When Your Wastewater Information Can Be Kept Private

Information and data on a user obtained from reports, surveys, wastewater discharge permit applications, wastewater discharge permits, and monitoring programs, and from the pretreatment program administrator's inspection and sampling activities, shall be available to the public without restriction, unless the user specifically requests, and is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director, that the release of such information would divulge information, processes, or methods of production entitled to protection under applicable state law. Any such request must be asserted at the time of submission of the information or data. When requested and demonstrated by the user furnishing a report that such information should be held confidential, the portions of a report that might disclose confidential information shall not be made available for inspection by the public, but shall be made available immediately upon request to governmental agencies for uses related to the NPDES program or pretreatment program, and in enforcement proceedings involving the person furnishing the report. Wastewater constituents and characteristics and other "effluent data" as defined by 40 CFR 2.302 will not be recognized as confidential information and will be available to the public without restriction. (Ord. 2760 § 4 (part), 1999)