§ 423.12 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT).

§ 423.12 Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT).

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 85 FR 64716, Oct. 13, 2020.

(a) In establishing the limitations set forth in this section, EPA took into account all information it was able to collect, develop and solicit with respect to factors (such as age and size of plant, utilization of facilities, raw materials, manufacturing processes, non-water quality environmental impacts, control and treatment technology available, energy requirements and costs) which can affect the industry subcategorization and effluent levels established. It is, however, possible that data which would affect these limitations have not been available and, as a result, these limitations should be adjusted for certain plants in this industry. An individual discharger or other interested person may submit evidence to the Regional Administrator (or to the State, if the State has the authority to issue NPDES permits) that factors relating to the equipment or facilities involved, the process applied, or other such factors related to such discharger are fundamentally different from the factors considered in the establishment of the guidelines. On the basis of such evidence or other available information, the Regional Administrator (or the State) will make a written finding that such factors are or are not fundamentally different for that facility compared to those specified in the Development Document. If such fundamentally different factors are found to exist, the Regional Administrator or the State shall establish for the discharger effluent limitations in the NPDES Permit either more or less stringent than the limitations established herein, to the extent dictated by such fundamentally different factors. Such limitations must be approved by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. The Administrator may approve or disapprove such limitations, specify other limitations, or initiate proceedings to revise these regulations. The phrase “other such factors” appearing above may include significant cost differentials. In no event may a discharger's impact on receiving water quality be considered as a factor under this paragraph.

(b) Any existing point source subject to this subpart must achieve the following effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction by the application of the best practicable control technology currently available (BPT):

(1) The pH of all discharges, except once through cooling water, shall be within the range of 6.0-9.0.

(2) There shall be no discharge of polychlorinated biphenyl compounds such as those commonly used for transformer fluid.

(3) The quantity of pollutants discharged from low volume waste sources shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of low volume waste sources times the concentration lised in the following table:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l)	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days shall not exceed (mg/l)
TSS	100.0	30.0
Oil and grease	20.0	15.0

(4) The quantity of pollutants discharged in fly ash and bottom ash transport water shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of fly ash and bottom ash transport water times the concentration listed in the following table:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l)	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days shall not exceed (mg/l)
TSS	100.0	30.0
Oil and grease	20.0	15.0

(5) The quantity of pollutants discharged in metal cleaning wastes shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of metal cleaning wastes times the concentration listed in the following table:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum for any 1 day (mg/l)	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days shall not exceed (mg/l)
TSS	100.0	30.0
Oil and grease	20.0	15.0
Copper, total	1.0	1.0
Iron, total	1.0	1.0

(6) The quantity of pollutants discharged in once through cooling water shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of once through cooling water sources times the concentation listed in the following table:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum concentration (mg/l)	Average concentration (mg/l)
Free available chlorine	0.5	0.2

(7) The quantity of pollutants discharged in cooling tower blowdown shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of cooling tower blowdown sources times the concentration listed in the following table:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum concentration (mg/l)	Average concentration (mg/l)
Free available chlorine	0.5	0.2

(8) Neither free available chlorine nor total residual chlorine may be discharged from any unit for more than two hours in any one day and not more than one unit in any plant may discharge free available or total residual chlorine at any one time unless the utility can demonstrate to the Regional Administrator or State, if the State has NPDES permit issuing authority, that the units in a particular location cannot operate at or below this level or chlorination.

(9) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)(10) of this section, the following effluent limitations shall apply to the point source discharges of coal pile runoff:

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT effluent limitations
	Maximum concentration for any time (mg/l)
TSS	50

(10) Any untreated overflow from facilities designed, constructed, and operated to treat the volume of coal pile runoff which is associated with a 10 year, 24 hour rainfall event shall not be subject to the limitations in paragraph (b)(9) of this section.

(11) The quantity of pollutants discharged in FGD wastewater, flue gas mercury control wastewater, combustion residual leachate, or gasification wastewater, or bottom ash purge water shall not exceed the quantity determined by multiplying the flow of the applicable wastewater times the concentration listed in the following table 7:

Table 7 to Paragraph (b)(11)

Pollutant or pollutant property	BPT Effluent effluent limitations
	Maximum for any 1 day (mg/lL)	Average of daily values for 30 consecutive days shall not exceed (mg/lL)
TSS	100.0	30.0
Oil and grease	20.0	15.0

(12) At the permitting authority's discretion, the quantity of pollutant allowed to be discharged may be expressed as a concentration limitation instead of the mass-based limitations specified in paragraphs (b)(3) through (b)(7), and (b)(11), of this section. Concentration limitations shall be those concentrations specified in this section.

(13) In the event that wastestreams from various sources are combined for treatment or discharge, the quantity of each pollutant or pollutant property controlled in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(12) of this section attributable to each controlled waste source shall not exceed the specified limitations for that waste source.

(The information collection requirements contained in paragraph (a) were approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 2000-0194)

[47 FR 52304, Nov. 19, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 31404, July 8, 1983; 80 FR 67894, Nov. 3, 2015; 85 FR 64716, Oct. 13, 2020]