Industrial Pretreatment Program
The Louisville Wastewater Treatment Plant is built to handle household sewage — not the stronger or more dangerous waste that some businesses and factories produce. The Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) makes sure that businesses clean up their wastewater before it enters the City's sewer system.
Why this program exists
If harmful chemicals or heavy metals enter the sewer, they can damage the treatment plant, hurt the environment, and put plant workers at risk. The program exists to:
- Protect Coal Creek from toxic chemicals and heavy metals
- Keep the treatment plant running properly
- Ensure the plant can still produce clean water and safe biosolids
- Keep plant employees safe from dangerous substances
- Support the health and economy of the Louisville community
Federal and state law require the City to run this program. The EPA approved Louisville's program in 1983. The rules are set out in City Municipal Code, Chapter 13.32 (Sewer Use Regulation).
How it works
The City works with businesses to help them meet the rules — not just to hand out fines. The goal is cooperation and compliance. That said, businesses that continue to break the rules will face enforcement action.
Some businesses are regulated individually and issued a special discharge permit. These businesses are called Significant Industrial Users (SIUs). An SIU is any business that:
- Discharges 25,000 gallons or more of process wastewater per day, or
- Makes up 5% or more of the treatment plant's total daily flow, or
- Has been identified by the City as a potential risk to the treatment plant, or
- Falls under federal pretreatment standards (40 CFR 403.6)
Any non-residential business that sends non-household wastewater into the City sewer system is considered an industrial user and may be subject to these rules.
Reporting an accidental spill
If a business accidentally dumps harmful waste into the sewer system, notify the City right away:
- Emergency: (303) 441-4444
- Non-emergency: (303) 335-4779