To: Aaron Rector, City Manager
From: Alonzo Liñán, Director of Public Works
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider an ordinance amending the City of Keller’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 19, Water and Sewers; Article V, Wastewater Pretreatment Program; Section 614, Local discharge limits, for the City’s Wastewater Pretreatment Program.
Action Requested:
Conduct a public hearing and approve an ordinance amending the City of Keller’s Code of Ordinances, Chapter 19, Water and Sewers; Article V, Wastewater Pretreatment Program; Section 614, Local discharge limits, for the City’s Wastewater Pretreatment Program.
Background:
The City of Keller contracts with the Trinity River Authority (TRA) to treat all wastewater from the City at its Central Regional Wastewater System and Denton Creek Regional Wastewater System as one of its many wholesale customers as part of a Publicly Owned Treatment Works or POTW contract. A “treatment works”, as defined by Section 212 of the Act (33 U.S.C. § 1292), is owned by the City and/or the Control Authority, and includes any devices or systems used in the collection, storage, treatment, recycling, and reclamation of sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature and any conveyances which convey wastewater to a treatment plant. As a wholesale customer of TRA, the City of Keller is required to formally adopt industrial waste and pollution pretreatment regulations that meet or exceed the requirements set forth by the Clean Water Act (33 United States Code §§ 1251 et seq) and the General Pretreatment Regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations Part 403) 40 CFR 403)).
In summary, these regulations requires that the City of Keller have pretreatment regulations in place sufficient to avoid adverse effect to public health, safety and general welfare through the adoption of Technically Based Local Limits (TBLL) for Wastewater Discharges set forth by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
The City currently has Ordinance 2188 in place, last updated in 2024, that reflects the industry standards set at the time. However, in accordance with NPDES and TCEQ guidance, TRA has updated these regulations for local discharge limits and requires that local ordinances be updated to reflect compliance with the latest standards as well. Changes to the ordinance include new daily maximum allowable discharge limits for Denton Creek and the removal of Total Toxic Organics as a regulated pollutant.
TRA requires evidence be submitted that applicable regulations have been adopted reflecting these new program changes by September 19, 2025. Failure to adopt by the required date will result in suspension of Keller’s contract with TRA.
Once the ordinance has been updated, staff will send notification to TRA so that the City can continue to participate in the water and waste pretreatment program.
Council Action:
Staff recommends approval of the proposed ordinance update as presented.