Wastewater from industrial and service facilities can carry oils, grease, chemicals, suspended solids or heat. Discharging it untreated harms the sewer network, soil and groundwater, and it is one of the most serious legal positions a facility can be in, because some forms of it are heard not by the violations committees but by the competent court. This article explains the legal framework for industrial wastewater, common pretreatment options and what must be documented.
What counts as wastewater in the regulations?
The Implementing Regulation for Protecting Water Media from Pollution defines wastewater as water whose color, taste, odor or health or environmental safety has changed through use, including water used for sanitary, industrial or agricultural purposes, including cooling water from cooling towers and chillers, and brine from desalination plants. Treated wastewater is wastewater leaving a treatment plant or process to reduce its environmental impact according to specified standards. So cooling water and wash water are not "clean water" in the regulation's eyes.
Why untreated discharge is legally serious
The Implementing Regulation for Recording Violations and Imposing Penalties states that the competent court hears certain violations and imposes the penalties set by the Environment Law, with the Public Prosecution investigating and prosecuting, including: dumping, discharging or injecting untreated wastewater or any liquid components into groundwater wells or any environmental medium, or into rock outcrop areas of aquifers, for any reason. Referral to court does not prevent administrative penalties from also being imposed.
Pretreatment: common options by activity
| Activity | Main pollutant | Common pretreatment |
|---|---|---|
| Auto workshops, fuel stations and car washes | Oil, grease and sediment | Oil separator and settling basin |
| Central kitchens, food factories and slaughterhouses | Fat and organic matter | Grease traps and solids screening |
| Concrete and block plants | Suspended solids, alkaline water | Settling basins and water reuse |
| Laundries and carpet cleaners | Detergents and solids | Settling and filtration |
| Chemical and detergent processes | Acids, alkalis and chemicals | pH neutralization and specific treatment |
The right option for your facility depends on the pollutants and their quantities, the discharge destination (public sewer, treatment plant or reuse), your permit conditions and the sewer operator's requirements.
Reuse before discharge
Many facilities can reduce discharge volumes by reusing water internally, such as mixer wash water at concrete plants after settling, or final rinse water at laundries. This lowers water consumption, and consumption of natural resources is one of the activity classification criteria in the Environmental Permits Regulation.
Sludge and sediment: waste, not rubbish
Treatment units produce sludge, separated oil and sediment. These are not general waste: sludge collection and transport is a hazardous waste sub-activity in the conditions of the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), and the Waste Management Law counts oils and chemicals among hazardous waste components. They are handed to a licensed carrier with a transport document for every shipment.
What must be documented
- Maintenance and cleaning of treatment units (oil separators, grease traps, settling basins), with dates.
- Handover documents for sludge and separated oil to a licensed carrier.
- Results of any water quality measurements required by the permit, through licensed providers.
- Any leak or malfunction and the action taken.
These records feed into self-monitoring reports and the environmental audit, and the inspector reviews them during visits.
Common mistakes
- Discharging wash water into the street or onto neighboring land.
- An oil separator that exists but is full and never cleaned.
- Discharging cooling or process water into the stormwater network.
- Disposing of sludge with general waste.
Frequently Asked Questions about Industrial Wastewater
Can workshop water be discharged directly into the sewer?
Oily water needs pretreatment such as an oil separator before discharge, according to permit conditions and the sewer operator's requirements.
Does cooling water need treatment?
The Water Media Regulation includes cooling water in its definition of wastewater, so its discharge is reviewed under the permit conditions.
What do I do with sediment from the treatment unit?
Hand it to an MWAN-licensed carrier with a transport document; sludge and separated oil are not treated as general waste.
What is the penalty for discharging untreated wastewater?
Dumping or discharging untreated wastewater into groundwater wells or any environmental medium is among the violations heard by the competent court and investigated by the Public Prosecution, in addition to administrative penalties and removal of the damage.
How Abak Green helps
We review your facility's wastewater sources and destinations, propose suitable pretreatment, coordinate water quality measurements through licensed providers, and include maintenance and documentation in your environmental management plan and compliance reports. Contact us about your facility's wastewater.
