San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control
Plant Conventional and Toxic Pollutant Limits
Objectives and programs for achieving water quality are described
in the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (Water Board)
Basin Plan.
Using this plan, the Water Board develops the National
Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit (NPDES Permit) for the San
Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant to protect water
quality.
The NPDES Permit (Permit
No. CA0037842) sets limits for two
types of pollutants contained in wastewater—conventional
and toxic, which are shown in the tables below. Conventional pollutants
are represented by biological
oxygen demand (BOD), nutrients and solids whereas toxic pollutants
are respresented by heavy metals, organics, pesticides and solvents.
Limits for conventional pollutants
| Constituent |
Unit |
Monthly Average |
Daily Maximum |
Instantaneous Maximum |
CBOD |
mg/l |
10 |
20 |
– |
Amonia-N |
mg/l |
3 |
8 |
– |
Suspended
Solids |
mg/ll |
10 |
20 |
– |
Oil and Grease |
Mg/l |
5 |
10 |
– |
Settleable
Matter |
mg/l-hr |
0.1 |
0.2 |
– |
Turbidity |
NTU |
– |
– |
10 |
Residual Chlorine |
mg/l |
– |
– |
0.01 |
1 Requirement defined as below the
limit of detection in standard test methods defined in the latest US
EPA approved edition of Standard
Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater.
Limits for toxic pollutants
| Constituent |
Minimum Level (ppm) |
Copper
|
0.5
|
Mercury
|
0.002
|
Nickel
|
5
|
4,4'-DDE
|
0.05
|
Dieldrin
|
0.01
|
Heptachlor
Epoxide
|
0.01
|
Benzo (b)
Fluoranthene
|
10
|
|
