Dive into the 2025 NY Wastewater Exam – Flush Away the Competition with Confidence!

The design flow threshold for wastewater treatment plants that are required to develop an industrial pretreatment program is indeed 5 million gallons per day (MGD). This requirement is outlined in the regulations established under the Clean Water Act and is intended to ensure that municipal treatment plants adequately manage and treat industrial discharges that could negatively impact the treatment process or receiving waters.

When a treatment plant exceeds the flow threshold of 5 MGD, it is considered a significant seeder of industrial waste, necessitating stringent controls and protocols to address potential pollutants and contaminants from industrial operations. This regulation underscores the importance of managing industrial contributions to wastewater systems to protect both facility operations and environmental integrity. Hence, any facility above this threshold is mandated to implement an industrial pretreatment program to monitor, control, and treat industrial effluents appropriately.