Hi all,

I'm new to a company that manufacture & place into containers various chemical products & have bee ISO14001 certified for nearly a decade (seems like a open checque book agreement!!) - we will become a COMAH site within 18 months or so due to increased productivity.

We have a standard 12 month SME contract with a national company - wherby we pay them to supply us with water and for them to deal with our sewerage services (metered sewage & highway drainage) 

Being a national supplier they deal with the regional suppliers (water / sewage)

Having read the T&Cs for the contract agreemen, they do not stipulate any restrictions on what we can / can't put into the drains.

Where can I find details of what we're allowed to tip down the drains?

Thanks Bryan,

The problem is that the contract is now with a national water company (cost saving) - not a local water provider. 

Our contract with them does not mention any consents / limits of pollutants !

It won't be in the contract.  It will be a separate document.  And it's the sewerage provider, who may not be the water supplier, who issues it.  There could be something historical if you have changed providers and it would be worth finding it.

"You can't post in the next 0 seconds"

followed by

"You can't post in the next 34 seconds"

Agree with the above the sewage works accepting the discharge will specify the limits on what can go "down the drain" as it affects the performance of the treatment works (at one employment we hade to advise on any plant closure over 24 hours such was our impact) AND impacts upon their discharge performance as measured by the relevant environemnt agency.

At minimum there will be limits on pH, solids (suspended / total) along with Biological and or Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD / COD) which are used in calculating the charging formula.

There is also a large list of "nasties" which has been around for a long time which should not be present to protect the body of water into which the ultimate discharge is made.

The invoice is a good starting point as this will show how the volumetric charge is calculated.

BEWARE as you are dealing with a national supplier they may be oblivious to your trade effluent.

If you have large volumes or factors that massivley increase the charging rate e.g. solids these are the areas the business would have or be looking to invest on controlling e.g. by recycling, filtering or on-site treatment

Been a long time since I looked at consents but it appears the suppliers keep registers in their local area so for mine under United Utilities: https://www.unitedutilities.com/trade-effluent-consent-register/

The actual consent conditions are in a numbered pdf attachement

Given charges by authority are set on a regulator apporoved scale what does this national provider bring to the table other than their invoice?

Hi Evans - looks like time to read the small print in your contract with the property management company.

With every more public concern about pollution of watercourses, can't see the regulator only targeting that company rather than the sources of the pollution. 

Have to be careful what we say on this Forum.

P

Consent could be small volume based upon incoming water volume

There will still be consented parameters such as temperature

Evans you have a PM

Hi, I agree with  roundinit below, spot on.  I worked in waste water in scotland years ago.  Companies still needed a discharge consent from local water authoritys, even if water was removed (if it canot be piped into waste water system) as it usually goes into a separator tank for temporary storage.  We offered testing for BOD, COD and suspended solids, so how do you know if you ar enear/beyond/below its limits? 

BUT its expense to remove water by third parties (okay, profitable) as they use their wider consent to discharge.  It may be worthwhiel speaking with your water company to understand the ins/outs, and if you need a dischareg consent - but speak to your boss first to okay it.  

Dont waste, water, save it :-)