> Water > Industrial Waste

Industrial Waste Spill Reporting Procedures

Metropolitan Council Environmental Services has been granted the authority to enforce its "Waste Discharge Rules" and the EPA pretreatment regulations in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area (TCMA).

This page contains information related to spill reporting requirements, for spills that have entered the sanitary sewer in the TCMA.

For additional please contact Tim Rothstein at 651-602-4724 or 651-602-4700.

• Who to Call
• Who Should Report
• Spills of Concern
• Reportable Quantity
• MCES Spill Reporting Requirements
• Spill Reporting Poster

 

Who to Call

The Minnesota State Duty Officer

(651) 649-5451 or (800) 422-0798

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management operates a 24- hour State Duty Officer service establishing a one call system for all state reporting requirements. The Duty Officer records all pertinent information and then makes the appropriate notifications to other state and local agencies, including MCES.

Information to Report:

1. Material spilled;
2. Quantity spilled;
3. Date & Time of spill;
4. Location of spill;
5. Site Name;
6. Site Address; and
7. Description of what happened, current situation, and who has been already contacted.

For more information about Spill Reporting Requirements, check out the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Emergency Response Facts.

Who Should Report

Any person that has knowledge of an accidental discharge or prohibited slug discharge to the public sanitary sewers shall immediately notify MCES, and other appropriate public officials, of the discharge. Any person responsible for an accidental or prohibited slug discharge shall take immediate action as is reasonably possible to abate the discharge. Further, the responsible person shall perform any control and cleanup actions necessary to prevent additional accidental or prohibited slug discharge into the public sanitary sewers.

Top of Page

Prohibited Slug Discharge Definition

Any slug or batch discharge of wastewater of such volume or strength that is likely to cause interference, pass-through or operational problems in public sewers.

Slug Discharge Definition

"Slug"

Any waste discharge into the public sewers which, in concentration of any given constituent, except pH, or in quantity of flow, exceeds four times the average concentration or flow rate for a normal operating day.

Spills of Concern

Spills of toxic, flammable, corrosive, and otherwise dangerous industrial chemicals that enter the public sanitary sewers must be reported to MCES. Also, violations of permit limits and slug discharges must be immediately report to MCES. Finally, materials such as milk, sugar and other food products need to be reported since they can significantly impact/damage the operation of MCES’s biological wastewater treatment plants.

Reportable Quantity

Spills of all chemicals or materials, any quantities that enter the sanitary sewer must be reported to MCES. Although the MPCA has a 5-gallon minimum quantity for reporting petroleum spills, however, 5 gallons of a flammable material in the sewer system could cause a significant explosion hazard and should be reported. Bottom line, if in doubt, report the spill.

MCES Spill Reporting Requirements

The responsible person shall submit a written report to MCES that describes the accidental or prohibited slug discharge within five calendar days after occurrence of the discharge. The report shall include the following information:

1. Time, duration and location of the discharge;
2. Description and quantity of the material or waste discharged including constituents and concentrations;
3. Cause of the accidental or prohibited slug discharge;
4. Actions taken to abate and clean up the accidental or prohibited slug discharge; and
5. A schedule of corrective measures to prevent further occurrences.

 

Top of Page