During the past few months we have been working with firms experiencing problems with pollutants in their wastewater streams that are non-metallic. These problems are usually the result of a local agency deciding that a substance, for one reason or another, is objectionable. This normally is not a hazardous substance but one which is identified as adversely affecting the POTW (Public Owned Treatment Works). Many times the local agencies will use the pollutant as the justification or criteria for charging hook-up fees. 

 

I thought you might be hearing some of these terms soon. I know our customers will!!! In future field reports, we will get into each. I had room for only three, but more will follow. These definitions are for general use only and are neither technical nor guaranteed to be wholly accurate. 

 

COD: Chemical Oxygen Demand - Measurement of the demand for oxygen, in parts per million, by a chemical substance, items such as surfactants, (soaps), emulsified oils, etc. Firms such as industrial laundries, paper mills, cosmetics fall into this category. Also agri-business is a major target here. COD is used many times to charge sewer hook-up fees based upon a loading factor. The more COD you discharge the greater the fee. 

 

FOG: Fats, Oils, Grease; this term is applied to many of the by-products sent to the wastewater streams by companies, from food processing to aerospace. It is measured in ppm. One aspect of FOG is that many of the companies who never had to worry about their wastewater are now or about to become the objects of more and more regulations. 

 

TTO: Total Toxic Organics; these are items such as solvents, phenols, and other organics found in the paint industries, aerospace and automotive. 

 

These are just three of the many other non-metallic pollutants you may come across.