Industrial-Commercial User Connection Permit Information

As an industrial or commercial business activity that will be discharging wastewater to the Regional Sanitary Sewer System, you may be required to obtain a sewer connection permit from the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA).

1. Why is a sewer connection permit needed?

Every discharger into the Regional Sewer System is charged a one-time fee for the sewer capacity they will be utilizing. This is different from the bi-monthly user fee, which is a charge for treating the wastewater. The sewer connection fee is a fee assessed for all new or increased connections to cover a portion of the capital costs related to wastewater transmission, treatment and disposal. This fee also helps to cover costs related to providing and maintaining excess capacity currently available within the Regional Sewer System.

2. How is a sewer connection permit fee determined?

Information regarding the wastewater flow and strength from industrial sources is submitted to the MRWPCA Customer Service Department by the applicant. The anticipated or actual wastewater flow should be reported in gallons per day and the strength (Biochemical Oxygen Demand and Suspended Solids) in mg/L. Commercial activities are not required to submit flow or strength information. Instead, average state established strengths and flow volume data is available for a wide variety of business types and will be used to determine the connection fee. The information from either method is put into a specific mathematical formula that calculates the required fee for the particular company or business. This fee is based on the sewer connection fee schedule in effect at the time of payment. The fee is assessed to the property owner and is due and payable at the time of application.

3. Who do you contact to obtain a sewer connection permit?

To obtain a permit or just check to see if one is needed, contact the MRWPCA Customer Service Department. You can reach their office by calling (831) 372-2385, 449-6366, or 722-9288. Their office is located at the MRWPCA Administrative Building in the Ryan Ranch Business Park off of Highway 68. The address is 5 Harris Court, Building D, Monterey.