Wastewater disposal; application for a permit to discharge wastewater into the public wastewater system

If you wish to discharge commercial/industrial wastewater into a public wastewater system or sewer system, you generally require a permit.

A drainage permit is required for the connection to and use of the public sewage system.

In its drainage regulations, the responsible authority has specified discharge conditions for the wastewater in order to ensure the proper operation of the sewer system and sewage treatment plant. When issuing the drainage permit, it also decides whether pre-treatment of the wastewater is required, particularly in the industrial and commercial sector.

For certain industries and activities (such as the chemical industry, paper production, metal processing, cooling water use), pollutants are to be expected in the wastewater that are not sufficiently purified in a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Requirements for this are set out in the sector-specific annexes to the Waste Water Ordinance.

In order to comply with these requirements, special measures and wastewater pre-treatment plants are required to reduce the pollutant load so that the wastewater can then be treated in a public sewage treatment plant without causing any harm.

Changes

• to the property drainage system,
• to the wastewater conditions on which the drainage permit is based or
• the connection to the wastewater system

require a modification permit. Information can be obtained from the responsible office.

• The documents required depend on the wastewater (for example, industrial wastewater or commercial wastewater) that is to be discharged into the public wastewater system. More detailed information can be obtained from the responsible office.

  If applicable:

  • Information on the production of the discharging plant
  • Information on the wastewater produced, the wastewater channels and the pretreatment facilities envisaged

Approval may only be granted if

• the requirements of the Waste Water Ordinance applicable to the waste water are complied with,
• the public sewage treatment plant can adequately purify the wastewater and
• the wastewater is pre-treated by the discharging company in such a way that the above requirements are met.

• You can apply for a permit to discharge wastewater into public wastewater systems at the responsible office.
• You fill out the application form and submit it with all the necessary documents.
• The competent authority will check your application.
• If all the necessary requirements are met, your application can be approved.
• You will receive a permit to discharge wastewater into public wastewater facilities.

The discharge of collected precipitation water directly into a surface water body and the infiltration of precipitation water require a permit under water law (direct discharge permit).