KERN COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT

RULE 414 - WASTEWATER SEPARATORS
(Adopted 4/18/72, Amended 6/26/79, 6/29/81, 5/6/91, 3/7/96)

I. Applicability

This Rule applies to wastewater separators as defined in this Rule.

II. Definitions

A. Air Flotation Unit: equipment used to remove suspended matter, both oil and solid, from water by dissolving air under pressure and then releasing the air at atmospheric pressure in a tank or basin.

B. Volatile Organic Compound (VOC): any compound containing at least one atom of carbon except for compounds exempted by Rule 102, Subsection L.

C. Wastewater Separator: any device or piece of equipment that is used to remove VOC-containing liquids from water, or any device, such as a flocculation tank, clarifier, etc. that removes petroleum-derived compounds from wastewater.

D. Wastewater Separator Forebay: that section of a gravity-type wastewater separator which: (a) receives the untreated, oil-water waste from the pre-separator flume: and (b) acts as a header which distributes the influent to the separator channels.

III. Exemptions

A. This Rule shall not apply to any wastewater separator receiving effluent containing volatile organic compounds with a Reid vapor pressure of less than 0.5 pound per square inch and recovering less than 200 gallons per day of VOC-containing liquid.

B. Air Flotation Units.

IV. Requirements

A. A person shall not use any compartment of any vessel or device operated for the recovery of oil or tar from effluent water, from any equipment which processes, refines, stores or handles petroleum or coal tar products unless such compartments is equipped with one of the following vapor loss control devices, except when gauging or sampling is taking place:

1. A solid cover with all openings sealed and totally enclosing the liquid contents of the compartment, except for such breathing vents as are structurally necessary; or
   
   
2. A floating pontoon or double-deck type cover, equipped with closure seals that have no holes or tears, installed and maintained so that gaps between the compartment wall and seal shall not exceed 0.32 centimeters (1/8 inch) for an accumulative length of 97 percent of the perimeter of the tank, and shall not exceed 1.3 centimeters (1/2 inch) for an accumulative length of the remaining 3 percent of the perimeter of the tank. No gap between the compartment wall and the seal shall exceed 1.3 centimeters (1/2 inch); or
3. A vapor recovery system with a combined collection and control efficiency of at least 90% by weight.
   
   

B. Any gauging and sampling device in a compartment cover shall be equipped with a cover or lid. The cover shall be in a closed position at all times, except when the device is in actual use.

C. All wastewater separator forebays shall be covered.

D. Skimmed oil or tar removed from wastewater separating devices shall be either charged to process units with feed or transferred to a container with a control system with at least 90% control efficiency by weight. Any control device must be under District permit.

V. Administrative Requirements

A. Test Methods

1. Efficiency of any VOC control device shall be determined by U.S. EPA Test Method 25 and analysis of halogenated exempt compounds shall be by CARB Method 422.
   
   
2. Analysis of halogenated exempt compounds shall be by CARB Method 432.
   
   
3. Where add-on control equipment is utilized, collection efficiency shall be determined by the U.S. EPA's document entitled "Model Regulatory Language for Capture Efficiency Testing" dated 8/3/90.