval, conditional approval, denial or information request are postmarked.

(5) Any person operating a sewer system which includes pump stations shall provide for routine inspection of the pump station facilities to ensure safe and proper operation of the pump station. These measures shall include, at a minimum:

(a) daily inspections of all pump stations which are designed to pump peak flows of 100,000 gallons per day or greater;

(b) weekly inspections of all pump stations which are designed to pump peak flows of less than 100,000 gallons per day, and

(c) An inspection log book or electronic record shall be maintained by the operator, and shall include, at a minimum, the date of inspection, the operational condition of the station, the need for any preventive maintenance or repairs, and the dates and description of such preventive maintenance and repairs.

Less frequent inspections may be allowed by the Department only if the pump station is equipped with a SCADA system that provides real-time information on the status of the station to the system operator and if such an alternative inspection schedule is proposed by the sewer system operator and approved by the Department in writing.

(6) All pumping, ejector or lift stations shall be provided with an adequate and operational alarm system that will transmit a warning of a malfunction at the station to a manned facility. Operational alarm systems shall be tested at least twice annually.

(7) All pumping, ejector or lift stations shall be provided with an independent engine/ generator type source of electric power or an alternate source of power completely separate and apart from that supplied by the electric utility for emergency operations. This source shall be automatically activated by failure of any phase of the power supply or upon any fluctuation in voltage, the amount or duration of which would cause damage to the motors. As an alternative for small pumping ejector or lift stations which are not located adjacent to drinking water supplies, storage (including system storage) equal to the maximum daily amount of wastewater (including infiltration and inflow) which can be expected may be provided, or a portable standby generator may be used, or a portable engine driven pump which can be readily connected to the force main may be supplied. Electric generators and engine driven pumps shall be tested at least twice annually.

(8) Any person operating a treatment works shall control the discharge of septage so that its entry into the wastewater treatment facility will not interfere with the proper operation and maintenance of the facility, degrade the effluent or violate the current Massachusetts Water Quality Standards.

(9) Any person operating treatment works shall maintain them in a manner that will ensure proper operation of the works, or any part thereof.

(10) Any person operating treatment works shall establish and implement a preventive maintenance program to assure the efficient operation of all facilities and equipment.

(11) Any person operating a treatment works shall provide sufficient and adequate tools, equipment, spare parts and supplies to maintain and operate all appurtenances of the works on a continuing basis.

(12) A reserve supply of all parts and supplies having a high replacement rate shall be on hand at all times.

(13) All standby and other equipment shall be maintained in operable condition.

(14) All tidegates and flap valves shall be maintained in operable condition.

(15) The Department may require modification of a presumptively approved submission as needed to address a violation of any applicable law, regulation or permit.

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