Cheyenne BOPU: Don’t Put Hazardous Materials In The Sanitary Sewer

The Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities is reminding sewer users about the rules against putting hazardous materials in the sanitary sewer system after one industrial user had their sewer rights terminated for doing so.

According to a BOPU mews release, there have been several violations of that rule over the past 20 years or so. Violations have included such substances as gasoline, petroleum products, concrete and excessive grease.

One user even put something into the sewer that triggered an explosives warning. BOPU says such substances can damage infrastructure and put employees lives at risk.

In the words of the release "Recognizing these risks, BOPU established its Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) in the early 1990s. The program protects the sanitary sewer system through the development and enforcement of local ordinances, permitting industrial users, routine inspections and sampling, compliance monitoring, and enforcement actions when necessary. The program also helps ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations."

A Biological Contaminant Was Recently Found In The System

The release says the most recent case involves an industrial user who put a biological contaminant into the system.

According to the release, in February testing revealed the presence of the Cupriavidus gilardii bacterium, which is naturally occurring in groundwater and soil.

The release goes on to say "Cupriavidus gilardii is known for its high resistance to metals and has been associated with certain industrial applications involving metal reduction processes, including some advanced manufacturing and industrial systems. Research also indicates that, while infections are extremely rare, the bacterium may pose health risks to immunocompromised individuals and the elderly through direct exposure. To date, only a limited number of documented human infections have been reported worldwide."

After an extensive investigation, and industrial user on the system was found to be the source for the bacterium. The user was immediately banned from using the sewer system. The release does not identify the user.

Over the past couple of months the BOPU has taken steps to disinfect the entire reuse system and the system was taken offline shortly after seasonal startup.

Most of the bacteria appears to have been eliminated. Even so, signs will be posted when the reuse system is reactivated on Monday to alert people that the water is being used.