Pursuant to District Code Section 7.04.100, it is the property owner's responsibility to install & maintain an overflow or backflow protective device on your sewer lateral when any building's lowest floor elevation is less than one foot above the rim elevation of the nearest upstream manhole. For further information please contact (831) 454-2160.

By paying your sewer service charges, you are paying for maintenance and improvement of your public sewer system and for proper treatment of wastewater before it is released to the ocean. Anything you put down the household drain must make its way through a series of pipes and pumps to the treatment plant and then out to the ocean outfall. Take proper care to ensure that what you put down your drain won’t result in additional maintenance costs, sanitary sewer spills, or even significant reconstruction costs for damages.

Food Service Facilities

All food facilities in the County of Santa Cruz are required to have grease interceptors or traps to remove grease from their sewer lines before it reaches public sewer mains. Any new food service facility or a current facility that wants to make changes in its operations or capacity must complete a Food Service Permit Application prior to beginning any new operations. The information will be used to determine the size of the grease interceptor or trap that must be installed. New grease interceptors must be approved by Environmental Compliance staff prior to operation.

Food Service Facility Questionaire    Food Service Requirements    Grease Interceptor Design Criteria

Dental Facilities

All dental facilities in Santa Cruz County and Freedom County Sanitation Districts, which meet the specified requirements in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 403 & 441 must install an approved amalgam separator and abide by Best Management Practices. Amalgam separators prevent mercury from entering the sanitary sewer system and ultimately the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. For additional information on this requirement, please visit the EPA Dental Amalgam Rule Effluent Guidelines at: https://www.epa.gov/eg/dental-effluent-guidelines In response to these EPA requirements, all dental practices within the service areas of Santa Cruz County and Freedom County Sanitation Districts are required to fill out and submit this One-Time Compliance Report by March 31, 2020. If a dental practice transfers ownership of the facility, the new owner must submit a new, one-time compliance report no later than 90 days after the official transfer date. 

Best Management Practices   SCCSD One Time Certification Form   FCSD One Time Certification Form

Mobile Cleaners

Monterey Bay Area Mobile Cleaner Resources

Industrial Wastewater Permits

The first step to obtaining a permit is to submit a Wastewater Survey. Based on the information obtained in the survey and a site visit, your business may be required to submit a Baseline Monitoring Report, which will require analyzing wastewater for certain contaminants. To obtain and complete a survey, please download one of the following:

Brewery    General Industrial    Machine Shops Survey    Photo Processing/X-Ray

Remediation Sites    Self Monitoring Report    Federal Regulations    Local Regulations

Change of Ownership: Wastewater permits are non-transferable. If your business has recently undergone a change of ownership or relocation, you must reapply for a wastewater permit by submitting a Wastewater Survey. Indicate on the survey that the reason for submittal is a change of ownership.

Vehicle Service Facilities

All commercial car wash wastewater must be collected, treated, and then discharged to the sanitary sewer. Environmental Compliance staff require a minimum 1500-gallon clarifier to treat car wash wastewater. However, a larger size may be required depending on the number of cars being washed. Clarifiers must be completely pumped out at least once a year, sometimes more frequently if there is evidence of excessive oil and solids. For instructions on maintaining a clarifier and a list of pumpers known to work in the area, please refer to Best Environmental Management Practices for Vehicle Service Facilities.

Automotive Permit Application    Clarifier Design Criteria

Best Management Practices

Carpet Cleaning     Dry Cleaners    Machine Shops     Medical Facilities     Paint Contractors     Photo Processing     Printers     Responsible Car Washing     Restaurants    Restaurants (Spanish)    Surf Board Shapers     Vehicle Service Facilities    

Pretreatment Program

The Pretreatment Program is a Federal program that was designed to protect the municipal sewer system from industrial wastewater discharges that may harm the Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) and damage the environment. The Santa Cruz County Sanitation District is required to implement the program locally.

The Santa Cruz County Sanitation District Environmental Compliance Unit (ECU) manages the Pretreatment Program within the County of Santa Cruz. The ECU issues wastewater discharge permits, conducts commercial industrial inspections, and performs environmental sampling. The Environmental Compliance Unit has also developed a pollution prevention program that provides services to businesses, homeowners, and the public to help with issues pertaining to the sanitary sewer. The ECU is committed to protecting our public sewer system and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. If you need assistance with environmental regulations or have any concerns you can contact the ECU.

Federal     Local     Pretreatement Annual Report     Wastewater Discharge Limitations