Johnson County updates sanitary sewer code to formalize EPA industrial pretreatment rules

Johnson County updates sanitary sewer code to formalize EPA industrial pretreatment rulesThe Johnson County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the 2026 Code of Regulations for Sanitary Sewer Use, officially embedding federal streamlining language and best management practices for industrial dischargers into local code.

The update formalizes EPA streamlining rule language from 2005 into the county's industrial pretreatment program under the Clean Water Act.

Revisions allow industrial permittees greater flexibility, utilizing individualized best management practices and self-monitoring reports.

The code mandates spill control plans for industrial facilities to prevent untreated "slugs" from entering and disrupting the biological processes of the county's wastewater treatment facilities.

The regulatory update carries no fiscal impact and does not roll back the county's authority over incoming industrial effluent.

Johnson County, Kansas, has officially updated its 2026 Code of Regulations for Sanitary Sewer Use, modernizing the rules governing the county's collection system and wastewater treatment facilities. Passed unanimously by the Board of County Commissioners on March 26, 2026, the update formally incorporates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) streamlining rule language into local code. Susan Pekarik, representing Johnson County Wastewater, noted that the core purpose of the update is to align the county's Industrial Pretreatment Program with federal Clean Water Act regulations (40 CFR 403). The program is designed to control non-domestic discharges into the public sewerage system, preventing the introduction of pollutants that could pass through or disrupt the biological systems at the treatment facilities. While the county has practically implemented the EPA's streamlining requirements since 2005, the new code formalizes these practices. The revisions provide enhanced flexibility for industrial dischargers. The wastewater department can now work with permittees to establish individualized best management practices. Industries will demonstrate compliance by submitting self-monitoring reports on a monthly or semi-annual basis, supplemented by annual county inspections. A critical component of the updated code is a heightened focus on spill control. Pekarik explained that industries utilizing internal batch treatment systems must develop plans to manage their discharge and prevent untreated "slugs" from entering the public sewer system. The update also served as an administrative cleanup, reflecting past organizational changes. Divisions formerly under the standalone Department of Environment—such as the Water Quality Lab, the Grease Program, and the Industrial Pretreatment Program—were previously absorbed into Johnson County Wastewater, and the new code reflects these current departmental alignments. Addressing commissioner questions regarding oversight, Pekarik confirmed that the update does not roll back the county's authority over industrial waste. "The code still provides the authority for anyone discharging into the public sewer system, discharging something that could impact our ability to treat," she stated, ensuring that taxpayers will not bear the burden of treating inappropriate industrial effluent. The update requires no changes to the department's budget and carries no fiscal impact.