Industrial Permitting

Water discharges from industrial sources may contain pollutants that could effect the quality of receiving waters. The Stormwater Quality Program establishes specific requirements for discharges from industrial sources. Depending on the type of industrial or commercial facility you operate, more than one NPDES program may apply.

Activities that take place at industrial facilities, such as material handling and storage, are often exposed to the weather. As runoff from rain or snowmelt comes into contact with these

materials, it picks up pollutants and transports them to nearby storm sewer systems, streams, or lakes. Stormwater pollution can be a significant source of water quality problems for the City’s waters.

In order to minimize the impact of stormwater discharges from industrial facilities, the Stormwater Quality program includes an industrial stormwater permitting component. Operators of industrial facilities included in one of the 11 categories of stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity that discharge or have the potential to discharge stormwater to a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) or directly to waters of the United States require authorization under a NPDES industrial stormwater permit.

The Stormwater Quality Program covers 33 industrial sectors that fall into one or more of the 11 categories of stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity described in 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(i)-(xi). The 33 sectors are listed in Table 1-1 (page 4) of the MSGP-2000 [PDF] and are defined by either the facility's Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code or a general description of the facility’s industrial activities. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) will eventually replace the SIC system. The U.S. Census Bureau has a conversion table to bridge the two systems.

Operators of industrial facilities or sites with activities included in one of these 11 categories must obtain coverage under an NPDES industrial stormwater permit, unless conditionally excluded. The list provided below describes the types of industrial activities within each category.

• Category One (i): Facilities with effluent limitations
• Category Two (ii): Manufacturing
• Category Three (iii): Mineral, Metal, Oil and Gas
• Category Four (iv): Hazardous Waste, Treatment, or Disposal Facilities
• Category Five (v): Landfills
• Category Six (vi): Recycling Facilities
• Category Seven (vii): Steam Electric Plants
• Category Eight (viii): Transportation Facilities
• Category Nine (ix): Treatment Works
• Category Ten (x): Construction Activity
• Category Eleven (xi): Light Industrial Activity

Identified businesses located within Oklahoma City jurisdiction are audited on a regular basis.  The intent of these audits is to reduce or eliminate the potential to pollute surface runoff at each site or facility.  The Stormwater Quality Division screens these businesses and others with potential to cause pollution, for inclusion in an semi-annual environmental auditing program. 

The E.P.A.’s multi-Sector Permit identifies thirty-three industries with a high potential to contaminate surface runoff from their property.  The list provided below are some of the industries required to get a NPDES permit.

Listed by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code:

10XX   Metal Mining
12XX   Coal Mining
13XX   Oil & Gas Extraction
14XX   Nonmetallic Minerals
20XX   Food & Kindred Products
21XX   Tobacco Products
22XX   Textile Mill Products
23XX   Apparel & Other Textile Products
24XX   Lumber & Wood Products
25XX   Furniture & Fixtures
26XX   Paper & Allied Products
27XX   Printing & Publishing
28XX   Chemicals & Allied Products
29XX   Petroleum & Coal Products
30XX   Rubber & Miscellaneous Plastic Products
31XX   Leather & Leather Products (except 311X)
32XX   Stone, Clay, & Glass Products
33XX   Primary Metal Industries
34XX   Fabricated Metal Products
35XX   Industrial Machinery & Equipment
36XX   Electronic & Other Electric Equipment
37XX   Transportation Equipment
38XX   Instruments & Related Products
39XX   Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries
40XX   Railroad Transportation
41XX   Local & Interurban Passenger Transit
42XX   Trucking & Warehousing
43XX   United States Postal Service
44XX   Water Transportation
45XX   Transportation by Air
5015   Motor Vehicle Parts, Used
5093   Scrap & Waste Materials
5171   Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals

Industrial facilities involved in any of the activities listed above are required to implement a Pollution Prevention Plan in order to minimize exposure to storm water.

Cosmetic Cleaning

An annual Stormwater Discharge Permit is required before any cosmetic cleaning activity can be conducted in the City of Oklahoma City limits.  Applications may be filed in person or mailed to: Stormwater Quality Management, 420 W. Main St. 7^th Floor, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. 

A fee of fifty-five dollars ($55.00) is payable to the City Treasurer.

Pursuant to Chapter 57 of the Municipal Codes relating to Storm Water Management requires a Permit for:

• Section 57-190 Cosmetic Cleaning· Any system, machine, or substance used to remove undesirable substances from any surface or facade creating free foreign matter.

This ordinance also applies to power washers, carpet cleaners, and any related commercial cleaning discharges.

Industrial High Risk Monitoring

In compliance with the Oklahoma Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Act (OPDES Act), Title 27A O.S. Supp. 1999, § 2-6-201 et seq., and the rules of the State of Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) adopting hereunder {OAC 252:606}; the Federal Clean Water Act, Public Law 95-217 (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.), Section 402; and NPDES Regulations (40 CFR Parts 122, 124, 136 and 403), and the Oklahoma City Municipal Code.

 Industrial facilities are required to implement a program to identify and control pollutants in storm water discharges to the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) from municipal landfills; other treatment, storage, or disposal facilities for municipal waste (e.g. transfer stations, incinerators, etc); hazardous waste treatment, storage, disposal and recovery facilities; facilities that are subject to the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-know Act (EPCRA) SARA Title III, Section 313 (TRI), DEQ Tier II; and any other industrial or commercial discharge the City determines are contributing a substantial pollutant loading to the MS4.  The program shall include:

1. Priorities and procedures for inspections and establishing and implementing control measures for such discharges; and

2. A monitoring program

The monitoring program shall include the collection of quantitative data on the following constituents:

     ·         any pollutants limited in an existing OPDES permit for a subject facility;
     ·         oil and grease;
     ·         chemical oxygen demand (COD);
     ·         pH;
     ·         biochemical oxygen demand, five-day (BOD5);
     ·         total suspended solids (TSS);
     ·         total phosphorous;
     ·         total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN);
     ·         nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen; and
     ·         any information on discharges required under OAC 252.606-1-3(b)(3)(H), adopted and  
               incorporated by reference 40 CFR 122.21 (g)(7)(vi) and (vii).

 Data collected by the industrial facility to satisfy the monitoring requirements of an OPDES or NPDES permit may be used to satisfy this requirement, provided that each of the required constituents are analyzed.  The City requires that the indicated industrial facilities conduct self-monitoring, and report the analytical results to the City’s Storm Water Quality Division once every five years. 

Stormwater Quality Management
Jeremy Coffey, 3rd Floor
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Phone: 405-297-1778
Fax:   405-297-1770
E-mail: jeremy.coffey@okc.gov