Water Environment Services

As a result of a federal government (Environmental Protection Agency) mandate, we implemented an industrial pretreatment program in 1986.

Direct services provided by the program include industrial permitting, facility inspections, sampling, laboratory analysis and enforcement. Indirect services include: development of local limits, updating rules and regulations, load investigations, responding to regulatory authorities and conducting industrial surveys.

Our staff inspects the industrial pretreatment processes of businesses to eliminate illegal discharge of harmful chemicals into the sewage treatment process and collects wastewater samples to ensure industrial compliance with federal and state environmental regulations and local sewer ordinances.

WES Source Control

In addition to the federal and state-mandated Industrial Pretreatment Program, our Industrial Permits Division also administers other programs. These other programs include:

• Septage receiving
• Extra-strength billing
• Restaurant fats, oils and grease (FOG) reduction
• Illicit discharge investigation
• Surface water sampling
• Temperature monitoring
• Mercury minimization activities

Industrial Pretreatment

• Local Discharge Limits
• Permitted Industrial User Determination
• Significant Industrial User Determination

Fats, Oil and Grease

• Preferred Pumper Program
• Best Management Practices for Fats, Oil and Grease
• Restaurant Inspection Checklist for Fats, Oil and Grease

Septage Receiving

• Septage Program Hauler Procedures
• Industrial User and Septage Fees

Residual fats, oils and grease (FOG) are by-products that food service establishments must constantly manage. Typically, FOG enter a facility's plumbing system from dish washing, floor cleaning and equipment sanitation. Sanitary sewer systems are neither designed nor equipped to handle FOG that accumulates inside municipal sewer collection system pipes. Over 30% of sanitary sewer blockages are the result of pipe buildup from FOG in the sewer pipes. The best way to manage FOG is to keep the material out of the plumbing systems. The following are suggestions for proper FOG management.

Dry Clean-Up

Practice dry cleanup. Remove food waste with "dry" methods such as scraping, wiping or sweeping before using "wet" methods that use water. Wet methods typically wash the water and waste materials into the drains where it eventually collects on the interior walls of the drainage pipes. Do not pour grease, fats or oils from cooking down the drain and don't use sinks to dispose of food scraps. Likewise, it is important to educate kitchen staff not to remove drain screens as this may allow cups, straws and other utensils to enter the plumbing system during cleanup. The success of dry clean up is dependent upon the behavior of the employee and availability of the tools for removal of food waste before washing. To practice dry clean up:

• Use rubber scrapers to remove fats, oils and grease from cookware, utensils, chafing dishes and serving ware.
• Use food-grade paper to soak up oil and grease under fryer baskets.
• Use paper towels to wipe down work areas. Cloth towels will accumulate grease that will eventually end up in your drains from towel washing/rinsing.

Spill Prevention

Preventing spills reduces the amounts of waste on food preparation and serving areas that will require clean up. A dry workplace is safer for employees in avoiding slip, trips and falls. For spill prevention:

• Empty containers before they are full to avoid spills.
• Use a cover to transport interceptor contents to rendering barrel.
• Provide employees with the proper tools (ladles, ample containers, etc.) to transport materials without spilling.

Maintenance

Maintenance is key to avoiding FOG blockages. For whatever method or technology is used to collect, filter and store FOG, ensure that equipment is regularly maintained. All staff should be aware of, and trained to perform, correct cleaning procedures, particularly for under-sink grease traps that are prone to break down due to improper maintenance. A daily and weekly maintenance schedule is highly recommended.

• Contract with a management company to professionally clean large hood filters. Small hoods can be hand-cleaned with spray detergents and wiped down with cloths for cleaning. Hood filters can be effectively cleaned by routinely spraying with hot water, with little or no detergents, over the mop sink  connected to a grease removal device. After hot water rinse (separately trapped), filter panels can go into the dishwasher. For hoods to operate properly in the removal of grease-laden vapors, the ventilation system will also need to be balanced with sufficient make-up air.
• Skim/filter fryer grease daily and change oil when necessary. Use a test kit provided by your grocery distributor rather than simply a "guess" to determine when to change oil. This extends the life of both the fryer and the oil. Build-up of carbon deposits on the bottom of the fryer act as an insulator that forces the fryer to heat longer, thus causing the oil to break down sooner.
• Collect fryer oil in an oil rendering tank or transport it to a bulk oil rendering tank instead of discharging it into a grease interceptor or waste drain.
• Cleaning intervals depend upon the type of food establishment involved. Some facilities require monthly or bi-monthly cleaning. Establishments that operate a large number of fryers or handle a large amount of fried foods may need at least monthly cleanings. Full cleaning of grease traps (removing all liquids and solids and scraping the walls) is a worthwhile investment. Remember, sugars, starches and other organics accumulate from the bottom up. If sediment is allowed to accumulate in the trap, it will need to be pumped more frequently.
• Develop a rotation system if multiple fryers are in use. Designate a single fryer for products that are particularly high in deposits, and change that one more often.

Oil and Grease Collection / Recycling and Food Donations

Fats, oils and grease is commodities that if handled properly can be treated as a valuable resource. Some rendering companies will offer services free-of-charge and others will give a rebate on the materials collected.

Use 25-gallon rendering barrels with covers for onsite collection of oil and grease other than from fryers. Educate kitchen staff on the importance of keeping outside barrels covered at all times. During storms, uncovered or partially covered barrels allow storm water to enter the barrel resulting in oil running onto the ground and possibly into storm drains and can "contaminate" an otherwise useful by-product.

• Use a 3-compartment sink for ware washing. Begin with a hot pre-wash, then a scouring sink with detergent, then a rinse sink.
• Make sure all drain screens are installed.
• Prior to washing and rinsing, use a hot water ONLY (no detergent) prerinse that is separately trapped to remove non-emulsified oils and greases. Wash and rinse steps should also be trapped.
• Empty grill-top scrap baskets or scrap boxes and hoods into the rendering barrel.
• Easy does it! Instruct staff to be conservative about their use of fats, oils and grease in food preparation and serving. Ensure that edible food is not flushed down your drains. Edible food waste may be donated to a local food bank. A local garbage feeder who uses food discards for feeding livestock can collect inedible food waste. Food donation is a win-win situation. It helps restaurants reduce disposal costs and it puts the food in the hands of those who can use it.

Grease Traps

• For grease traps to be effective, the units must be properly sized, constructed and installed in a location to provide an adequate retention time for settling and accumulation of FOG. If the units are too close to the FOG discharge and do not have enough volume, the emulsified oils will pass through the unit without being captured. For information on properly locating, constructing and sizing grease traps, contact your local county and city representatives and examine EPA guidance documents.
• Ensure all grease-bearing drains discharge to the grease trap. These include mop sinks, wash sinks, prep sinks, utility sinks, pulpers, dishwashers, prerinse sinks, can washes and floor drains in food preparation areas such as those near a fryer or tilt/steam kettle. No toilet wastes should be plumbed to the grease trap.
• If these suggested best management practices do not adequately reduce FOG levels, the operator may consider installing a second grease trap with flow-through venting. This system should help reduce grease effluent substantially.

Consumer Tip

Buyer beware! When choosing a method of managing your oil and grease, ensure that it does what the vendor says it will do. Some technologies or "miracle cures" don't eliminate the problem but result in grease accumulations further down the sewer line. "Out of sight" is not "out of mind." Check the vendor's references.

Most people don’t think about what happens after they flush their toilet. As long everything is working fine, they don’t have to worry about it. The truth is that it takes a lot of science, hard work and dedicated professionals to make sure the toilets, sewers, stormwater systems and wastewater treatment plants are working every day of the year.

Certifications

• Backyard Habitat Certification Program open enrollment
• EcoBiz Certification: Eco-Friendly Oregon Businesses

Erosion control training for professionals

• Eco-3
• NWETC Northwest Environmental Training Center
• Certified Erosion & Sediment Control Lead Certification

Teacher/student outreach

• Watershed Health Education Program

See our Education page for tips on how to keep our water system clean and safe. 

The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) plans, designs and builds major capital facilities in the areas WES serves, so that operating divisions can serve our customers' wastewater and surface water needs. Capital project management includes design and construction and provides project controls in terms of cost, schedule, scope, program development and long range forecasting.

This program provides grants to qualifying homeowners who live in areas of the North Clackamas Revitalization Area (NCRA) served by Clackamas County Service District No. 1 (CCSD#1) to pay for private sanitary sewer improvements.

The program does not pay for sewer assessments, system development charges or other connection charges, or monthly sewer fees. Homeowners should call 503-742-4567 for information on available assistance programs for these costs and fees.

Eligibility

Grant funds are limited and grants will be made on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible homeowners.

• applicant must own or be buying property
• owner must reside in home

Income limits

Annual gross income limits are as follows:

What type of work is eligible?

Improvements — up to a maximum of $7,500 — include hiring a contractor(s) to re-plumb and connect the home to the public sanitary sewer and decommission the onsite wastewater disposal system.

To apply

Contact WES to initiate the process. Our staff will confirm eligibility and refer you to the county's Community Development division. They will send you an application.

County staff will then inspect the property and prepare construction specifications and cost estimates. We will make a list of pre-qualified contractors. You will need to obtain at least two bids from licensed and bonded contractors from the list.

Using county-supplied forms, you will then:

• enter into a contract with the contractor of your choice
• enter into an agreement with the county

You do not have to select the lowest contractor bid, but the accepted bid must be within 10% of the county's estimate. County staff will inspect the work. Funds cannot be used to pay for your labor as the homeowner.

Grant approval

The county Community Development Director will approve grant applications.

Annexation

Visit our Annexation Information webpage.

Customer and Financial Services

• Low Income Application for Reduction of Sanitary Sewer Charges
• Direct Debit Authorization Agreement for Sanitary Sewer Charges
• New vendor form

Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control

• WES EPSC Permit Application
• WES Single Family EPSC Guidance and Sample plan
• WES Non-single Family Plan Guidance and Templates
• Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control Planning & Design Manual
• Best Management Practices Drawings

Sanitary Sewer

System Planning

• Collection System Master Plan

Land Use and Plan Review

• Service Provider Letter
• Design Standards
• Appendix A – Permitting and Submittal Requirements
• Appendix B – Sanitary Sewer Standard Detail Drawings
• Engineering Agreement – Sanitary Sewer
• Construction Notes – Sanitary Sewer
• Tap-In Fact Sheet
• Surface Water, Storm Drainage and Sanitary Sewer Easement (public) – contact Development Review Staff

Acceptance Forms

• Certificate of Completion (Private Improvements)
• Certificate of Completion (Public Improvements)
• Public Sanitary Sewer Extension Permit
• Service Connection Drawings
• Low Air Pressure / Mandrel Testing
• Manhole Vacuum Testing
• Cost Data Sheet – Sanitary Sewer
• Conveyance of Public Extension
• Warranty Bond
• Performance Bond
• Security Agreement

Source Control and Industrial Pretreatment

• Industrial Pretreatment: Non-residential questionnaire
• Application and Baseline Monitoring Report for Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit
• Discharge Certification Report
• No Discharge Certification Report
• Application to Discharge Septic Tank Waste at the Tri-City Water Pollution Control Plant
• Total Toxic Organic Certification Report

Stormwater

Land Use and Plan Review 

• Service Provider Letter
• Design standards
• Appendix A – Permitting and Submittal Requirements
• Appendix B – Planting and O&M Guidance
• Appendix C – Stormwater Typical Drawings and Standard Details
• Appendix D – Facility Sizing Methodology and Resources
• Infiltration Testing Report
• Engineering Agreement - Standard
• Engineering Agreement - Private
• Construction Notes – Storm
• Surface Water, Storm Drainage and Sanitary Sewer Easement (public) – contact Development Review Staff 

Completion Forms

• Certificate of Completion (Private Improvements)
• Certificate of Completion (Public Improvements)
• Cost Data Sheet – Storm
• Warranty Bond
• Security Agreement
• Performance Bond

Maintenance

• Public Maintenance Agreement
• Private Stormwater Maintenance Agreement - Single Lot
• Private Stormwater Maintenance Agreement - Partition
• Stormwater Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) Recommendations
• Stormdrain Cleaning Assistance Program (SCAP) Available August through October
• Annual stormdrain structure maintenance report

WQRA Buffers

• Buffer Standards
• WQRA Boundary Verification Application
• WQRA Development Permit Application 

Rules and Regulations

• Rules and Regulations