Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit

Through its pretreatment and source control programs, the City of Watsonville works with industries and commercial businesses to reduce the discharge of pollutants to the City of Watsonville Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) in order to protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and enable the supply of high quality recycled water from the Watsonville Area Water Recycling Facility.

The City of Watsonville’s Source Control Program issues various discharge permits to ensure that the non-domestic wastewater discharged to the City’s sanitary sewer collection system complies with local, state, and federal discharge limits. 

Who needs an industrial wastewater discharge permit?

Industrial User Wastewater Discharge Permits are required for industrial or commercial facilities that discharge to the City of Watsonville sanitary sewer system and which one of the following conditions applies as per City of Watsonville Municipal Code WMC 6-3.516. 

  • Is subject to the National Categorical Pretreatment Standards;
  • Discharges an average of 25,000 gallons per day or more of process wastewater to the Sanitary sewer (excluding sanitary, non-contact cooling and boiler blowdown wastewaters;
  • Contributes a process waste stream which makes up five (5%) percent or more of the dry Weather hydraulic, BOD, or SS capacity of the WWTF;
  • Any industrial user designated by the City to have reasonable potential to adversely affect the WWTF by inhibition, pass-through of pollutants, sludge contamination, or endangerment of Persons, facilities or the environment.

How do I apply for an industrial user wastewater discharge permit?

To obtain a permit, you must fully complete an Industrial User Wastewater Discharge Permit Application. The application asks for detailed information on your business and its wastewater generating and disposal activities. If you have any questions, please contact the City of Watsonville Source Control at source.control@cityofwatsonville.org or at (831) 768-3173.

The following general instructions apply to the application:

  • There is no fee associated with the issuance of this permit.
  • Answer all of the questions and include attachments as required. Incomplete applications will be returned to you.
  • If you do not have an answer for the requested information, indicate so and explain why.
  • Indicate “N/A” if a section does not apply to your operation.
  • Use additional pages, if needed.
  • Submit your completed application online using the Industrial User Wastewater Discharge Permit Application link, or print and complete this PDF application and mail a copy to:

City of Watsonville
Water Resources Center
Attn: Source Control
500 Clearwater Lane
Watsonville, CA 95076