AlexRenew's Pretreatment Program
Wastewater treatment plants are designed to effectively remove pollutants commonly found in residential wastewater such as bacteria, nitrogen, and phosphorus. Certain chemicals and other pollutants used by businesses or industries can cause harm to our processes or infrastructure, safety concerns for our workers, and/or can pass through the system untreated—negatively impacting our local waterways. AlexRenew is required by EPA to establish a Pretreatment Program to work with businesses and individuals to reduce, eliminate, or alter these types of pollutants before being discharged to the City of Alexandria’s sewers and flowing to AlexRenew’s wastewater treatment plant.
AlexRenew’s Pretreatment Program works with local entities to:
- Promote local limits for pollutants of concern that safeguard wastewater infrastructure, protect water quality, and ensure worker safety.
- Permit or authorize non-residential discharges.
- Monitor and inspect permitted facilities to ensure compliance.
Before discharging any non-residential waste to the sewer, businesses must contact Alexandria Renew Enterprises to obtain the proper authorization. Please contact pretreatment@alexrenew.com or (703)721-3500 ext. 2020.
Clean Water Act
40 CFR 403.1(a) – General Pretreatment Regulations for Existing and New Sources of Pollution
Virginia Administrative Code
9VAC25-31-800. Pretreatment program requirements: development and implementation by POTW.
City of Alexandria Code Sec. 5-6-101
Dental Office Category Rule
In 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) passed the Dental Office Category Rule 40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 441 to reduce discharges of mercury-containing amalgam wastes that are flushed into chair-side drains and enter the wastewater stream. Compliance to this rule will prevent over 5.1 tons of mercury from entering wastewater collection systems.
The Rule requires dental practices to install an amalgam separator in their place of practice and submit the one-time Compliance Form to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality by October 12, 2020. These separators capture waste amalgam, a dental filling material, and reduce discharge of the material to the wastewater stream.
Download the Compliance Form
Learn more about the Rule and download the Compliance form at www.deq.virginia.gov/permits/water/surface-waters-vpdes/dental-rule. Submit the form as “zip code last name” and email it to VDEQ at DentalRule@deq.virginia.gov.
Please contact our pretreatment staff at pretreatment@alexrenew.com or (703) 721-3500 ext. 2020.