The City of Rock Hill's (CRH) Pretreatment Program was established as required by the Federal Government through the provisions of the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 CFR Part 403). The Program oversees the issuance of wastewater discharge permits for of all Rock Hill and Satellite System based industrial and commercial facilities discharging wastewater, either directly or indirectly (via septage hauler), to the Manchester Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. User compliance with the conditions as set forth in their permit ultimately protects our sewer collection system, treatment facility and the Catawba River.

Objectives of the Program

• Identify Users of the system who because of the size and/or nature of their waste could alone, or in conjunction with others, interfere with the operation of the system or contaminate the resulting sludge;
• Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the municipal wastewater system which will interfere with the operation of the system, or contaminate the resulting sludge;
• Prevent the introduction of pollutants into the municipal wastewater system which will pass through the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW), inadequately treated, into receiving waters, or otherwise be incompatible with the POTW;
• Improve the opportunity to recycle and reclaim wastewater and sludge from the POTW;
• Provide for equitable distribution of the cost of the municipal wastewater system;
• Carry out the responsibilities of the Authority as a POTW whose responsibilities are prescribed in the Federal Water Pollution Act, also known as the Clean Water Act (33 United States Code (U.S.C.) § 1251 et seq.), the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 403) and subsequent Regulations issued pursuant to said act;
• Establish fees for the cost of the Rock Hill Pretreatment Program (RHPP), which cost the Authority, in its discretion, may determine by Regulation, shall be borne either by all Industrial/Commercial Users and Commercial Users Engaged in Food Services, equitably, by all Industrial/Commercial Users and Commercial Users Engaged in Food Services in proportion to the amount and type of discharge, by all Industrial/Commercial Users and Commercial Users Engaged in Food Services of the treatment works generally, or in any manner, deemed appropriate by the Authority; and,
• Enable the Authority to comply with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit conditions, sludge use and disposal requirements, and any other Federal or State laws to which the POTW is subject.

Activities Performed:

In order to meet our Program’s objectives, the following activities are performed on a daily/routine basis:

• Identify new industrial and commercial Users, as well as changes/modifications to current Users’ processes.
  Pretreatment personnel routinely interface with other CRH personnel and City Departments, (i.e., Planning & Development Department, Fire Department, Environmental Inspections Department, Public Works Department), as well as, track newspaper announcements/advertisements, phone directory and manufacturing listings to identify new and unpermitted commercial businesses within the City. Modifications/changes to permitted Users’ processes are flagged through the Planning & Development Department. Business sales/closings are identified by working with CRH metering and billing personnel, as well as, the Business Licensing Office.
• Permit commercial and industrial facilities as identified in our Sewer Use Ordinance.
  Our Program currently permits approximately 650 commercial/industrial facilities throughout the City. The very diverse nature of our permittees’ operations and the wastestreams they generate pose a daily challenge for our personnel in ensuring the protection of our system and the environment. Permitting is one of the most effective ways of educating our businesses in pollution prevention and environmental compliance.
• Inspect and monitor commercial and industrial facilities located within the City of Rock Hill.
  Pretreatment personnel conduct between 750-800 (average) inspections/monitoring events each year. These events provide our User base with an opportunity ask time relevant questions of our Program personnel. They also provide our personnel with an opportunity to ascertain from conversations with employees, visuals of the facility and data results from samplings, the degree of Pretreatment knowledge and commitment to pollution prevention that the permittee demonstrates. We have determined that frequent calls and site-visits, “just to see how the industry/commercial facility is running”, above what was required by our Program, provide a reassuring and encouraging message to our permittees. Our permittees have indicated that they are pleased that our Pretreatment personnel have shown a genuine interest in their operations in all instances, not just when there are non-compliance issues. Our steadfast presence in the industrial and commercial community has by far enhanced our relationships with our permittees by demonstrating our commitment to pollution prevention and our commitment to our industries in assisting them to achieve exemplary compliance status.
• Monitor the levels of pollutants entering and leaving our MCWWTP, as well as at strategic locations found in the sewer collection system.
  Our Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) continues to serve the needs of the community effectively by reducing the toxic loadings to the wastewater treatment facility and the Catawba River. This reduction is not only a positive reflection on Rock Hill’s Industrial Pretreatment Program, but also a positive reflection on our permittees dedication to environmental compliance. The total metals concentration has been reduced from approximately 1.85 mg/L (1986) to approximately 0.31 mg/L (2006). This tremendous reduction (approximately 83%) in toxic pollutants at our head works undoubtedly stems from the application of local limits (LLMP) through our permitting process. Wastewater discharge limits as derived from our ongoing local limits research maintain head works loadings that facilitate optimum treatment conditions within our plant. Optimum treatment conditions have indeed provided for an effluent compliant with our NPDES effluent limitations.
• Collect application, permit, monitoring and surcharge fees to support our program’s mission.
  Pretreatment personnel are ultimately responsible for assessing and collecting fees from our permittees. Fees in turn support our Program’s mission and related activities. Applicants pay a “one time” application fee in order to obtain their wastewater discharge permit. Once permitted they pay an annual pretreatment fee which is determined through characterization of their operations/associated wastestream(s). In addition to an annual permit fee, the User may be required to pay monitoring fees. The RHPP reserves the right to perform periodic monitoring of the Permittee’s wastestream(s). Repeat sampling and analyses conducted by the RHPP may be deemed necessary due to failure to meet effluent limits, change in production processes or expansions or reduction of production and/or discovery of additional information or production not available at the time of permit issue. All costs incurred for sampling events are the sole responsibility of the User. The monitoring fee is calculated based on the frequency of sampling, the number of events and the fee for the parameters evaluated. Discharge of conventional pollutant levels which exceed their respective surcharge limits is subject to an annual surcharge.

Improved compliance and savings for some of our users have been substantial. These companies have served as models for other aspiring “green” companies within our community.

Refer to Sec. 29-152- Definitions of the Industrial Pretreatment Program Ordinance to see if your company/industry is a significant industrial user (SIU), industrial user (IU). groundwater discharger, zero discharger or wastehauler. The City's Industrial Pretreatment Program can also deem companies SIUs.

Significant industrial users must submit a permit application. 

• Brewery/Winery Permit Application (PDF)
• Food Service Establishment FOG Permit Application (PDF)
• Food Truck and Mobile Vendor FOG Permit Application
• Grease Hauler Permit Application (PDF)
• Industrial User Survey (PDF)
• Waste Hauler Permit Application (PDF)

Permits are valid for four years and no more than five years. There can also be a specific time frame depending on certain circumstances.

Inspections are performed annually, but can be for enforcement purposes. They also can occur randomly. Industrial pretreatment staff sample once every quarter specific to the permit issued. SC DHEC may require more frequent sampling. 

Wastewater Superintendent
Jerry Ireland

Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator
Brice Sodorff

GMP Official - FOG (Fats, Oil & Grease)
Eric Gensemer

Industrial Pretreatment Specialist
Mario Ndieli

 Additional links:

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Pretreatment Program
• EPA Dentists Regulation
• South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC)
• FAQs Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals
• Management of Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals

March 2024 Sampling Results (PDF)
June 2022 Sampling Results (PDF)
Fall 2021 Sampling Results (PDF)
Fall 2020 Sampling Results (PDF)
2019 Sampling Results (PDF)

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit #SC0020433, issued to the City of Rock Hill on August 22, 2017 and effective on October 1, 2017.