Frequently Asked Questions
Pretreatment Program

Surcharge Program

What is the surcharge program and why am I being charged this fee?

A Surcharge program is a procedure for recovering costs incurred while treating high strength waste discharged by industrial and commercial users into the wastewater system. It is an additional charge made to an industry which discharges industrial waste into the wastewater system that is amenable to treatment by the wastewater system but that exceeds the strength of normal wastewater.

What is BOD?

BOD - biochemical (biological) oxygen demand is a measure of the quantity of oxygen consumed by microorganisms during the decomposition of organic matter. BOD is the most commonly used parameter for determining the oxygen demand on the receiving water of a municipal or industrial discharge.

What is TSS?

TSS - Total Suspended Solids are particles suspended in water which will not pass through a filter. Suspended solids are present in sanitary wastewater and many types of industrial wastewater. High concentrations of suspended solids can cause many problems for stream health and aquatic life.