Pretreatment Program

Overview

The Pretreatment Program is a federally mandated program that gives publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) regulatory authority over commercial and industrial users of the municipal wastewater system. 

POTWs are designed to treat domestic sewage from households. Industrial and commercial facilities may produce toxic or unconventional waste that would interfere or pass through the wastewater treatment process. Interference or pass through may cause the water leaving the treatment plant (entering into Superior Bay) to contain pollutants that may be harmful to people, aquatic plants or animals, or even make the water toxic.

In order to protect our waters and the wastewater treatment process, as well as comply with State and Federal law, the City of Superior has operated a state-approved Pretreatment Program since 1994. The program allows the POTW to issue permits to industrial users.

Regulated Industries

Industries that must be included in Pretreatment are:

• Significant Industrial Users (>25,000 gal/day)
• Categorical Industrial Users (EPA maintains a list of categorical users)
• Any industry that the POTW deems as potentially harmful to the treatment process

* If you are unsure if these requirements apply to your facility, please fill out the Industrial Waste Survey *

Industry Forms

Please submit completed forms via email at pretreatment@ci.superior.wi.us, or via mail or fax at the address and number to the right. Note that the form will be blank unless you save it after completing it.  
Industrial Waste Survey
Application to Pretreatment Program (please contact us to apply for a pretreatment permit)

Dental Facilities

The City began permitting general dentistry offices in 2016 due to the high mercury content of dental amalgam (50% mercury by weight). The best method to limit mercury, or any pollutant, from discharging into our waters is to prevent it from entering the waste stream. Dental amalgam is a substance that can easily be captured and treated properly to prevent mercury from entering the environment.

If your facility handles dental amalgam and are unsure if you hold a permit, please contact us at pretreatment@ci.superior.wi.us or call us at 715-394-0392.