Los Angeles County Public Works - Industrial Waste
Environmental Programs public counter located on the 3rd floor of the Annex building in Alhambra is open to the public. In order to maintain facility capacity we have implemented an online appointment system. Masks are highly recommended at all times for all visitors and staff. Click here to schedule an in person appointment or call (626) 458-3517 for questions or assistance.

For Industrial Waste questions or submissions, email us at iw@pw.lacounty.gov. You can also mail submissions to:

Los Angeles County Public Works
Environmental Programs Division
900 S. Fremont Ave
Alhambra, CA 91803


If you have any questions, contact the Environmental Programs Public Counter at (626) 458-3517, Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 4 pm.

Industrial Waste Home


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The Industrial Waste (IW) Unit of Public Works regulates industrial waste discharges into over 3,000 miles of local sewers within the unincorporated areas (PDF, 52 KB) of Los Angeles County and 37 contract cities. The Unit also regulates industrial wastewater that is collected, hauled, disposed, or discharged into the ground (where permissible).

Any business which generates, handles, or disposes of industrial wastewater must obtain an industrial waste disposal permit (Los Angeles County Code, Chapter 20.36) from the Unit. The Unit reviews plans to determine if facilities have adequate pretreatment systems. The business must obtain clearance and an IW Disposal Permit (IWDP) for the discharge of wastewater to sanitary sewers, private disposal systems, or offsite disposal. They must comply with applicable Federal, State, local domestic and industrial waste regulations to be verified by the Unit. The Unit's goal is to ensure that facilities are designed so as to not create a nuisance, menace the public peace, health or safety, or impact the public sewer system, soil, underground or surface waters.

If you received a referral from Building & Safety or need to obtain clearance from our office, here is useful information and common forms you will need. When you are ready to submit your package for approval, or if you have any questions, you may contact us at our public counter, via mail or phone.

NOTICE
Public Works is proposing amendments to Title 20 to incorporate and consolidate requirements for the control of fats, oils, and greases (FOG) in the sanitary sewer system. Revisions to the law under the proposed Draft Ordinance Amending Title 20 (PDF, 410 KB) better defines the Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) program as required by the Statewide General Waste Discharge Requirements for Sanitary Sewer Systems. It also revises definitions to conform with the 2007 Uniform Plumbing Code and makes references to the Code of Federal Regulations 40CFR for Environmental Protection.

Additional references can be found here:
  • LA County Sanitary Sewer Management Plan (SSMP)
  • Sources for Definitions in Proposed Revisions to Title 20 (PDF, 19 KB)
  • Public Comments from Public Information Meeting Held on October 16, 2008 (PDF, 8 KB)

    A second Public Information Meeting was held on August 25, 2009 at Public Works. Updates on the proposed ordinance will be posted on this website (UPDATED: September 14, 2009).
  • The following two parts were updated from the proposed ordinance on October 6, 2008.
    20.20.121 Food service establishment.

    “Food service establishment” means a facility engaged in preparing food for consumption by the public such as a restaurant, bakery, commercial kitchen, caterer, hotel, school, religious institution, hospital, prison, correctional facility, or care institution.


    20.36.310 Permit - required when.

    D. For the purpose of this section, discharges resulting from garbage grinders powered by motors less greater than one and one-half horsepower, in food service establishments in accordance with the provisions of Title 28 of this code and where such facilities are not required by other provisions of this Division 2, are not considered to be industrial waste discharges.

    The following part was updated on the proposed ordinance on October 15, 2008.
    20.34.100 C

    C. A plan and schedule for the removal and legal disposal of FOG removed from effluent by a FOG disposal system and/or GRD. When so required by the director, such a plan and schedule may include the maintenance of a log record detailing cleaning, repair, inspection, accidental spill and disposal events in connection with the system or device. The director shall have access to any required log during reasonable business hours and may specify a time period during which such a log is maintained.

    The following five parts were updated on the proposed ordinance on October 29, 2008.
    20.20.119 FOG disposal system

    “FOG disposal system” means a grease interceptor that reduces non-petroleum fats, oils, and grease (FOG) in effluent by separation, and mass and volume reduction.

    20.20.122 Gravity grease interceptor

    “Gravity grease interceptor” means a plumbing appurtenance or appliance that is installed in a sanitary drainage system to intercept non-petroleum FOG from a wastewater discharge and is identified by volume, 30-minute retention time, baffle(s), a minimum of two compartments, a minimum total volume of 750 gallons, and gravity separation.

    20.20.123 Grease interceptor

    “Grease interceptor” means a plumbing appurtenance or appliance that is installed in a sanitary drainage system to intercept non-petroleum FOG from a wastewater discharge.

    20.20.124 Grease removal device (GRD)

    “Grease removal device (GRD)” means any hydromechanical grease interceptor that automatically, mechanically removes non-petroleum FOG from the interceptor, the control of which are either automatic or manually initiated.

    20.20.131 Hydromechanical grease interceptor

    “Hydromechanical grease interceptor” means a plumbing appurtenance or appliance that is installed in a sanitary drainage system to intercept non-petroleum FOG from a wastewater discharge and is identified by flow rate, and separation and retention efficiency. The design incorporates air entrainment, hydromechanical separation, interior baffling, and/or barriers in combination or separately, and one of the following:

    The following part was updated on the proposed ordinance on May 18, 2009.
    Fee tables have been updated to current fiscal year fees.
    The following part was updated from the proposed ordinance on September 14, 2009.
    20.34.030 Duty of tributary jurisdictions.

    Jurisdictions owning sanitary sewer systems greater than one mile in length that are tributary to or within a sewer maintenance district pursuant to Division 3 of this Title 20 shall enroll in the State Board Order and shall develop a Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) including adopting legal authority for the control of SSO equivalent to Chapters 20.26 20.34 and 20.36 of this Title 20. Jurisdictions that do not contract with the Department for Industrial Waste Control Program services shall provide the director with evidence of FOG control program elements to effectively control FOG discharges from industrial and commercial sources. If a tributary enrollee determines that a FOG program is not needed, the enrollee shall provide justification to the director for why it is not needed.

    Tributary jurisdictions shall furnish evidence to the director of compliance with the State Board Order within 60 days from the effective date of this section or any submittal date specified in the State Board Order, which ever occurs later. Failure to submit the required information may cause the director to initiate procedures to exclude the jurisdiction from a sewer maintenance district.

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