Standards, Conditions & Regulations

WASTEWATER TERMS & CONDITIONS

The Greater Augusta Utility District finds that all property owners benefit from the services of a well maintained and highly functional wastewater management system that provides for the effective management of the wastewater that is collected within its service area, improves the general health and welfare of the citizens through reduction of undesirable or unsanitary conditions and improves water quality in receiving waters.
 

Read our Terms and Conditions, which constitute a contract between the Customer and the Utility, and further our ability to implement our goals and strategies and comply with the regulatory requirements. 

WASTEWATER USE ORDINANCE

This ordinance sets forth uniform requirements for users of the wastewater collection and Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) for the Greater Augusta Utility District and enables the District to comply with all the applicable State and Federal laws including the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), and the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 CFR Part 403). The objectives of this ordinance are:

  1. To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW that will interfere with the operation of the POTW;
  2. To prevent the introduction of pollutants into the POTW which will pass through the POTW, inadequately treated, into the receiving waters or otherwise be incompatible with the POTW;
  3. To ensure that the quality of the wastewater treatment plant sludge is maintained at a level which allows its use and disposal in compliance with applicable statutes and regulations;
  4. To protect POTW personnel who may be affected by wastewater and sludge in the course of their employment and to protect the general public; E. To improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewater sludge from the POTW; F. To enable the District to comply with its NPDES permit conditions, sludge use and disposal requirements and any other Federal or State laws to which the POTW is subject. 

Click here to open the Sewer Use Ordinance.

CLEAN WATER ACT & MAINE DEP LINKS

The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in 1948 and was called the "Federal Water Pollution Control Act," but it was significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. The "Clean Water Act" became the Act's common name with amendments in 1972. The CWA was further revised in 1981 and 1987.

Under the CWA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency established the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program that set pollutant standards and limits on wastewater discharges into the "Waters of the United States." The Greater Augusta Utility District's Maine Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit is the water pollution control mechanism issued by both the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

Copies of the District's Monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports may be requested by contacting Phyllis Rand at: PRand@GreaterAugustaUtilityDistrict.org

Water Quality Coordinator Phyllis Rand analyzes wastewater samples in order to monitor the condition of the wastewater treatment process and for compliance with State and Federal wastewater discharge regulations.

GREASE TRAP & GREASE INTERCEPTOR STANDARDS

Oil or grease can create major, expensive clogs if discharged into our sewer system. That’s why GAUD has strict Grease Trap & Interceptor Standards and penalties for non-compliance.

All food service establishments are required to submit a Grease Trap/Interceptor Application to the District. This includes (but is not limited to) bakeries, restaurants, motels, hotels, cafeterias, hospitals, schools, bars, fish markets, coffee shops—virtually any establishment required to have a State of Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ food service license.

We are revising our standards for location, design, installation, construction, operation and maintenance of new and existing grease traps and interceptors so as to comply with applicable Federal, State and local discharge standards.

Failure to comply with these Standards shall be considered violation of applicable sections of the District’s existing Sewer Use Ordinance and consequently, subject to applicable penalties and/or denial or discontinuance of water and/or sewer service. For a copy of the draft Grease Trap/Interceptor Standards, click here.